Sheepskin Effects

Water Resistant

• One of the strangest effects that sheepskin has is its water resistance. Although sheepskin is made from wool, water droplets take several minutes to absorb into the fibers of the cloth. This is part of the basic composition of the material. It is fortunate for sheep that this is the case; otherwise they would have great difficulty surviving through rain storms.

Breathable

• The fibers in sheepskin are extremely breathable. During the summer the sheepskin allows cool air to flow through the material, keeping anyone wearing or sitting on the fabric to stay cool. During the winter the sheepskin acts as an insulator to keep warm air close to the body.

Wicking

• Sheepskin has an incredible wicking ability. When water or moisture does seep into the material, it is immediately wicked away from the surface of the material, keeping the surface completely dry. Sheepskin actually has to have over 30 percent of its weight in moisture added to the material before it begins to feel wet. In contrast, synthetic fibers can only hold 2 percent of their weight in water before feeling wet.

Durable

• Sheepskin has the effect of one of the most durable fabrics and natural materials commonly used on the market today. Sheepskin fibers can be bent over 20,000 times without breaking. Synthetic fibers generally break at around 100 bends or less. This durability means that sheepskin lasts about 200 times longer than synthetic fibers.

Moisturizing

• Sheepskin also has a moisturizing effect on the body. The fibers in the material are so soft, that they are soothing to all skin conditions and types. This effect is achieved by the high content of lanolin in sheepskin. Lanolin is a material commonly found in many body moisturizers.

Electricity Resistant

• An interesting effect that sheepskin can have is its ability to resist electricity. Sheepskin does not retain static electricity like many other synthetic fibers. Sheepskin is known as a partial insulator, which means that static electricity will not linger inside the fibers of the fabric.

Dirt-Resistant

• The high lanolin content in sheepskin also makes it dirt and bacteria resistant. Dirt and bacteria will not bond with the fibers because of the presence of the lanolin. Typically the only cleaning that sheepskin will need on a regular basis is hanging in the sun for several hours to freshen the fabric.