The Universe

The universe has always been good to us at Driftless Tannery. Let me explain.

Driftless Tannery started with very little capital investment. Just a few hundred dollars from our family budgets. We wrote a business plan which included getting a bank loan and signing up for training from Organic Sheepskins in the UK, the only place in the world offering such training. We met with our local Small Business Development Center to map out a plan. That plan was to get training, spread the word, and start gathering hides… Then in March of 2020, the COVID 19 pandemic locked down the world. We couldn’t travel for training. It felt too risky to go to the bank for a loan but we needed capital. So we set up a small farm stand and sold perennial plants. Plants that came from our amassed personal gardens. We posted it on our local Soil Sisters* listserve and we sold out of plants day one. So we dug up some more plants and we sold out of those. As soon as we ran out of spare pots, friends showed up with pots for us to reuse. Friends brought both empty pots and pots they donated full of perennials from their own yards. As soon as our farm stand emptied it was replenished by our community. We earned enough that first week to purchase a small piece of equipment. And so it went for the past five years. We didn’t keep the farm stand open, but when we are faced with a challenge, financially or otherwise, a solution shows up. The universe provides. It has dozens of times over the past 5 years.

As we move into our 6th year of business we received our latest signal from the universe. We have seen an increase in the demand for our services and we feel ready to invest in some equipment to handle the increased workload. A couple of weeks ago, we began planning a trip to the UK to see other natural sheepskin tanneries like ours and to learn what equipment they use to help manage the process. After all these years of operating a tannery we had never actually seen another operation. Last week, Legacy Leathers, a custom leather tannery working in the fashion industry, contacted us. They are moving their operation from Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Tennessee and they will have some extra equipment that they won’t be bringing with them! So yesterday, we took our first tannery tour at Legacy Leathers in Sheboygan. Dan, the owner, was amazing. He’s been in the leather business since 1997. He spent over an hour with us imparting knowledge and showing us how things work. His tannery is full of equipment, old and new. While the leather industry is different than ours in many ways, the equipment we use is universal. We got to see some machines in action and found that he has many smaller pieces that he no longer employs that will definitely help us here!

We are still planning our trip to the UK and Wales in January. Yesterday confirmed our belief that seeing other natural sheepskin tanneries is a must at this stage of our journey. We are so grateful for the willingness of Organic Sheepskins and Welsh Organic Tannery to show us around their operations and we can’t wait to share with you what we learn here and on our social media accounts.

Thank you, as always, for sharing this journey with us and for supporting our tiny tannery.

*Soil Sisters are a community of people who identify as women supporting each other, building networks locally and nationally and sharing the inspiring stories of our successes alongside failures and learning along the way, inspiring more women to follow their dreams of cultivating soil and community. You can find out more about this dynamic group of women here.

What are Driftless Wool Pellets?

What is a Wool Pellet?

Wool pellets are a climate friendly, sustainable soil additive made from 100% wool that is heat pelletized for horticultural use. Wool naturally contains many macro and micronutrients and wool is fully biodegradable. Wool pellets hold moisture in the soil and makes it bioavailable to plants when they need it. As the pellets break down in the soil, over the course of a year, they release nutrients and create space that aerates the soil.

If you are interested in trying a bag of Wool Pellets you can find those here or stop by our shop in Argyle.

Thank you, as always, for supporting us in this journey to waste less and appreciate more!

Sincerely,
Team Driftless

Natural sheepskin, a legacy textile for babies

Since we started this business, we have heard from many folks in their 60s and 70s that they remember the sheepskin they had as a child. It seems as though sheepskin was an often-gifted textile to young mothers and their children.

Our naturally tanned sheepskin are legacy textiles made to last a lifetime and are durable enough to be passed down from generation to generation.

The many natural qualities of sheepskin can bestow comfort to young and old alike.

Sheepskin provide cushioning like no other material.

Sheepskin is thermal regulating; meaning that it keeps you cool in the warm months and warm in the cool months. That is wool’s superpower.

Driftless Tannery’s process maintains the natural qualities of the wool. The lanolin remaining in the fibers is soothing to the touch and creates a dirt resistant surface that is both antimicrobial and hypoallergenic.

Sheepskin are great for baby’s tummy time. They provide both tactile stimulation and comfort. They can also be used under bedding in bassinets, or as a gentle cushion in a stroller or car seat.

As with everything related to babies we encourage you to do your own research and consult with local health professionals about the best ways to use sheepskin in your home.

Now that you are thinking of all the great uses, I’ll bet you are wondering how you keep your sheepskin clean enough for baby. It is really very simple, and you can read all about how to care for your sheepskin here.

How do I clean my sheepskin?

How you clean a sheepskin, goat or deer hide depends on the type of tannage that was used to preserve it. At Driftless Tannery we use two methods; alum tawning and mimosa bark tanning.

Alum tawning produces lovely, white supple leather products that are perfect for indoor use. Alum tawned hides are well preserved and long lasting but the leather is not water resistant. Therefore, when you clean an alum tawned hide you must take care not to soak the leather. For light stains, letting the area dry and using a metal pet brush to remove the dirt is usually sufficient. For tough stains, you can use a spray bottle with water or a 1:3 solution of vinegar to water and lightly spray the stain or you can spot treat with a damp cloth.  When wetting the wool, please make sure to spot clean in one direction, and avoid rubbing the area. Moisture + wool + agitation = felting!  Take care not to get the skin wet beneath the fiber. Just like all leather products, water will change the physical characteristics of the skin and you may end up with hard spots. If the skin does get wet (let’s face it, life happens) then you should take care to gently stretch the skin to its original shape as it dries. Just like you wouldn’t toss a leather coat or hand bag into the washing machine and expect it to be fine, DO NOT put these in the washing machine!

Mimosa bark tanned sheepskin are water resistant. In the event that you want to clean the entire hide, you can wash bark tanned hides in a tub of water or in the washing machine. Bark tanned sheepskin can be put in the washing machine on gentle cycle with cold water and a wool friendly detergent. Please note that all wool can felt in the washing machine.

Certain types of wool such as that from long wool breeds or breeds with fine wool will almost always felt in the washing machine. It is best to handwash those bark tanned sheepskin in a tub. When wetting the wool, be sure to brush or rub the fiber in one direction.

Do not rub back and forth or felting will occur!

Goat and deer are less affected by agitation and can be put into a gentle cycle in the washing machine, but you may find that some of the hair comes loose in the washing machine.

Never put a hide in the tumble dryer. It is best to air dry on a line and gently stretch the sheepskin as it dries. You may find the edges of the hide curl a bit during the drying process. Gently smooth the edges as it dries and your hide should return to its prewashed state.

We take great pride to know that each product we hand create becomes a legacy textile and we hope that this blog helps you keep them looking their best for many years to come.

Thank you for reading and for supporting our tiny tannery!

Team Driftless

How do I care for my sheepskin?

Wool is naturally antibacterial and dirt repelling, however, over time, a sheepskin might need some freshening up.

To keep your naturally tanned sheepskin looking and feeling fresh, simply take it outside and give it a gentle shake to help loosen the fibers back up and dislodge any dirt.

If it’s a nice sunny day out with low humidity and a gentle breeze, you can let the hide air out on a line for a short while.

Different combs can help with different fibers. See some examples below to decide which brush is best for your hide.

To remove stains, such as cat puke (ick) or food, let the stain dry completely then use a brush like the one pictured below left to gently release the dried mess. You will be amazed how easily wool lets go of particles!

To give your hide a little bit of extra TLC (tender, loving care), you can use a wide bristle like the one pictured in below center b, gentle tip brush to freshen up the fibers and loosen any tangles. This style of brush (seen below) will help protect the integrity of the fiber, regardless of its structure. It is safe to use on curly hides, as well as long, short, or straight fiber hides.

We use the brush pictured below right to remove items like burrs, small sticks or hay. If you take your sheepskin on a camping trip, this hardworking tool could be of use to you.

*If you have an alum tawned sheepskin take special care to ensure it isn’t exposed to high humidity or wet conditions, as this will distort the leather and degrade the quality of your sheepskin. For this reason, you don’t want to keep your alum tawned sheepskins in a bathroom or kitchen area, either. Bark tanned sheepskin are water resistant and can be exposed to humid conditions. If you don’t know the difference between alum tawning and bark tanning check out our previous blog on the subject.