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Writer's pictureFirefly Hollow Farm

What’s the Difference? Lambskin, Sheepskin or Ram Skin.

If you have any questions regarding the flock or sheepskins, please don’t hesitate to ask. It is our sincere wish that you are delighted with your new sheepskin.



Lambskins:


These are beguiling! The wool has crimp, wave & curl. The lambs fleece is most desired by wool connoisseurs because of its incredible softness & staple (lock) length. The lock can be 7 to 11 inches in length with all the softness of the thel. The thel is the low micron wool closest to the body. Only in the lamb fleeces does the softness of the thel extend along the entire lock. The colors are rich & diverse. The leather is thin & pliable, but not as durable as a sheepskin’s. Lambskins are perfect for interior decoration, lightly used throws or a comfy reading chair, piano benches, or as a statement making wearable piece. They are ideal for photos & backdrops. They drape & hang wonderfully. They fit anywhere that beauty, comfort, softness, & style is of utmost concern & hard wear isn’t necessary.





Lambskins will not hold up well for longterm use on the floor. They do not mat easily & it is best to use your fingers to run through the curls. If that is not enough then lambskins should be shook out rather then combed. This is to avoid losing the signature crimp & curls. Lambskins will naturally be smaller in size than sheepskins. There is variety in not only color, but also in the degree of curl & crimp so be certain to look at the pictures.





Sheepskin:


This is a mature animal that had longer to grow & develop. These sheepskins will vary in softness depending on the balance of thel & tog. Tog being the outside layer of wool used to repel moisture & protect from the wind. The level of crimp & curl will be less than a lambskin, but each sheepskin will have a varied amount of wave & crimp. Sone with still have curl. The leather will be thicker & more durable, making sheepskins capable of being on the floor, or the seat of a truck. They are larger so they extend further on the back of a couch, or offer more cushioning in your favorite chair. The sheepskin is thicker & denser, but the wool is usually not as soft as the lambskin. If the wool on a sheepskin is routinely stepped on then overtime it will mat slightly. This is easy to remedy with a little of detangler & a hair pick. You can brush the sheepskin out without the same worry of a lambskin losing all its crimp & curl. Reviving a sheepskin is easy. Dogs & cats seem to gravitate to sheepskins rather then lambskins. They may realize there is less chance of getting tangled up with less curls to contend with. This arrangement works well since you can easily brush out a sheepskin when it’s a pet bed. The sheepskin offers beauty as well as durability. The colors are rich & vary greatly.




Ram Skin:


These are durable, hardy sheepskins that measure 4-5 feet. The wool is thick with long tog on the edges & often a dense thel in the center. The wool can vary from 9 inches to 5 inches depending on its location. Ram skins offer the most cushioning & the thickest leather. This makes them ideal for sitting by the fire pit, lying in front of the fireplace, or laying in the back of the truck to watch stars.



They are capable of putting up with more wear & tear. They can be brushed out when needed & beat if necessary. The leather is so thick that you can roll them up like a bedroll & take them camping. These are all things the sheepskin can do too, but the ram skin offers it in the largest, hardiest package. Ram skins are for function as much as they are for decoration.



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