Why the Rare Breed Sheepskin Rug You See Is the Rare Breed Sheepskin Rug You Receive

There really is nothing worse than spending time searching for the perfect rare breed sheepskin rug, finally finding exactly the colour and markings you’ve been hoping for, imagining where it will sit in your home, only for something a little different to arrive through the post.

Perhaps the fleece is a little darker than you expected. Maybe the markings aren’t quite the same, or the wool isn’t as long as it appeared in the photograph. Even the smallest differences can completely change the character of a natural sheepskin.

At Sheepland, we’ve never felt that choosing a genuine rare breed sheepskin should involve taking a chance.

That’s why the rare breed sheepskin rug you see on our website is the exact rare breed sheepskin rug you’ll receive.

It has always been one of the most time-consuming parts of what we do, yet it’s also one of the things we’re proudest of.

Every Rare Breed Sheepskin Is Naturally Unique

Nature has a remarkable way of ensuring no two sheep are ever exactly alike.

Even within the same breed, every fleece develops differently throughout the sheep’s life. One Jacob may have bold chocolate patches, whilst another is delicately speckled. A Herdwick may have a wonderfully rustic texture, whilst another feels beautifully soft and flowing. Icelandic sheepskins are famous for their dramatic long wool, yet every one has its own blend of natural shades and movement.

That’s the joy of genuine rare breed sheepskin.

Every rug has its own personality.

Using one generic photograph to represent dozens of natural fleeces simply never felt right to us, which is why we’ve always photographed every individual rare breed sheepskin rug that passes through our workshop.

Taking the Time to Get It Right

Whenever a new batch of rare breed sheepskins arrives at our Somerset workshop, the first job isn’t reaching for a camera.

Instead, every rug is carefully laid out, giving us the opportunity to appreciate its individual shape, markings and character before it’s measured by hand.

Only then do we begin preparing it for its photographs.

Every fleece is gently brushed to lift the wool, helping it settle naturally and allowing its true texture to shine through. It isn’t about making a rug look different. It’s simply about presenting it as beautifully and as honestly as possible, just as we’d hope to see it ourselves if we were choosing a sheepskin online.

The same brushes we use every day in our workshop have become such an important part of caring for our sheepskins that, while stocks last, we include one complimentary with every rare breed sheepskin rug. It means you can continue looking after your rug at home in exactly the same gentle way we do before it leaves our workshop.

Every rug is then carefully measured by hand before receiving its own unique identification number, ready for its place on our website.

It takes many hours.

Quite honestly, there are quicker ways of doing it.

We’ve simply never believed they’re better.

Honest Photography Matters

Photography can dramatically change the appearance of a sheepskin.

Artificial lighting often makes ivory rugs appear brighter than they really are, whilst warmer lighting can introduce yellow tones that simply don’t exist.

Wherever possible, we photograph our rare breed sheepskins using natural daylight around our workshop. Some days we’re even known to wait a little longer for the light to be just right. A passing cloud or bright afternoon sunshine can completely alter the appearance of a natural fleece, and we’d much rather take our time than photograph a rug that doesn’t truly represent itself.

Whenever we can, we also photograph each rug from several different angles.

A sheepskin never looks exactly the same from every viewpoint. The direction the wool falls, the depth of the fleece and the way the natural fibres catch the light all help tell the story of that individual rug. Showing more than one angle gives a far better impression of its true character than a single overhead photograph ever could.

After all, we’d much rather you unwrap your sheepskin and think, “It’s exactly as I’d hoped,” than wonder why it looks different from the website.

Why Only Our Rare Breed Rugs?

You may notice that our rare breed sheepskins are individually photographed, whilst many of our dyed collections use representative photographs.

There’s a simple reason for that.

Our dyed ranges are produced to achieve a much more consistent appearance, making representative photography entirely appropriate.

Our rare breed collection couldn’t be more different.

Every Jacob, Herdwick, Icelandic and other specialist breed has developed naturally throughout the sheep’s life. Their colours, markings and fleece are entirely individual, making every rug worthy of its own photographs.

Behind the Scenes

Once a rare breed sheepskin has been measured and photographed, there’s still plenty to do before it appears on our website.

Every rug is carefully labelled with its own identification number before finding its place within the workshop. It sounds straightforward, although keeping track of hundreds of individually photographed sheepskins is no small task, especially in a characterful old Somerset building that certainly wasn’t designed with storing rare breed rugs in mind!

Thankfully, Zoe works her organisational magic behind the scenes.

If you’ve ever telephoned us, there’s every chance you’ve already spoken to her.

Whenever a new batch of rare breed rugs arrives, it’s Zoe who carefully labels every fleece, finds it a home within the workshop and somehow keeps everything beautifully organised. Every rug has its place, making it possible for us to find a particular Jacob, Herdwick or Icelandic in a matter of moments.

The workshop occasionally feels a little like a giant game of sheepskin Tetris. One week we’re welcoming a wonderful new batch of rugs into the collection, the next we’re carefully wrapping others as they begin their journey to homes all over the world.

Somehow, despite the ever-changing collection, Zoe always seems to know exactly where every rug belongs.

Ask about Jacob 51 or Herdwick 35 and, before long, she’ll disappear into the workshop before reappearing with exactly the fleece you were asking about.

We’re honestly still not quite sure how she does it.

When a Rug Finds Its Forever Home

One of the loveliest parts of working with genuine rare breed sheepskins is watching each rug begin a new chapter.

Every fleece spends a little while with us before finding the person who was meant to own it.

Once it has found its forever home, it’s quietly removed from our website, making space for the next wonderful batch of rare breed sheepskins waiting patiently for their turn in front of the camera.

Another similar rug may come along one day.

You may even find one you like even more.

Nature has a remarkable way of ensuring you’ll never find another that’s exactly the same.

That’s part of the pleasure of owning something completely natural.

Finding the Right Sheepskin for You

Everyone shops differently.

Some customers know they’re looking for an Icelandic, whilst others have always admired the striking markings of a Jacob or the wonderfully rustic character of a Herdwick.

Many simply know the colour they’d love to have in their home.

We’ve tried to make browsing as enjoyable as possible by organising our website in several different ways.

Our 100% British Rare Breed collection is divided into separate sections for standard long fur, short fur and supersize rugs, making it easier to compare similar fleeces side by side. We’ve also created dedicated collections for breeds such as Jacob, Herdwick and Icelandic, whilst bringing together naturally coloured sheepskins, including our undyed brown collection, for customers who prefer to browse by colour.

If the rug you’re imagining isn’t quite there, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

During our quieter months, usually between March and September, we’re often fortunate enough to have a little more time to search through new batches, compare different fleeces or simply chat about the colours and breeds that might suit your home best.

Helping someone find the sheepskin they’ve been searching for is one of the nicest parts of our job.

The Little Things Matter

Every rare breed sheepskin that appears on our website has spent time in our hands long before it reaches yours.

It’s been carefully measured.

Gently brushed.

Photographed in natural light.

Labelled.

Organised.

Admired.

Then, finally, introduced to our website in the hope that somebody, somewhere, will fall in love with it.

It may not be the quickest way of doing things.

We simply believe it’s the right way.