Sheepskin Bark-Tanning Class

Once upon a time, before the dawn of the plastic industry and chemical tanning, bark tanning (or veg tanning) was a thriving industry. This ancient art has been around since at least the bronze age, and showing up in different cultures around the world. Bark tanning is a process that uses the tannins in tree bark (or other high tannic plants) to create leather without the use of toxic chemicals. You are now invited to learn this ancient process from the shepherd and tanner of Withywindle Valley Farm, Carissa Miller. 

This single-day intensive class will be held at Withywindle Valley Farm in the Nisqually Valley. Each participant will get hands-on experience in each step of the bark-tanning process, starting with storing and fleshing a hide to a finished product. In this class we will be working with a variety of sheepskins prepped for each part of the tanning process and…