Sheepskin Story!

Sheepskin, or wool, has clothed people for millennia, keeping them warm in wintery climates and comfortable in warmer environments. Also known as sherling or fleece, sheepskin continues to be a timeless choice. It is an extremely versatile fabric, and is used to make many kinds of clothing, from coats and hats to socks and gloves. Footwear has been one of the most popular uses for sheepskin; boots, slippers, and clogs made of sheepskin are valued for their comfort and style.

The Origins of Australian Sheepskin

The initial European colonists settled hundreds of years ago in Australia with their sheep. The Australian rural landscape is uniquely suited to sheep, as the weather remains relatively mild and the landscape encompasses massive expanses of natural grassland. Similar to most any primitive lifestyle, it was important for the earliest settlers to put all possessions to complete use, as resources were often scarce. Not only were sheep used as a lucrative crop, for trading purposes, and as a source of food, but they were used for clothing as well. Over the years, the sheep became the primary crop and chief export for the entire country. With its dominance of the sheep industry for such an extended time, it is no wonder Australia was said to 'ride on the sheep's back'. The country's largest and most significant form of land use is for wool production, with roughly 70,000 wool-growing properties spreading from north of Queensland to the mid-north of Western Australia, including Tasmania and the Islands of the Bass Strait.

Australian Merino

The numbers of sheep are overwhelming. Individual flocks range from as little of a few hundred to as many as 100,000 or more! Three-quarters of all Australian sheep run in flocks of 3,000 or more. Australia produces 30 percent of all wool used worldwide, from over 100 million sheep. Other significant sheep flocks are found in the he USSR (117 million), China (111 million), New Zealand (50 million) and India (40 million).

More than 80 percent of all Australian sheep are a breed called the "Australian Merino". The outstanding feature of this sheep is its large size, and is known primarily for its heavy fleeces of fine quality wool. It is a distinct breed that has adapted to the specific conditions of the Australian countryside. Geelong, on the south east coast of Australia, is considered the wool capital of the world. In fact, Emu Australia, a premier manufacturer of sheepskin products, controls all processes from sourcing and tanning to manufacturing in the Geelong location.

Sheepskin = Sherling = fleece = wool

Over time, sheepskin boot production became as much a part of the Australian history as the cowboy boot is to America's Western heritage. Sheepskin hides were put to use to create all forms of clothing, including footwear. The Aussie ranchers made their boots from the skins of the Merino sheep, after discovering the unsurpassed quality of Merino sheep wool.

From the 1820s on, it is this highly valued wool that was Australia’s primary export product. The Merino sheepskin is perhaps nature’s most perfect material for footwear: durable, yet extremely soft and lightweight, it creates a boot that has a rich suede texture on the outside and the smooth, gentle fleece lining on the inside. This is one reason why sheepskin boots are so cozy.

What Makes Sheepskin Special

Still strong enough for outdoor wear, it is the Merino sheepskin that is responsible for the boots' snug, comfy, foot-molding property that feels like gigantic socks when slipped around your feet. The exceptional fleece lining is a product that can be worn all times of the year, in extreme cold or in the heat of summer. In cold conditions, the fleece supplies the feet with an insulating layer of warmth by trapping in body heat. In the heat, the natural fibers of the fleece actually keep your feet cool by pulling perspiration away from your skin; thus keeping air circulating in the boots keeping your feet dry.

Since sheepskin is naturally thermostatic, you can wear them in conditions from-30 F to as high as your thermometer will go! Also, sheepskin contains lanolin and will moisturize your feet when worn barefoot. In Australia and the US, the typical way to wear sheepskin footwear is without socks.

Sheepskin Today

In 2002, fashion industries around the world determined it was an appropriate time to really popularize sheepskin products. How? By producing and promoting countless styles of clothes made out of sheepskin. What started out as purely beach-scene style made its way to ski areas and ultimately wound up finding popularity in the mainstream fashion industry.
Finally, consumers could obtain the best of both worlds: a product that is delightful to wear and is still considered fashionable. The versatility and popularity of sheepskin is a clear sign that it is no longer a secret of the surfers. Much of this exposure has been driven by the high visibility of the UGG Australia brand. Deckers corp., owners of UGG Australia, has marketed their cozy little sheepskin boots very well. See the exposure in People Magazine below

UGG, Emu, Koolaburra, Aussie Dog and Jackson Bay are all manufacturers of sheepskin boots that have taken this wonderful material and made it look fashionable. Check them all out at SheepskinShoes.com!

UGGS
Koolaburra
Emu
Bearpaw
Aussie Dogs
Staheekum
Warmbat
Ulu
Cloud Nine
Minnetonka
Acorn
Sven
Chooka
Pure OZ Australia

Recent magazine article from Entertainment Weekley.

Sheepskin Brands

Popular UGG Australia is taking their brand to the next level by introducing its first product extension. Just recently, they launched a new accessory line of totes, handbags, and muffs. In addition to these fashionable handbags, UGG alsp produces slippers, wooden clogs, shoes, and boots.

"Great bags are the perfect next step for such a greatly loved shoe collection", says Greg Besner, the president of UGG Australia.

The style of these new accessory products mimic the traditional style of their boots, giving consumers another opportunity to show off this pop sheepskin look. The first collection of bags features leather details, brass hardware, and obviously, sheepskin. UGG Australia's goal is to keep the bags looking and feeling rich with the signature UGG style while still serving function.

The first styles are categorized into three groups: the Classic, Sundance, and Fluff collections. They are available in the common sand and chocolate tones (pictured left), as well as denim, lilac, ruby, baby blue, and baby pink. All of their can be found at SheepskinShoes.com. UGG Australia is focusing on capturing the hearts and interests of fashion lovers of all ages.

Click here to buy UGG Australia sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Emu Australia and Aussie Dogs both produce their sheepskin boots in unique ways. While most manufactures obtain the sheepskin as a byproduct, Emu shaves their sheep and attaches the fleece to a cloth that is then adhered to split cow hide. This results in increased durability, lower production costs, a more affordable price for the consumer, and some very happy sheep! In fact, Emu calls their boots "Happy Sheep Boots".

Aussie Dog features a style of boot where there is a pigskin laminate used to covered the outer sheepskin. This makes the boots longer-lasting, more water repellent and covers any imperfections that may found in the raw form of the sheepskin.

Click here to buy Emu Australia sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Click here to buy Aussie Dogs sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Minnetonka Logo

Minnetonka Moccasin is a completely American-based manufacturer of fine sheepskin moccasins and casual footwear. Minnetonka is in the unique position of trying to keep their production of footwear domestic. All materials used to create Minnetonka sheepskin boots are made in the USA. Part of the manufacturing process is executed in Puerto Rico, and Minnetonka uses only American sheep.

They have been combining quality, style, and comfort with value. They use the only best leathers, crafted in the most popular styles, to produce the best fitting and longest lasting comfort available. Still, they manage to maintain the lowest possible cost with the highest quality. Check out the selection of Minnetonka products here at SheepskinShoes.com.

Click here to buy Minnetonka sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Clifford & Percy Severn founded Koolaburra Australia in 1991 with the commitment to offer the very best Australian sheepskin footwear available anywhere. Their search throughout Australia led them to a small group of craftsmen whose commitment matched their own. Today, every pair of Koolaburras is still made by our master craftsmen & women in Perth, Western Australia. Robert acquires the finest Australian Merino sheepskin and supervises production. Kate (Kite, to American ears) grades each sheepskin by hand, and cuts patterns from only the best. Debbie trains our team, and sews the most challenging seams herself. They, and the team they have built over the past 25 years, consistently make the superb, handcrafted footwear that is an Australian icon.

Click here to buy Koolaburra sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Cloud Nine Logo

Founded in 1976, Cloud Nine has spent almost thirty years putting together one of the largest selections of sheepskin slippers and sheepskin accessories in the country. Their commitment to a standard of excellence has shined through to thousands of customers over the years.

Cloud Nine uses only the finest premium grade sheepskin pelts, selected for their density, strength, and quality. Almost all the sheepskins used in the production are from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. The hides are tanned with the best technology available, in factories all over the world.

Click here to buy Cloud Nine sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Experience the feel of luxurious sheepskin inside our slippers and caress the velvet nap of the natural suede uppers. You will then understand why Staheekum is synonymous with comfortable surroundings. Inside, natural sheepskin caresses your feet; outside a velvety natural upper surrounds them. Yet despite this unparalleled level of comfort, Staheekums are as rugged as their namesake landscape thanks to handcrafted construction using the finest natural materials. Staheekum is synonymous with comfortable surroundings. Whether that's from the valley's reputation or slippers is often debated late into the night.

Click here to buy Staheekum sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Today, over three decades after Warmbat sheepskin boots were first created, our Warmbat footwear range has been enhanced with the use of modern sole materials and have evolved in response to contemporary fashions. Yet every pair of sheepskin boots and footwear we make resolutely preserves the quality standards for design, materials and workmanship that defined the original Warmbat and distinguish it from inferior imitations.

Click here to buy Warmbat sheepskin footwear and accessories.

Acorn,based in the US state of Maine, is another sheepskin brand sold at SheepskinShoes.com. With years of production history, Acorn has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about comfort and warmth, and imparts this expertise into each pair of boots. Some pairs have accompanied astronauts millions of miles into outer space. Some have been wear-tested atop Mt. Everest by Tenzing Norgay and his sherpas. But the most important pairs have traveled less renown paths. Acorn produces a very high quality sheepskin boot at a very affordable price.

Click here to buy Acorn sheepskin footwear and accessories.