Credit: Dean S.p.A. Industria Conciaria Pelli
Lighter than bovine leather, thinner and softer to the touch, sheepskin is easy to sew and particularly versatile in different processes. A combination of characteristics that clearly explains the growing interest of brands in a unique fiber, ideal for fashion and luxury, from clothing to accessories, from footwear to gloves.
But how do you choose the right leather for your creations? We asked Michele De Michele, president of Conceria Dean, a Neapolitan company specialized in the processing of lambskins of the highest quality, who explains how today, due to grafts and crosses, the boundaries of the characteristics of the individual origins are no longer as clear as they once were, although lambskin and sheepskin can generally be considered as two extremes.
LAMBSKIN
Particularly fine, lambskin is the most elegant of sheepskin, soft and pleasant to the touch, thanks to its elasticity and resistance to breakage, it can be worked down to minimum thicknesses. For this reason, it is suitable for multiple uses: footwear, clothing, leather goods and gloves.
MERINO LEATHER
Light and particularly appreciated for its thermal and breathable properties, merino leather is widely used in sportswear and technical clothing, for garments suitable for variable climate conditions.
SHEEPSKIN
Obtained from adult sheep, it is thicker than lambskin, ideal for cold climates. It has a more marked grain and a less fine texture: it is ideal for garments and accessories that require greater resistance to wear, such as bags, belts and outerwear.
Over the last decade, in particular, it is the large and varied sector of sports footwear, sneakers, especially high-end ones but not only, that has been able to make the most of the extreme versatility of lambskin, its resistance and durability, thanks to the evolution of design and innovative manufacturing technologies.
