Buying Sheepskin Boots - Why Quality Matters

There are Sheepskin Boots and then there areNext stop is a detergent bath which removes any
"sheepskin boots!"One only has to type "sheepskinremaining dirt and fat after which the skin is pickled in
boots" into any major search engine to be inundateda pre-tan bath - this expands the skin and turns it
with what seems like hundreds of retailers - all ofinto leather. The skin is then refleshed to clean the
whom are only too anxious to relieve you of yourleather one more time before the final tanning
hard earned cash in return for a pair of sheepskinprocess where tanning agents are added to allow the
boots. But with so many different brands to chooseskin to become washable and heat stable. The skin is
from how do you know you are making the rightthen tested for shrinkage, put through a sammy
choice? There seems to be every type of boot onmachine which presses out the excess moisture and
offer, in every price bracket - from those costing asimproves the skin's shape, dried again, then dry
little as a few pounds all the way up to the topcleaned with white spirit before being spun and hung
branded makes costing a few hundred pounds perout to dry. The next step is to dye the skin in a bath
pair. How can you be sure that you are getting valueof dye to which has been added acids which allow
for your money and does quality really matter whenthe dye to fix to the wool fibres, then the skin is
buying a pair of sheepskin boots?To answer thesegiven a final rinse, sammied and hung once again to
questions we need to start at the very beginning ofdry. Once dry the skin is buffed to clean the
the sheepskin boot making process - that is we needback and improve the appearance and the wool is
to startcombed and sheared to a uniform length. The
with the sheep!The Sheepcombing and shearing process
High quality sheepskin boot manufacturers use thecan be repeated many times until the desired effect
skins from Merino sheep which are universallyis reached. Then, and only then, are the sheepskins
regarded as providing the best quality wool and skins.ready to be made into
The Australian geography and environmentalboots!Are Man Made Alternatives Better?
conditions are uniquely suited to rearing Merino sheepMan is a competitive beast and likes nothing more
of the highest quality and this is why the bestthan trying to go one better than mother nature by
sheepskin boots are made using only genuinetinkering with her treasures and trying to improve
Australian Merino sheepskins. The hides from Merinothem. Indeed there are many occasions when
sheep tend to be thicker and more durable and theman-made fabrics make for a much better product
wool itself is very dense with excellent shapethan anything found in the natural world. Take ski
retaining properties. They therefore lend themselveswear for example - the massive strides made in the
very well to the manufacture of boots with theirmanufacture of lightweight, breathable yet
ability to endure wear and tear whilst at the samewaterproof clothing has revolutionised the ski wear
time keeping their shape and good looks for manymarket. Now you can stay out all day in layers of
years.Sheepskin, also known as shearling fleece, ismoisture wicking undergarments, lightweight fleece
actually a fur - it has leather skin on one side andsweaters, and Gore Tex coats and pants which have
wool fur on the other. The sheepskin wool isbeen specially designed to keep you warm, dry and
embedded into the leather and because it is attachedcomfortable no matter what the weather or how
to the skin real sheepskin does not shed, pull out ormany times you fall over!However, Man does not
wear off. Sheepskin wool is soft, resilient andalways know best! Especially when it comes to
naturally thermostatic - the wool fibres are hollowsheepskin boots! Cheaper types of sheepskin boots
and capable of absorbing up to 30% of their ownare made using a layer of wool or synthetic fleece
weight in moisture without feeling wet to the touch.material which has been glued onto pig or cow hide.
The fibres wick moisture away, enabling it toThis is then brushed up and is often loose enough to
evaporate through the leather outer and this naturalbe pulled away from the backing which enables it to
"breathing" ability ensures that your feet remainwear away when the boots are worn. This synthetic
comfortable and dry whatever the weather.Similarlysheepskin does not breathe and results in the
duringunpleasant sweaty feet problem of cheap boots. It is
cold weather the sheepskin fibres trap the heat ofimpossible to copy synthetically the astounding list of
your body inside the boot thereby providing excellentnatural qualities found in real sheepskin but
insulation whilst at the same time the free flow of airunfortunately these cheap boots are often marketed
between your feet and the sheepskin eliminates anyas "Sheepskin Boots".So as you can see real
clamminess.Real sheepskin has many wonderfulsheepskin is a marvellous product - just ask any
properties. For example did you know that it issheep! Don't accept pale imitations - insist on high
non-static, flame resistant, wind proof and that thequality sheepskin boots and they will be an
leather side is naturally water resistant? It also drapesinvestment which you can enjoy year after year.
beautifully and will return to its constituent shape -Manufacturers of quality sheepskin boots will be
this means that over time your sheepskin boots willhappy to tell you where their sheepskins come from
mould themselves to the shape of your foot offering- it is only the man-made sheepskin boot
you a customised fit. And as if that were notmanufacturers who will be evasive with this
enough, the high naturally occurring lanolin content ininformation.So, Bottom Line?Yes! Quality does matter
the wool acts as a moisturiser so you can evenwhen buying sheepskin boots. You don't have to buy
moisturise your feet as you walk!The Making of thethe most expensive make of boot but you do need
Bootto be sure of where the makers got their sheepskins
Another factor to consider when choosing sheepskinfrom. If you want real quality and value for money
boots is the actual process of converting a sheep'sthen invest in a pair of boots made from genuine
skin into a workable bootAustralian Merino sheepskin and you will be able to
making material. This is a much more involvedenjoy them for many years to come.(c)2005. Sue
process than most people realise! First the sheepskinMadelin is the owner of The Snug Stop, purveyor of
has to be trimmed andfinest quality Australian Merino sheepskin boots, and a
washed to remove the dirt. It is then put through ahuge fan of her many pairs of Warmbat sheepskin
fleshing machine which cuts off the flesh and fat.boots.