How Our Sheepskin Rugs Are Made

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The Allure of British Craftsmanship: A Visit to Devonia Sheepskin Tannery

Why We're Drawn to the Making

Who isn’t fascinated by how things are made and would love to see inside a working factory?

While we have some of the most iconic textile manufacturers here in Britain, they are now few and far between. Most of our textile manufacturing was sent offshore many decades ago. Today, setting up a factory in the UK faces huge barriers, not least the astronomical cost of equipment. Textile machinery is highly technical, each piece running into hundreds of thousands of pounds, so although we do have beautiful items made in newer factories in Britain, these are often small and extremely specialised.

Factory Floors and Childhood Wonder

Our manufacturers, who remain, continue to thrill me on every visit. I’ve walked these factory floors many times before. But, like a child in a sweet shop, I always want to go round again. And, as a loyal and enthusiastic customer, I’m usually indulged as if it’s my very first time.

Each process still captivates me — the rhythm, the atmosphere, and each has its own unique smell and presence.

The Sights and Sounds of British Woolcraft

In the sheepskin tannery, the process begins on the ground floor, where rows of oak tanning vats line the space. The old, worn wooden paddles turn slowly, lifting and rolling the water-soaked fleeces in a gentle, steady rhythm that is quietly hypnotic. The vast brick building is dark and cavernous, and the smell of old wood, warm water, soaps, and natural oils seems suspended in time.

At our iconic blanket makers in Yorkshire, the scene is quite different. Still housed in a vast, dark, brick-built building, the machines are enormous, with countless noisy moving parts. The process begins with raw wool, brought in from Australia and New Zealand, and continues through stage after stage until, finally, the whirring, clattering and clanking of the vast looms transform the spun yarn into perfect cloth. Thousands of threads align with impossible precision, producing beautiful, traditional wool blankets at the other end.

Devonia: A Local Legend in Leather

Fortunately for me, our closest manufacturer is Devonia Sheepskin Tannery in Devon, a mere hour’s drive from home, nestled on the side of the River Mardle in the small medieval town of Buckfastleigh on the edge of Dartmoor.

Its story stretches back over 200 years, rooted in the woollen trade and the ancient craft of tanning. Working with locally sourced sheep and lambs for their wool, and sheepskins from the food industry, it began as a tannery and woollen mill in 1806. Today, it stands as the last remaining commercial sheepskin tannery in the UK, a quiet testament to British craftsmanship and resilience.

Documenting a Dying Art

For years, I’ve wanted to capture these ancient processes on film. But with 21 intricate stages — and no claim to being a natural film-maker — it’s taken time to find a talented videographer. At last, we’ve managed to document these extraordinary crafts in a way that, I hope, conveys why my fascination never fades.