Skyeskyns - Working Tannery in Skye

Skyeskyns is the only working tannery in Scotland, exhibiting the traditional method of making leather and using the original 1920's machinery.  Visit the Skyeskyns tannery and showroom on the Isle of Skye. They offer free guided tours round the tannery.  Unique sheepskins are available to purchase or order, in their showrooom.

Skyeskyns, makers of fine sheepskin rugs, is located in the north-west of the Isle of Skye, on the peninsula of Waternish, overlooking the picturesque bay and village of Stein. Skyeskyns is the last working exhibition tannery in Scotland

I well remember hearing of Skyeskyns many years ago, when local 'gossip' had it that 'someone' had come to Waternish and was going to make sheepskin rugs. Well it was something new at the time, but so what.  Well, the 'so what' was, that over the intervening years, the owners, Clive and Lydia Hartwell were quietly working away, making their sheepskin rugs and in the process building the thriving business that Skyeskyns has become today.

Skyeskyns is a short drive from Seal Haven cottage and well worth the time spent in visiting.  You can take a free guided tour of the tannery and see the finished articles in their newly expanded showroom.

The Tannery

The tanning of leather is one of the oldest crafts known to man, and at Skyeskyns you will see the time honoured method of producing the finished sheepskin, using traditional implements.   Through a dozen or so steps the process culminates in hand trimming and  combing of the fleece, the result being the totally unique product that is a Skyeskyn.

The Showroom.

Visit the Skyeskyns showroom at the end of your free workshop tour and see the beautiful rugs and throws that will be enhance any home. Take your colour scheme with you and discuss with the helpful staff the variations in the natural colour of the fleece, which will best blend in with your lounge or bedroom. For the larger homes you can select fleeces that can be sewn together to make a rug of your ideal size, proportion and colour.  Of course on holiday you may not want to carry your furnishngs with you.   Skyeskyns will arrange to have your sheepskin shipped home for you, if required.

It's worth mentioning that the skins used by Skyeskins, are a by-product. The animals are not sacrificed for luxury or vanity, but given that there are other uses of the animal, it is good that Skyeskyns use this otherwise 'waste' product.  Being a totally natural product there are no dyes used, therefore you are seeing the colours as nature intended.

Skyeskyns website.

Visit the Skyskyns website, a link is incuded in our Skye Cottage Links (Museums Galleries and Workshops in Skye) page, where you will discover all that Skyeskyns has to offer.

Some customer comments, the real test of a product, are included below. They are taken from the Skyeskyns website and more comments can be viewed
there.

Skyeskyns Customer Comments.

"Received my fleece yesterday....it's beautiful. Thanks for excellent
service and quality product. Will be happy to recommend Skyeskyns to all
my friends."

"Just visited your Skyeskyns store a week ago and loved it. Bought slippers and
moccasins as gifts for mum & dad and they both loved them. Will
definitely try your online shopping facility soon!"

"Thank you for showing us round when we visited the showroom in October
2009 - it was really interesting and good to see an old fashioned craft
being kept alive. The quality of your sheepskins is superb and I've been
saving up to treat my husband (both of us really!) for his birthday. We
hope to visit again in the not too distant future. Kind regards to all
at Skyeskyns."

We hope that you will come to Seal Haven self catering cottage, visit Skyeskyns, and also the many other attractions in the surrounding area.

.

 If you need more information on anything in these web pages then please do get in touch. I have to mention here that anything that is written on this site, is my take on Skye attractions and businesses. I cannot of course speak for Skyeskyns or any other business. Do visit their websites and let them speak for themselves. I think that you will find many 'jewels' on Skye of which Skyeskyns is a prime example.

I hope these notes will be helpful when planning your holiday on the Isle of Skye. 

by Neil Gracie - 16th March 2010

Back to Top

###

Source: http://www.skyeskyns.co.uk