Icelandic make beautiful, iconic sheepskin. Very Viking with their wispy long fibers. They also happen to be one of the more finicky of all sheepskin to tan.
Read moreEnvisioning the Future of Driftless
What if we could create a place here in the Driftless where we can tell the story of traditional, sustainably crafted sheepskin to a wide audience by designing a workspace that is conducive to tours with large viewing windows into the tannery operation and a gathering space for educational programs?
Read moreTakeaways from Our Trip to the United Kingdom
We have been back from the UK for about a month now. Our trip was everything we had hoped it would be. Our only regrets are that we didn’t make the trip sooner and that we weren’t able to stay longer.
Read moreGreasy Hides in Natural Tanning
There are two main causes for greasy leather: improper cure and an older, fatty sheep. The former can be avoided, the latter cannot and may not become evident until the last stage of our process.
Read moreThe 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 England 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.
Woven Sheepskin Yoga and Meditation Rugs
Driftless Tannery’s yoga/meditation rugs range between 70” and 72” long and are made with the trimmings from their naturally tanned sheepskin, thus reducing landfill waste and producing a beautiful, functional, comfortable mat for energizing our bodies!
Read moreUnderstanding the Science and the Art of Tanning
There is a lot of chemistry to understand in the tanning processes. There is biology to understand in the nature of the animal’s skin and fiber. Then there is the art of putting it all together and knowing what is happening and why it is happening.
Read moreBig Box vs Driftless
Choosing natural fibers is choosing to say no to polluting microplastics. Choosing to support tanneries like ours is choosing to support the environment in which we all live and the resources we all depend on.
Read moreWhat 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.