Sheep Skin
Sheepskins are the pelts of the domestic sheep, taken at slaughter and traded either woolless as a leather raw material or wool on as a double face material where the fleece is kept attached to the pelt. Woolless sheepskin tans into a soft, stretchy, fine grained leather used for garments, glove linings, slippers, bookbinding and chamois, while the pelt carries a high natural fat content that must be removed before tanning. Wool on skins become shearling and double face for coats, footwear, medical and aviation seat covers and rugs, and there the fleece is the greater part of the value. Supply follows the sheep meat trade across Oceania, the Middle East, south Asia, the Mediterranean and the Andes, and the skins move as wool on salted pelts, as pickled pelts or as chrome tanned wet blue.
Listed sheep skin markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A sheepskin contract turns on whether the wool stays on, the breed and pelt type, the tannage, the area of the skin, and a defect count taken over a pelt that is small, greasy and easily damaged in the cure.
Substrate, tannage and state of processing
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Wool stateDeclared | Wool on, shorn to a stated staple length, or woolless. Wool on and woolless are two different articles and the wool is often the larger part of the value. |
| Pelt type and breed groupDeclared | Wool sheep, hair sheep or lambskin, and the breed group where the trade recognises one. Hair sheep pelts give a tighter grain and are contracted separately from wool sheep pelts. |
| Preservation or tannageDeclared | Wet salted, dry salted, air dried, pickled, chrome tanned wet blue, crust or double face tanned. Pickled pelts are the standard woolless trading form. |
| Tanning agentDeclared | Chrome, chrome free, aldehyde, vegetable or combination. Garment and double face material is often aldehyde or combination tanned for the hand. |
| Split stateDeclared | Full substance, grain split, or the flesh split sold as chamois or suede stock. Sheep pelt splits readily and the two layers trade separately. |
| Degreasing stateDeclared | Degreased or not, with the residual fat content stated. Sheep pelt carries a high natural fat load and undegreased material will not take an even tannage. |
| Pickle liquor conditionDeclared, for pickled goods | The acid and salt content of the pickle and the presence of a fungicide. It governs how long the pelts hold before tanning. |
Selection, size and substance
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| AreaSquare feet or square decimetres, per skin | Measured on a calibrated measuring machine after tanning. Woolless sheepskin trades by area per piece. |
| Area selectionDeclared, as the named area band | Skins sorted into area bands, each priced separately, with the band limits written into the contract in the same unit as the measurement. |
| SubstanceMillimetres, measured at the stated position | Determined under ISO 2589. Garment and lining material is shaved to a tight tolerance because the drape depends on it. |
| Wool staple lengthMillimetres, measured on the unstretched staple | For wool on and shearling goods. It is the term that sets the article the pelt can make and it is measured, not estimated. |
| Wool fibre diameterMicrons, as the mean with the coefficient of variation | Measured by laser scan or air flow on a wool sample. It governs the handle of the fleece side on a double face garment. |
| Piece count per bale or palletCount | Skins ship in counted bundles. The count on the packing list is the settlement count. |
Grading and defect assessment
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| GradeDeclared, as the named grade within the stated ladder | Graded on a lighted table by the number and position of defects in the cutting area, from a clean first selection to a lowest selection carrying open damage. |
| CockleAssessed on the lighted table | Puckering of the grain over the shoulder and neck, associated with parasite burden in the live animal. It is the characteristic sheepskin defect and it does not correct in finishing. |
| Ked, tick and lice damageCount and position | Pitting and scarring from external parasites. It is the dominant grading defect in pastoral supply. |
| Grain break and loosenessAssessed on the lighted table | The fineness of the break when the pelt is folded grain inward, and separation of the grain from the corium. Loose grain is a rejection for garment leather. |
| Flay cuts and holesCount, and length or size | Damage from the flaying knife. On a small pelt a single cut through the butt can drop the grade two steps. |
| Vein marksAssessed on the lighted table | Blood vessel patterning showing through the grain, worse where the animal was not bled promptly. |
| Wool cover and staple soundnessAssessed on the fleece side | For wool on goods, the evenness of the cover, the presence of a break in the staple, and felting or cotting of the fleece. |
| Wool contaminationAssessed on the fleece side | Vegetable matter, dung, paint brand and pitch, all of which have to be removed and none of which fully comes out. |
| Salt stain and heat damageAssessed on inspection | Stains from the cure and horny patches from ground drying in direct sun. Neither corrects in tanning. |
| Putrefaction and wool slipAssessed on inspection | Bacterial damage from delayed curing, showing as wool pull on the pelt. It is a rejection rather than a discount. |
Chemical and physical analysis
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Chromic oxidePercentage by mass, on the dry weight | Determined under ISO 5398. It is the direct measure of how much chrome the hide has taken and it separates a properly tanned wet blue from an under tanned one. |
| Shrinkage temperatureDegrees Celsius | Determined under ISO 3380. The temperature at which the collagen contracts in water. It is the single most reliable check that the tannage is complete. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass | Determined by oven drying under the IUC method. It governs storage life and it is the difference between a shipped weight and a landed weight. |
| pH and difference figurepH units, measured on an aqueous extract | Determined under ISO 4045. A low pH with a large difference figure indicates free acid that will damage the fibre in storage. |
| Matter soluble in dichloromethanePercentage by mass | Determined under ISO 4048. The fat and oil content, which governs how the material takes further processing. |
| Water soluble matterPercentage by mass | Determined under ISO 4098. Unfixed salts and tanning agents that migrate and bloom on the surface. |
| Chromium VIMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Determined under ISO 17075. Restricted in leather articles placed on several markets, and tested on arrival rather than taken on trust. |
| FormaldehydeMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Determined under ISO 17226. Restricted for articles in contact with the skin and for childrens articles. |
| Restricted substancesMilligrams per kilogram, maximum, by named substance | Azo dyes releasing restricted amines, pentachlorophenol, dimethyl fumarate and the substances named on the buyer restricted substances list. |
Delivery, documentation and certification
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PackingDeclared | Palletised and strapped, bundled in packs of a stated count, or drummed. The pack count and the pallet weight are written into the contract. |
| Weight basisDeclared | Shipped weight or landed weight, gross or net of salt, with the survey house named. Weight loss in transit is a normal feature of salted goods and the basis settles who carries it. |
| Veterinary health certificateCertificate, issued by the competent authority of the exporting country | Hides and skins are animal by-products and they move under veterinary control. The certificate names the approved establishment and the treatment applied. |
| Establishment approvalApproval number, issued by the destination authority | European Union approval number or the equivalent registration at the destination, named on the contract where it is required. |
| Convention permitPermit, issued by the exporting country management authority | Required for listed reptile species. The permit number, the species and the piece tags travel with the shipment. |
| TraceabilityDeclared, with the abattoir or collection point named | Country of origin, abattoir and the tannery of processing. Increasingly a contract term rather than a courtesy, because the finished goods brands audit it. |
| Tannery audit and certificationCertificate, with the scheme and rating | Leather Working Group rating, chemical management certification or organic certification, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Container and carrying conditionDeclared | Ventilated or reefer stuffing, the carrying temperature and the humidity control. Wet blue and salted goods spoil in a hot container. |
| Restricted substance complianceDeclared, against the named list | Compliance with the destination chemical restrictions and with the buyer restricted substances list, evidenced by test report. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria | Origin and destination |
| New Zealand | North Island and South Island processing plants | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Northamptonshire, the Scottish borders and the West Country | Origin and destination |
| Iran | Tabriz, Mashhad and the Qom tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Tuzla, Corlu, Izmir and Usak | Origin and destination |
| India | Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Punjab, Sindh and the Karachi tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka, Savar and the Hazaribagh and Hemayetpur tanneries | Origin and destination |
| China | Hebei, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Shandong | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Igualada, Ubrique and the Levante tanneries | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Arzignano, Santa Croce sull Arno, Solofra and the Veneto tanning districts | Origin and destination |
| France | Annonay, Graulhet and the Millau skin trade | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Rhineland and Bavaria tanning and automotive leather | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Alcanena and the northern footwear cluster | Origin and destination |
| Romania | Footwear and leather goods manufacture | Destination |
| Poland | Central and southern tanning and furniture leather | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam trade and Brabant tanning | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | Fes, Marrakech and the Casablanca tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Tunisia | Footwear and leather goods manufacture for the European market | Destination |
| Egypt | Cairo, the Robbiki leather city and Upper Egypt | Origin and destination |
| Sudan | Khartoum, Omdurman and the Kordofan pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa, Modjo and the highland skin trade | Origin and destination |
| Somalia | Berbera, Bosaso and the Somali pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Kano, Sokoto and the northern skin trade | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal | Origin and destination |
| United States | Midwest and Great Plains packing plants, and the Chicago and Milwaukee trade | Origin and destination |
| Canada | Alberta, Ontario and Quebec packing plants | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Leon and the Guanajuato leather cluster | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and the Pampas packing plants | Origin and destination |
| Uruguay | Montevideo and the Colonia tanning belt | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Rio Grande do Sul, Sao Paulo, Parana and the Centre West | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | Almaty, Shymkent and the steppe pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar and the steppe pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Russia | Central and Volga federal district tanning | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh and the Gulf pastoral trade | Origin and destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai re-export and Gulf consumption | Destination |
| Japan | Himeji, Tatsuno and the Tokyo leather goods trade | Destination |
| South Korea | Busan and the Seoul leather goods trade | Destination |
| Hong Kong | Trading, re-export and the Greater China supply chain | Destination and trading hub |
| Singapore | Regional trading, finance and re-export | Trading and finance |
| Switzerland | Luxury goods manufacture and the Geneva trade | Destination |
| Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City and the southern tanning and footwear cluster | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Samut Prakan and the Bangkok tanning belt | Origin and destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the hides and skins come off the killing floor at origin, which follows the slaughter calendar rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is curing or tanning, veterinary clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecSlaughter runs year round with the heaviest kill through the southern spring and summer. Both wool on and pickled pelts move out of the eastern seaboard. |
| New Zealand | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Oct to May, arrival Jan to AugThe lamb kill concentrates from late spring through the summer processing season, and pelts follow the meat calendar. | |
| United Kingdom | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round slaughter with an autumn lift as the lamb crop comes forward. |
| Iran | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge domestic flocks with year round slaughter and a lift around the festival calendar. |
| Turkiye | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecBoth a producing and a processing origin. Slaughter lifts sharply around Eid al Adha, and the Tuzla and Usak tanneries convert domestic and imported pelts. |
| Pakistan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCollection lifts sharply around the Eid al Adha slaughter, which moves through the calendar each year. |
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecHair sheep pelts from the southern and western flocks, converting at Chennai, Ambur and Kanpur into pickled skins and wet blue. |
| Spain | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecYear round slaughter, with the Igualada and Levante tanneries converting domestic and imported pelts into garment and double face material. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and material already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for sheep skin. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading4102.10 Raw skins of sheep or lambs, with wool on
4102.21 Raw pickled skins of sheep or lambs, without wool on
4105.10 Tanned sheep or lamb skin leather in the wet state - PackingWet salted hides bundled on pallets with the salt percentage declared, wet blue on 1 t pallets under shrink wrap, dry salted and crust in bales. Salt content and trim standard are the two clauses that decide claims.
- Container loading20ft: 18 t to 22 t wet salted. 40ft for palletised wet blue at around 24 t. Ventilated or reefer stow on long transits to control putrefaction.
- Contract and arbitrationInternational Council of Hides, Skins and Leather Traders Associations contracts, or the terms of the origin association, with arbitration under ICHSLTA rules or at the contract seat. Selection, trim and take-off standard defined at the point of contract.
- Destination limitsVeterinary health certification under Regulation 2016/429 and animal by-product rules under Regulation 142/2011, CITES permits for reptile, ostrich and other listed species, EU REACH restriction of chromium VI at 3 mg/kg in leather articles, and US Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act controls.
Common questions
What grades of sheep skin does SIP Global trade?
We quote 41 published grades of sheep skin, including Wool state - Declared, Pelt type and breed group - Declared, Preservation or tannage - Declared, Tanning agent - Declared, Split state - Declared and Degreasing state - Declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is sheep skin graded?
A sheepskin contract turns on whether the wool stays on, the breed and pelt type, the tannage, the area of the skin, and a defect count taken over a pelt that is small, greasy and easily damaged in the cure. Grading runs on 5 systems: Substrate, tannage and state of processing, Selection, size and substance, Grading and defect assessment, Chemical and physical analysis and Delivery, documentation and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade sheep skin?
We trade sheep skin in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Iran, Turkiye, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and 35 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is sheep skin harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Australia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; New Zealand: harvest oct to may, arrival jan to aug; United Kingdom: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Iran: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Turkiye: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for sheep skin?
Sheep skin is normally classified under HS 4102.10 (raw skins of sheep or lambs, with wool on), HS 4102.21 (raw pickled skins of sheep or lambs, without wool on) and HS 4105.10 (tanned sheep or lamb skin leather in the wet state). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for sheep skin?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed sheep skin market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.