Medicinally tanned sheepskin, what is it actually?
- , by Sanne Schoo
- 3 min reading time
Medicinally tanned sheepskin, what is it actually?
A Texel sheepskin has been used for years to provide comfort and atmosphere in the home: the decorative properties speak for themselves, but what exactly is a medicinal sheepskin and what is it used for?
Medicinally tanned
Medicinal sheepskins are tanned by means of a special tanning process called medicinal. Here the wool fat (lanolin) is preserved and lanolin has a healing and protective effect on the skin.
In addition, it is also a chlorine-free tanning process, in which the natural scent remains present to a small extent. Due to the absence of the bleaching effect of chlorine, a medicinally tanned sheepskin is more light yellow than white in color. Instead, the fur has an antibacterial effect and does not cause irritation, even when in contact with bare skin. For this reason, a medicinal sheepskin or lambskin is used in healthcare and usually not for decoration.
For example, it helps with cracks and bedsores!
A common complaint among people with sensitive, dry skin is the development of cracks in the skin of the feet. To alleviate these complaints, many people use a medicinally tanned lambskin on the foot of their bed. We also have an underblanket that consists entirely of medicinal fur. By using a medicinal sheepskin, many people not only experience relief but also healing! For this reason, among others, we also speak of health furs. Our heel protectors also help extremely well with these skin complaints and joint complaints.
View all our products made from medicinal sheepskin here.
Texel gives something extra to your sheepskin
Not all sheep are the same and that makes a sheepskin a unique natural product. Our fleeces come from the Texel sheep breed but are the only ones that have actually lived on the island. The sheep live freely with the Texel farmer and the fleece is positively influenced by the Texel climate. T he wind and sea air ensure that the wool fibre of these sheep is more resilient and thicker than that of their kind that have lived in other places in the world.
You can feel that the fleece of a real Texel sheep is firmer, and that pays off in the healing, pressure-relieving effect of a medicinal fleece. For people with pain, joint or pressure problems, it is an ideal combination: a softness that is safe for the skin with a resilient firmness.
Why are medicinal sheepskins sheared short?
A medicinal fleece is, after the tanning process, shorn short to about three centimeters. This makes the support that the fleece offers even greater than a "normal" Texel sheepskin and the fleece is nice and smooth to lie on. For babies this has the added advantage that the long hairs cannot end up in the mouth and are therefore safe to sleep on. People with decubitus can confirm that it reduces their complaints and improves sleep.
Is a medicinal sheepskin washable?
A real Texel medicinal sheepskin is also, albeit moderately, machine washable. Both washing and drying should be done at a relatively low temperature, preferably with a wool detergent, to maintain the lanolin content. In addition, there is also a medicinal sheepskin that can even be washed at high temperatures , for extra hygiene.
All our fleeces come from the Texel sheep of Skéépe.nl
