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8 Characteristics of Premium Sheepskin Rugs
With their plush texture and rich, beautiful appearance, sheepskin rugs add
luxury to any home. But with so many different types of sheepskin rugs
available, how do you choose a rug of the highest quality?
Here are several tips on how to distinguish premium quality sheepskin from
lower grade sheepskin, ensuring that you’ll get the most value for your
money and be satisfied with your sheepskin rug for years to come.
WOOL QUALITY
The first thing to examine when shopping for sheepskin rugs is the quality of
the wool – namely, the wool density, loft, and length, and the color and feel of the
wool.
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Wool Density & Loft: The density of wool refers to the amount of
wool fibers per square inch. High-grade sheepskin, like that of Overland's
premium Australian sheepskin rugs
,
has a very high wool density, largely due to the breed of sheep it comes from.
Also important is the wool's loft, or its ability to stay upright and straight.
A lower quality sheepskin rug may flatten quickly, or its fibers may become
curly, tangled or matted, whereas high-quality rugs boast wool fibers that
retain their loft beautifully.
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Wool Length: To achieve premium-grade standards, sheepskin rugs must
possess both the necessary wool density and length, which is a minimum of 65
mm. Lower grade sheepskin may have the necessary length, but if it isn't dense
enough, the long wool fibers won't be able to retain their loft, and the rug
will end up looking shaggy.
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Color: High-quality sheepskin should have a nice, natural ivory tone,
unmarred by stains or discolorations in the underlying wool. Premium sheepskins
in other colors should display the same clean look, with no visible
imperfections.
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Feel: Perhaps the most enjoyable attribute of high-quality sheepskin is
its soft, silky feel. Wonderfully plush to the touch, premium sheepskin adds
luxurious comfort wherever it's displayed, whether next to the bed (making feet
oh-so happy each morning), on the couch (cozy to snuggle up to on chilly nights)
, or tossed over your office chair (making workdays much comfier). When
comparing higher and lower end sheepskins, you should be able to feel the
difference. Overland's
premium Australian sheepskin rugs
have a lusciously soft texture that you'll have to feel to believe.
LEATHER QUALITY
The quality of the leather, or underside, of sheepskin rugs is equally as
important. It should be strong yet supple, and free from any odors, cracks,
holes, or other defects.
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Texture & Thickness: The leather on premium-grade sheepskins
is firm and reasonably thick, with a soft, supple feel – though not so
soft as to slide and wrinkle on the floor – and you won't be able to
peel the layers of leather apart. Overland's
premium Australian sheepskin rugs
have leather undersides that have been buffed and polished with a fine stone, giving a
smooth, suede finish. Lower grade sheepskins won't have nearly as good a finish –
they'll typically have thinner leather that's susceptible to peeling apart or cracking
under pressure.
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Free of Defects: Low-grade sheepskins may have some minor holes,
cracks, scratches or other defects on their undersides, which you won't find
in higher grade skins.
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Smell: High-quality sheepskin rugs should be free of any chemical
smells, which may be apparent in lower quality rugs, due to their tanning
processes.
SIZE & SHAPE
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Length: Premium sheepskin rugs are generally larger and more uniformly shaped than poorer quality
sheepskin rugs. Typically, budget-grade sheepskins range from 80-90 cm in length, whereas Overland’s
premium Australian sheepskin rugs must meet a minimum length of 97 cm.
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Full Shape: Shape is equally important as length – look for sheepskin rugs with a nice, full shape and rounded
neck area. Lower-grade sheepskins can be longer and thinner, with pointy neck areas designed to achieve a specified
length.
Now that you know the ins and outs of what makes a quality sheepskin, make sure
to check out our beautiful collection of
premium Australian sheepskin rugs, which have gone through a rigorous grading
process to ensure we’re only offering you the best. In fact, for every rug
that meets Overland’s standards, there are hundreds that don’t make
the cut. So take a rug home, feel the difference – we guarantee you
won’t be disappointed.
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