Sheepskin with fleece

Sheepskin with fleece

This product is a sheepskin tanned naturally using salt, which preserves both the hide and the animal’s original fleece. Salt tanning is a traditional technique that avoids the use of harsh chemicals, maintaining the natural properties of the wool, such as its softness, durability, and thermal insulation capacity. Historically, these fleeces were used as a base in cradles for babies due to their waterproof and insulating qualities. The structure of the wool repels moisture and allows for good air circulation, helping to maintain a stable body temperature. Additionally, its softness and natural texture provided a comfortable and safe surface for newborns. They were also used as padding in saddles, offering comfort and thermal protection for the rider. In rainy regions of northern Spain, it was common to cover the foreheads of oxen and cows yoked for agricultural work with skins from dogs, sheep, goats, or badgers, to prevent moisture from weakening the leather straps (corniales), thus ensuring the effectiveness of the draft. Today, sheepskin fleeces have found new uses in home decor. They are highly valued as rugs, sofa or armchair covers, and decorative elements in interior spaces, thanks to their rustic and cozy aesthetic. They are also used in fashion and accessories, such as bags or outerwear. In addition to their functionality, naturally tanned sheepskins are a sustainable option, as they make use of a by-product of livestock farming and avoid polluting industrial processes. This makes them an environmentally friendly alternative, aligned with current trends in responsible consumption.

1616

Sheepskins are produced throughout the year, depending on lambing dates and the age of the animals. The documented piece was made a few months prior to our visit.

iain

Spanish

Physical Object

723

Piel de cordero con pelo natural, zalea (spa..)

13/10/2025

La piel de las ovejas, ardi-larrua. Atlas Etnográfico de Vasconia. Disponible en: https://atlasetnografico.labayru.eus/index.php/La_piel_de_las_ovejas_ardi-larrua Fajardo Hernández, R. M. (2020, enero 23). Más de un Siglo de Carneros en El Hierro, 1920-2020. Gaceta del Meridiano. https://www.gacetadelmeridiano.com/index.php/la-isla/156-cultura/6209-mas-de-un-siglo-de-carneros-en-el-hierro-1920-2020 Rodríguez Rodríguez, A. (1997). La tecnología de la piel y el cuero en la prehistoria de Canarias. Una aproximación etnoarqueológica. El Museo Canario, 52, 11-31. https://accedacris.ulpgc.es/jspui/handle/10553/24250

90cm x cm x 50cm

current,43.204933648779495,-5.993876638159771;

TEXT

https://culturality.museum/wiki/index.php/Sheepskin_with_fleece

1770

Sheepskin from Xalda breed

Cultural

leatherwork

Containers for salt tanning, and drying frames.

Tene, Quirós, Asturias, Spain

These sheepskins originate from lambs raised and processed at Marina and Rodrigo’s livestock farm.

To create this piece, the lamb must be slaughtered at around six months of age, or once it reaches the appropriate size. After slaughter, the hide is removed through a series of precise cuts along the animal’s body. The tanning process is carried out naturally using salt. This traditional method removes excess moisture and preserves the fleece. Unlike industrial tanning, which involves harsh chemical treatments, salt tanning maintains the wool’s original properties. If conventional chemicals used in the leather industry were applied, the fleece would detach completely, resulting in the loss of one of the material’s key qualities. Once tanned and dehydrated with salt, the hide is hung to dry. Traditionally, in rural villages, hides were hung on the outer walls of hórreos—elevated granaries typical of northern Spain—where they were protected from direct sunlight to prevent damage to the fleece. Marina and Rodrigo use drying frames for this process, which allows for even drying. Once dry, the hide becomes stiff and cardboard-like in texture, but gradually softens with use. To accelerate this process, moisturizing creams can be applied to improve its flexibility. Lambs of the Xalda breed, native to Asturias, produce small-sized hides that are highly valued for their quality and unique characteristics. Today, this activity represents a promising business opportunity, as it allows for the reuse of a by-product that is typically discarded in the meat industry. In Spain, there are factories dedicated to hide production, although most operate on an industrial scale, and even large multinational furniture companies use this type of material. On a semi-artisanal level, there are tanneries that produce conventional hides without fleece, especially in the neighboring region of Galicia, where small factories still exist. However, in Asturias, there are no traditional tanneries available to process the hides. Marina and Rodrigo could increase their production if they had acce

Decoration, rug, baby cradle base, cushion lining, bag material, among others.

Direct sale to customers.

Produced in batches of 40 to 50 units, depending on the flock size and slaughter schedule.

This object has practically disappeared in Asturias, as it is rarely used today for cradles or saddles. Nevertheless, for many people it holds a value beyond decoration, as it is made from the hide of a native sheep breed and serves as a way to connect with rural life through an item that, although now primarily decorative, carries strong cultural and symbolic significance.

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