Sheepskin tanned medicinally, what is that exactly?
A Texel sheepskin has been used for years for comfort and atmosphere in our homes: the decorative properties speak for themselves, but what exactly is a medicinally tanned sheepskin and what is it used for?
Medicinal tanning
Medicinal sheepskin is tanned using a special tanning process called medicinal tanning. This preserves the wool grease (lanolin) and this has a healing and protective effect on the skin.
It is also a chlorine-free tanning process, in which the natural smell remains present to a slight extent. Due to the absence of the bleaching effect of chlorine, a medicinally tanned sheepskin is light yellow rather than white in colour. Instead, the fleece has an antibacterial effect and does not cause irritation, even when in contact with bare skin. For this reason, a medicinal sheepskin or lambskin is used in health care and not for decoration.
It,for example, helps with chaps and bedsores!
A common complaint among people with sensitive, dry skin is the development of cracks in the skin of the feet. To alleviate these complaints, many people use a medicinally tanned lambskin at the foot of their bed. We also have an underblanket that consists entirely of medicinal sheepskin. By using a medicinal sheepskin, many people experience not only relief but also healing! It is for this reason, that we also speak of 'health sheepskins'. Our heel protectors also help extremely well with these skin complaints and joint complaints.
View all our products made from medicinal sheepskin here.
Texel gives something extra to your sheepskin
Not all sheep are the same, which makes a sheepskin a unique natural product. Our sheepskins come from the Texel Sheep breed and are the only ones that have actually lived on the island. The sheep live freely at the Texel farmer and the fleece is positively influenced by the Texel climate. The wind and sea air make the wool fibre of these sheep more resilient and thicker than that of their kind that lived elsewhere in the world.
You can feel that the fleece of a real Texel sheep is firmer, and this pays off in the healing, pressure-reducing effect of a medicinal fleece. For people with pain, joint or bedsore complaints it is an ideal combination: a softness that is safe for the skin with a resilient firmness.
Why are medicinal sheepskins clipped short?
After the tanning process, a medicinal sheepskin is trimmed to about three centimetres. This makes the sheepskin or lambskin even more supportive than a "normal" Texel sheepskin and the fleece is nice and even to lie on. For babies, this has the additional advantage that the long hairs cannot end up in their mouths and are therefore safe to sleep on. People with decubitus can confirm that it reduces their complaints and improves their sleep.
Is a medicinal sheepskin washable?
A genuine Texel medicinal sheepskin is also machine washable, though in moderation. Both washing and drying should be done at a relatively low temperature, preferably with a wool detergent, to maintain the lanolin content. There is also a medicinal sheepskin that is washable even at high temperatures, for extra hygiene.
All our sheepskins and lambskins are from the Texel sheep from Skéépe.nl
