WOOLMARK SPECIFICATIONSPECIFICATION P-1: 2016SHEEPSKIN PRODUCTS
PRODUCTS
The Woolmark logo may be applied to sheepskins for:• apparel products (including linings, footwear and trimmings)• underbody bedding products (including infant care and nursing products)• secondary seat covers (including covers for car seats)• rugs.
Notwithstanding the application for which the product is designed (e.g. hospital or domestic use), theWoolmark Company and the use of the Woolmark logo implies no claim for or certification of any
medical benefit associated with the use of the product.
The Woolmark Blend and Wool Blend logos are not applicable to sheepskin products.

WOOLMARK SPECIFICATION
P-1 SHEEPSKIN PRODUCTS

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MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Property

Test method

Pass level

Quality of fleece and skin

160

Product must be a woollen sheepskin

Shrinkage temperature(°C: minimum)

157

Infant, nursing and hospital products: 95
All other products: 75
Apparel products (excluding trimmings for footwear) andUnderbody bedding products (including pillow covers): 10

Dichloromethane (DCM) extractable
matter in leather (%: maximum)158

Water extractable matter(%: maximum)
Apparel products only

159

Colourfastness to light of fleece(grade: minimum)

133

Colourfastness to light of fleece(grade: minimum)

133

Colourfastness to rubbing: wet anddry, fleece and skin(grade: minimum)

165

Floor-coverings, secondary seat covers, cushion covers andtrimmings for footwear: 15
5
Dyed rugs, dyed secondary seat covers and dyed cushion covers
onlyDarker than 1/3 standard depth: 5
Lighter than or equal to 1/3 standard depth: 4
Dyed apparel products only
Darker than 1/12 standard depth: 4
Lighter than or equal to 1/12 standard depth: 3
Dyed products only
Stain: 3

ADDITIONAL MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
a. Floor-covering products labelled with ‘Shampoo’ or ‘Dry clean’ care claim
Property

Test method

Pass level
Change of colour: 3

Colourfastness of fleece to water(grade: minimum)

6

Stain wool: 3
Stain cotton: 3(b)Products labelled with a ‘Washable’ care claim
Property

Test method

Colourfastness to washing of fleece(grade: minimum)

Pass level
Dyed products only

250

Change of colour: 4
Stain wool: 4

Colourfastness to washing ofleather (grade: minimum)

Dyed products only
164

Change of colour: 3
Stain wool: 3–4

WOOLMARK SPECIFICATION
P-1 SHEEPSKIN PRODUCTS

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ADVISORY REQUIREMENTS: infant care, car seat covers, underbody bedding products andnursing products
Requirements
Property

Test method

Nursing products,
medical institutionaland domestic
bedding products

Mattressoverlays

Infant care

Colourfastness to rubbing: wetand dry, fleece and skin (grade:minimum)
Dyed products only

165

Stain: 3–4

Cleansing–See Note 4, below

Fibre diameter (µm)(see notes 5 and 6 below)

24

Pile thickness (mm)(see notes 5 and 6 below)

279

26–34
25–35

15–35

Car seat covers≤ 30–15–25≥ 15NOTES:
1. Notwithstanding the application for which the product is designed (e.g. hospital or domestic use),
the Woolmark Company and the use of the Woolmark logo implies no claim for or certification ofany medical benefit associated with the use of the product.
2. Woolmark TWC-TM158 Dichloromethane soluble substances in sheepskins: this test gives ameasurement of the amount of fatty matter in a skin. Bear in mind that not all fatty and similar
substances can be extracted from the skin by organic solvents; they may be partly soluble andpartly bound to the leather. The solvent can also dissolve non-fatty substances (e.g. sulfur andimpregnants). Although it is necessary for the skin to have a certain amount of fatty matter present
to retain suppleness, it has been found necessary to keep the amount of fatty matter below acertain level to avoid adverse consumer reaction. The level of DCM extractable matter must bebelow 10%. In the case of sheepskin trimmings for footwear only, this can rise to a maximum of15%.
3. Woolmark TWC-TM159 Water soluble matter in sheepskins: the presence of too much watersoluble matter in sheepskins can lead to ’salt marking‘ if the skin side becomes wet with aqueousliquids. To avoid this, the amount of water soluble matter in the skin must be below 5%.
4. Woolmark TWC-TM159 Colour fastness to light: for products sold in Australia and South Africa,
Grade 5 is required for shades darker than 1/3 standard depth and Grade 4 for shades between
1/3 and 1/12 standard depth.
5. Cleansing
5.1 Nursing pads
Sheepskin nursing pads must be able to withstand repeated washing and, in certain cases,
need to be sterilised. Therefore it is advisable that care instructions should include thefollowing advice where appropriate:‘The skin must be washed and dried at temperatures that do not exceed those at which theskin becomes unstable. (The skins must also be sterilised). Wash at 60°C with a suitablebactericidal detergent. Tumble or hang dry at temperatures not exceeding 60°C. Restore thefleece, if necessary, by combing the wool with a coarse metal comb’.
5.2 Apparel
Sheepskin garments are normally intended to be dry cleaned. For satisfactory results, it isnecessary that dry cleaning should be carried out by specialist dry cleaners. Care instruction
on garments should read:‘Dry clean at specialist cleaners. Use an uncharged system with no added water. Do not clean
in coin-operated machines’.
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P-1 SHEEPSKIN PRODUCTS

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6. Mean fibre diameter and pile thickness for infant care and nursing products: theseparameters are advised for nursing products, including those for infant care.
Sheepskin nursing pads need to be able to be washed regularly and, in certain cases, need to besterilised. Care instructions on products should include the following advice where appropriate:‘The skin must be washed and dried at temperatures that do not exceed those at which theskin becomes unstable. (The skins must also be sterilised). Wash at 60°C with a suitablebactericidal detergent. Tumble or hang dry at temperatures not exceeding 60°C. Restore thefleece, if necessary, by combing the wool with a coarse metal comb’.
7. Mean fibre diameter and pile thickness for bedding products: it is known that pile length, pileheight and wool type are important factors in determining the performance and comfort ofsheepskins used for bedding products.
In selecting suitable skins for various end products, it is advised that the specifications in the‘Advisory’ table be applied. While initially aesthetically appealing, pile thickness greater than 35
mm tends to flatten or mat during use and this may lead to user dissatisfaction.

WOOLMARK SPECIFICATION
P-1 SHEEPSKIN PRODUCTS

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