Article: What Is Responsible Shearling?

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What Is Responsible Shearling?

Responsible Shearling is a term we use at Gushlow & Cole to describe our approach to responsibly sourcing, designing and making with shearling.

For us, responsibility isn't defined by the material alone. It considers the whole journey of a product: where the shearling comes from, how and where it is tanned, how far it travels, who makes it, the quality of its construction and, ultimately, how long the finished piece will last.

It starts with the material

Shearling is a natural by-product of the food industry. The sheep and lambs are not farmed for their skins; the hide becomes available as a secondary material from the food chain.

It is a natural, biodegradable material, but we don't believe that alone makes a shearling product responsible. Where it comes from and what happens to it next matter just as much.

Responsible sourcing and LWG-certified tanneries

We source our shearling from specialist tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG), which assesses leather manufacturers against environmental, social and governance standards.

LWG audits consider areas including environmental management, chemical management, water and energy use, waste, traceability, health and safety and social responsibility.

We have worked with a small number of specialist tanneries for decades, building trusted relationships with industry leaders. Provenance matters to us, and wherever possible we source shearling that is reared and tanned within the same region before travelling to our workshop. It's these long-standing relationships also give us a much deeper understanding of the material we buy: its origin, quality, finish, weight and how it is likely to perform over time. They are also built on trust. We work only with people and businesses we know to be honest, reliable and committed to doing things properly.

Choosing the right shearling

Not all shearling is the same.

Different breeds, regions, grades and tanning processes produce very different materials. Some are lighter, some heavier; some have long, silky wool while others have a compact curl. The leather side can also vary considerably in handle, thickness and finish.

With more than 30 years of hands-on experience working with shearling, and generations of family knowledge before that, we select each skin according to what we are designing rather than simply buying a material and finding a use for it.

We consider how it will cut, sew, drape and wear, how the wool and leather will change with age and whether it is right for the particular garment or accessory.

Good design begins with understanding the material.

Designed and made in England

Responsibility continues into the way a product is designed and made.

Our collections are designed, sampled and made in our Kent workshop, with any additional specialist work carried out by craftspeople close to us. Keeping these processes together means fewer samples travelling between countries, greater control over quality and a closer relationship between the person designing a piece and the person making it.

We make in small runs and to order rather than producing large quantities unnecessarily.

Traditional specialist shearling skills are increasingly rare in Britain, so maintaining them is also part of what responsible manufacture means to us. We continue to teach these skills through employment, education and internships.

And since 2013, every Gushlow & Cole piece has carried our Made By label, identifying the individual artisan responsible for making it.

Quality is part of responsibility

This is perhaps the part of responsible fashion that is easiest to overlook.

A responsibly sourced material doesn't automatically make a responsible product. Poor design or poor manufacture can still result in something with a very short life.

We design differently.

We consider construction, fit, function and how a piece can be worn over many years. We use the quality of shearling appropriate to the design and manufacture it using specialist techniques developed through decades of working with the material.

And if something does eventually need attention, we offer free lifetime repairs on our Gushlow & Cole pieces.

Because our simplest principle is still one of the most important: the longer a product lasts, the fewer resources are needed to replace it.

Responsibility to people

Responsible Shearling is also about people.

We believe responsibility extends to how we run our business, how we treat the people who work with us and the relationships we build with our suppliers, makers and customers.

Gushlow & Cole has always been a small, close-knit business. Many of the people and manufacturers we work with have been part of our story for years, and those relationships are built on trust, respect and good business practice.

We want our workshop to be a good place to work, our suppliers to be treated fairly and our customers to feel confident in the product and service they receive. The relationships we have built, together with the feedback and reviews we receive from our customers, are an important measure of whether we are getting that right.

So, what does Responsible Shearling mean?

For Gushlow & Cole, Responsible Shearling isn't simply a description of the shearling we buy.

It isn't one certification or one claim. It's the standard we apply to the whole process.

It's about taking responsibility for the choices we make as a business.

From the provenance of the raw material and the standards of the tanneries we work with, to transportation, design, quality and manufacture; from the people who make our products to the customers who eventually wear them - everything is connected.

We won't pretend that any business can be perfect. For us, being responsible means continually questioning how we work, making informed choices and doing things properly wherever we can.

That is what we mean by Responsible Shearling.

Discover more about Gushlow & Cole Responsible Shearling.

Responsible Shearling FAQs

What is Responsible Shearling?

Responsible Shearling is a term used by Gushlow & Cole to describe our approach to sourcing, designing and making with shearling. It considers the whole process, including provenance, tanning, traceability, transportation, quality, design, manufacture, craftsmanship, people and how long the finished product is designed to last.

Is shearling a by-product?

Yes. The shearling we use is a natural by-product of the food industry. Sheep and lambs are not farmed primarily for their skins; the hide becomes available as a secondary material from the food chain.

Is shearling sustainable?

Shearling is natural, biodegradable, durable and a by-product, but we don't believe the material alone should be described as responsible simply because it is natural.

Where it comes from, how it is tanned, how far it travels, the quality of the material, how the finished product is made and how long it lasts all matter. This wider approach is why we use the term Responsible Shearling.

What does LWG-certified mean?

LWG stands for the Leather Working Group. It operates an international audit and certification standard for leather manufacturers and tanneries.

Its assessment covers areas including environmental management, chemical management, water and energy use, waste, traceability, health and safety and social responsibility.

Gushlow & Cole sources its shearling from LWG-certified tanneries.

Where does Gushlow & Cole source its shearling?

We work with a small number of specialist tanneries, mainly in Spain and Portugal, many of which we have worked with for decades.

We consider provenance, quality and traceability when sourcing our shearling and, wherever possible, work with material that is reared and tanned within the same region before travelling to our workshop in England.

Where are Gushlow & Cole shearling products made?

Our pieces are designed, sampled and made in our workshop in Kent, England, with any additional specialist work carried out by craftspeople close to us.

We make in small runs and to order, using specialist shearling-making techniques developed through decades of working with the material.

How long should a shearling garment last?

High-quality shearling can last for many years when it is well designed, properly made and cared for.

Longevity is central to our approach to Responsible Shearling. We design and make our pieces with a long life in mind and offer free lifetime repairs on Gushlow & Cole pieces should they need attention.