Description
The super soft Dartmoor Shepherd Single Sided White Fluffy Closewool Cushions are all handmade with care on Dartmoor using the softest British sheepskin. The perfect cushion for a sofa or bed to make it extra comfy and luxurious. The backing is made from strong, cream, cotton calico with a zip, so the cushion cover can be gently hand washed following our instructions. Please note as these are a natural product and handmade size may vary slightly.
The Dartmoor Shepherd Single Sided White Fluffy Closewool Cushion Utilizing Native Dartmoor Sheep
All The Dartmoor Shepherd’s products begin on Dartmoor with their own flocks of native Dartmoor sheep. They farm the three traditional Dartmoor longwool breeds; The Whiteface Dartmoor, The Greyface Dartmoor and The Devon and Cornwall Longwool. Sadly they are now all rare breeds as they were bred for a time when wool was profitable and lambs were given the time they needed to mature and grow naturally at a slow pace.
Today the textile industry is flooded with the demand for synthetic fibers and the meat industry is pressured by fast returns, our ancient breeds have found themselves somewhat redundant in the modern farming world.
However, as first generation shepherds Lewis and Flora saw that although their sheep couldn’t compete with modern breeds in many ways, they do still have something to offer that is far superior; their sheepskins and this is evident is the quality of The Dartmoor Shepherd Single Sided White Fluffy Closewool Cushion.
About the Dartmoor shepherds sheepskins
Traditionally used by The Royal Household Cavalry under their saddles as numnahs the three Dartmoor breeds were chosen for their luxurious quality and extreme durability. With each sheepskin typically lasting the cavalry 5 times as long as any other sheep breed.
Their sheep are not only Dartmoor breeds but they live on Dartmoor, grazing it’s ancient pastures and enduring it’s rugged landscape and dramatic weather conditions, making their sheepskins as hardy and durable as possible.
When you buy a Dartmoor Shepherd product you are buying direct from the shepherds. All their sheepskins are a bi-product of slow grown, pasture fed hogget/lamb. Their sheep never leave Dartmoor throughout the entire process from lambing right through to the tanning of the rugs. By working closely with Britain’s oldest tannery based on the edge of the moor, less than 20 miles from where the sheep graze they produce a truly superior product.