[shrekfeet]

Has anyone else been struggling to get skins back from Devonian products? They have had mine for over 6 months now! eveny time I ring I get the same story 'we're really busy, they will be finished in the next couple of weeks, definatly before the end of the month' yet I'm still waiting.
 
Used to use Fenland who were great. Can anyone recommend anywhere else as I won't be sending them to Devon again that's for sure

[Foobar]

Nicki Port @ Organic Sheepskins (http://www.organicsheepskins.co.uk/)


More expensive though, but they don't use any nasty chemicals and mine have always come back nice, and in good time.

[colliewoman]

I am going to be brave here and make the statement;
I don't like how Devonia's skin turn out   I used to use fenland and was always thrilled with the results. Having had a good look and feel of the Devonia skins at the show and sale I was not impressed
 
I think I will try organic sheepskins

[Foobar]

Thanks colliewoman, I'm glad you said that.  I've been tempted to switch to them because of the price, but now I definitely won't.
I suspect they are over worked now, perhaps that is affecting the quality of their output.

[SallyintNorth]

I just spoke to Devonia this week about sending my 4 CM skins off.  They said they had had a big backlog, that the process itself takes 14 weeks in any case, that they are currently down to about 18 weeks and on target for getting that down to 16 weeks.

If anyone has any up-to-date info on the Nicki Port one I'd be glad to hear it before I send mine off!

[Bionic]

Sally, not exactly up-to-date info but I was looking at some skins that had been done by Nicki Port at the Llandovery sheep festival last weekend.  They looked lovely although I don't have anything to compare them with.
Sally

[Foobar]

I last used Nicki Port last winter.  Cost was £35 per skin plus £10 postage (but that can be for up to about 5 skins I think, or however many will fit in their standard courier bags).  I sent my last two in on 25th Oct, and they were ready by 20th Dec.  I've been up to the tannery too, it's a small place, but I saw piles of lush sheepskins there which all looked smashing. 

[colliewoman]

I spoke to her an hour ago and so long as oil prices don't rocket it's £35 per skin. I didn't ask about postage as we will take ours up there! lovely friendly lady and looking at the pics on the website the quality is there too

[shrekfeet]

so if you are paying £35/skin plus getting them there and back, how much do you charge for them?

[Fleecewife]

To be fair to Devonia, they rather had the sudden massive increase in custom thrust upon them when Fenland closed.  They will have had to find a way to accommodate the increase without disappointing customers, so I suppose that takes time.
 
Fenland did a wonderful job and were very knowledgeable. 
 
We had some Jacob skins done by Nicki Port a good few years ago - the skins were quite thick and the colours ran/faded, so the dark spots merged with the white and became brown, even though the skins were not exposed to the sun.   That was in her early days, so I expect things have improved since then.  She also did a deerskin for us and my OH had to go to the workshop whilst she finished it - but I don't blame her at all as it was a horrible, heavy job to do.  I tried to persuade her to do some moleskins for me (we had LOTS) but she wasn't game      I don't know if this is still her method, but back then she used mimosa as part of the tanning method - which has got to be better than chrome     

[Bionic]

shrekfeet, those I saw for sale at Llandovery sheep festival were between £55 and £70  pounds. The woman said there wasn't a lot of profit to be made.
Sally

[colliewoman]

Shrekfeet, I doubt I will try and sell mine.
For me the ONLY way I can handle slaughtering is to not waste a scrap of the animal that gave it's life so profit or not I will send my skins away!
I use mine personally or give them as gifts

[Foobar]

Yes, the cheapest way to do it is to keep them as long as possible so that they dry out (salted) as much as poss and are cheaper to send in (ideally in a bunch).  But yes, you are talking £60 upwards.

[woollyval]

Always charge £60 upwards now....British skins are very sought after.....if anyone has any they want to sell, please get in touch as my daughter in Crickhowell can buy them from you, collect them from Nickie and sell them in her business...she has demand!

[Bionic]

Val,
Is there demand for any particular skin?
I wasn't sure if Ryeland makes a good skin or not so sent Nicki a mail last week.  This was her response which may be interesting for others also.
quote
Ryeland lambs fine for sheepskins, coloured and white. As soon as they make weight, don’t leave them too long as Ryelands have a tendency to go fat and the fleece gets dense and bouncy being a class one spinning fleece, but a bit wobbly to stand on. They can even make baby rugs if they make weight fast enough which Ryelands can.
unquote