Sheepskin lining

Sheepskin lining

Sheepskin lining is durable and, if prepared properly, will provide bumblebees with a comfortable , warm lining . It is more labor-intensive than raw cotton lining , but the result is worth it.
The bumblebees create beautiful tufts and curls from the cut lining, which they work well with. The lining does not shrink or get wet .

Therefore, this material can be highly recommended for use .

Principles of preparing sheepskin lining

• It is best to use light and soft fleece ,
• Do not use any chemicals when cleaning - the smell will deter bumblebees or may kill them.
• Ordinary unscented core soap is good, but the best and most affordable is ordinary unscented Jar soap,
• wash it, rather soak it in hot water, which will release the lanolin from the fleece well,
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature when washing wool,
• The treated fleece must be dry and free of grease (lanolin) - otherwise it could block the bumblebees' breathing holes,
• Only ragged wool and fibers cut into pieces of max. 1 – 2 cm belong in the nest, bumblebees can get tangled in longer fibers and die,
• short fibers also allow bumblebees to easily manipulate the lining
• Remove dust after cutting , for example by blowing it out with air.

Warning: When purchasing pre-washed wool, you need to make sure how it was washed and whether it contains chemicals. We have a case of bumblebees dying after using wool washed in “eco-friendly” dog shampoo.

Hand washing procedure:

1. the fleece from the biggest dirt (well...I wrote it politely, but you can really find a lot of it on sheep),
2. Place the fleece in a cloth bag and tie it so that the wool does not float away during washing – a pillowcase that can be closed with a zipper works well,
3. Consider for yourself how much fleece you dare to use in a batch, it will spread quite a bit when soaked (about a small basket of fleece is needed for one bumblebee),
   for your reference, 1 classic plastic bag filled with fleece is enough for 2-3 hive fillings
4. Soak the fleece bag in hot water and let it soak for a while,
   the water should be so hot that you can still hold your hand in it
5. Gently clean mechanically, but mainly just a little ( crumple it with your hand, with a bell...),
6. Use your hand to sink the bag of wool to the bottom and remove the lanolin from the surface – it is best to carefully pour out the water so that the bag does not come into contact with the lanolin on the surface
7. Add regular Jar or unscented laundry soap to the next hot , really no other and flavored chemicals !!!
8. Repeat the process until the dirt and especially the lanolin are released.
9. Avoid procedures that lead to pilling of the wool
   – sudden changes in temperature,
   – intensive mechanical washing,
10. Remove the fleece from the bath – do not wring it out, let the water drain and the fleece cool slowly
11. spread the fleece on a breathable mat and dry – it is best to dry it outside in the sun, or at home
    for faster drying, tear it into smaller pieces , spread it out somewhere in a warm, airy place and let it dry thoroughly
12. For detangling, you can use wool brushes, which will separate even very tangled fibers.
    You can also use a pet brush, but they are delicate and cannot handle everything.
13. Ruffle the dried fleece thoroughly with your fingers, at the same time separating any remaining coarse dirt (lumps, grass, etc.)
    fine sand will fall out of the fleece, so be prepared for this.
14. the tufted wool with large scissors into pieces no larger than 1-2 cm.
    Just take a tuft of wool in your hand and cut from the sides, let it fall into the box.
    Expect dust and fine particles when cutting.
15. Before use (storage), we recommend separating the shortest fibers/dust
    . Simply squeeze a handful of cut fleece in your palms and let the wind carry away the fine parts and dust from the cutting.