Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against IKEA or Kwantum. In fact, I'm often found there. The design of the home accessories is always according to the latest trends and above all, it's affordable. For example, you can also go to IKEA or Kwantum to buy a cheap sheepskin.

But what is the difference between a Skéépe sheepskin and a Kwantum or IKEA sheepskin?

To clear up the first misunderstanding;

most sheepskins from IKEA and Kwantum are not imitation sheepskins. If it says that they are made of 100% wool and 100% leather, then they are just skins that really come from a sheep. The difference is mainly in the price, origin, treatment, production and size.

Price, Where to buy a cheap sheepskin

The sheepskins from IKEA and Kwantum are cheaper than ours. At first glance it seems like a big difference but if you consider that the largest sheepskin from IKEA or Kwantum is just as big as our lambskin , then it is actually not that bad. But to be honest, they are cheaper.

Origin; our sheepskins really come from Texel. Where does a sheepskin from IKEA or Kwantum actually come from?

Well, I would like to know that too! That is nowhere to be found. If I have to guess, these fleeces come from China, because they are offered in larger numbers there. It is not mentioned which breed of sheep it is or where and especially HOW the sheep lived. Pretty important, right?!

Treatment; How are the sheepskins tanned and how do they get so white?

Sheepskins need to be tanned to make them beautiful and usable again. Our skins are ecologically tanned at various tanneries within the EU. We do this to keep the process as sustainable as possible. By tanning naturally, the skin also retains its own, sometimes slightly yellowish colour. This is the colour that the sheep itself had and is therefore unique for each skin.

Unfortunately, it is not stated where this happens with the sheepskins from IKEA or Kwantum, and it is therefore not possible to determine how this happens. It is noticeable that the white skins are very white and all the same color. To achieve this, skins are sometimes bleached, which is a chemical process and can cause skin irritation. Now I think it is a bit lame to immediately say that this has happened with the sheepskins from IKEA and Kwantum, but because it is not clear how the skins have been treated, it could of course just be the case.

Production; At Skéépe, every sheepskin is unique.

What I personally like when our sheepskins come back from the tannery is that no two are the same. They come in all sorts of colours and the natural sheepskins sometimes have a cheerful dot here and there. The sheepskins from Kwantum and IKEA are all the same. They have the same colour, are exactly the same size and all have exactly the same shape. This is of course because these companies have to deliver one and the same quality but as far as I'm concerned there is little natural left about it...

We ourselves try to be as economical as possible with our skins. The skins are cut as sparingly as possible. The sheepskins that no longer match the colour of the cover block are dyed in a trendy colour, so that they can still be used in a coloured interior. We make beautiful sheepskin products and care aids from the skins that are too small or not in perfect condition.

The size; a small or large sheepskin, it doesn't matter to us!

The sheepskins of Skéépe start with the lambskins, these are approx. 100cm. long and 60cm wide. If you want to buy a large sheepskin, then you will end up with the supersize and this is larger than 125cm.
The sheepskins from IKEA and Kwantum are all cut in the same shape and size and are all smaller than 90cm. So if you are looking for a large sheepskin, unfortunately that will not work there.

All in all, a personal consideration. If you go for a smaller, cheap sheepskin with a standard size, shape and color, then IKEA or Kwantum are the right place for you. If you are looking for a natural product of which you know where and how the sheep lived and you are looking for something unique in many different colors, sizes and shapes, then we hope to see you back in our webshop !

See you soon!
Sanne