Traverse Rugs

Manufacturer: Bowron Sheepskins

Bowron sheepskins are handcrafted with pride by G.L.Bowron & Co., a New Zealand company founded in 1879. That year, brothers George and William Bowron, a pair of master tanners from Yorkshire, England, set sail for Christchurch, a town in the new colony of New Zealand. They discovered that the region was renowned for the quality of its sheep flocks. The brothers founded a small tannery and for more than a century produced the finest quality lambskin and sheepskin products.

In the late 1990s, the company invented a new tanning method known as the "Whitan Process". The method, which is now used around the world, helped to improve quality of tanned leather skins while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process by avoiding toxic or harmful chemicals. The Bowron product range includes the classic long-wooled natural sheepskin rugs (available in a range of sizes and colors); calfskin rugs made from New Zealand leather; designer patterned rugs; and sheepskin beanbags. The firm also produces a wide range of accessories, from minx throws and pillows to car seat covers.