In English
Swedish sheepskins from Karlsbergs Gård
First and foremost, sheepskins are beautiful to look at, and they have a plush surface that feels pleasant to the touch and they add luxury and comfort to any environment.
Sheepskin is a wonderful natural material with unsurpassed qualities; air circulates in pure wool in a manner which cools when it is hot and warms when cold, making sheepskins practical all year round. Sheepskins also absorb moisture, making them especially suitable for small children.
Sheepskin's naturally crimped fibers form a springy, cushioned support that relieves pressure points. With its ability to retain heat and draw away moisture from the skin, sheepskins have the ability to enhance comfort in both home and in care environments.
Thanks to the Nordic climate, sheep that graze on fields in Sweden produce wool with especially fine qualities and it is the grey Gotland Pelt sheep breed that is the most sought after. In Sweden, sheepskins are typically used as throws, where they drape over armchairs and sofas, and as rugs on the floor.
Karlsbergs Gård
Karlsbergs Gård is located in Hjo in Sweden and is a farm owned by us two, Susanne and Sven-Ove Flykt. We keep around 450 ewes, which are raised to full organic standards and raise between 800-900 lambs each year.
Now 2017-18, we finish this sheep/lamb production. But we are going further with selling Swedish lamb skins; from the last lamb from our own farm, and sheepskins brought in from other Swedish farms, which is how we can offer a constant supply and such wide range of sheepskins. The sheepskins available are from a number of breeds including Swedish Finewool, Gotland Peltsheep and Leicester, as well as mixed breeds
Sheepskins
All sheepskins are bi-products of meat production, based on a strong ethos of using the whole animal for consumption and the rearing of sheep and slaughter of livestock comply with strict Swedish animal welfare regulations. Swedish farmers get a good return in their sheepskins, which is why they have pursued selective breeding not only to enhance meat quality but also the quality of the pelts.
To prepare sheepskins they go through a rigorous tanning process, where chrome is traditionally used and is the ingredient that makes a sheepskin washable. Sheepskins can also be prepared organically without chrome, but then they will not be washable, and will then have an EKO stamp on the leather side according to EU regulations.
Each sheepskins is unique with its natural color, no skins are dyed or bleached, which is why for example the white sheepskins can vary slightly in color ranging from colder to warmer whites. Sheepskins can also have color variations with speckles or sometimes even different color dots coming through.
New skins may leave a fine white dust from the underside so it is important they are not places directly on furniture but instead placed on a cloth or towel which is laid between the skin and armchair or sofa.
Care instructions
It is important to remember that a sheepskin is a natural material and to make sure it will last and look at its best it must be taken care of.
We recommend you:
● Shake the skin outside to air it and vacuum occasionally
● It is good to brush and comb the skin from time to time so that they don’t tangle.
● Hand the skin outside on a slightly damp day, this will not only keep your sheepskin clean, but will also help keep curls tight
● Although sheepskins can be washed we recommend that spills and stains are spot treated using a wool detergent and a brush
If you need to wash the skin:
● Wash it on a gentle 30-degree wool cycle using a wool detergent
● Dry flat or hang it
● Whilst drying, work the leather side of the skin with your hands by stretching it since all leathers naturally shrink when wet
Each skins is labeled with a sticker, which states whether it is a washable (tvättbart) or non-washable skin (ej tvättbart).
