The Karakul Sheep, also called the Astrakhan Sheep or Persian Sheep is a breed of domestic sheep originating from Central Asia. Some recent studies suggest they have been domesticated and used for clothing in this region since 1400 BC [1]. Karakul sheep are known for their ability to survive extremely harsh winters.

One of the reasons that this breed of sheep is able to survive such extreme Siberian winters is the very thick, double layered, long, curly coat they possess. This, combined with their thick hides and tails grants the Karakul Sheep extreme insulation from the elements.

Depicted Above: Karakul sheep grazing in the steppe, the Karakum desert, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. Photo used under license.

Not surprisingly, fur and leather from this sheep have be en highly valued in Russia and Central Asia. It has traditionally been worn in various forms by the aristocracy of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, modern Russia, and various countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Depicted Above: Karakul sheep and cows grazing in a pasture in Kazakhstan. Photo used under license.

All of our products are handmade from the beautiful natural fur and hides of these sheep by a small family farm in Kazakhstan.

Traditionally, the meat from the sheep are consumed by farmers themselves, or sold at the local bazaar and consumed by others. Karakul Sheep meat is somewhat expensive but widely enjoyed and featured as a primary protein in almost all national Kazakh dishes.

Depicted Above: Sheep Shashlik with Shelpek flattbred, lemon, and Tzatziki sauce; A traditional and popular Kazakh dish. Photo used under license.

Depicted Above: This is a small modern nomadic village in Kyrgyzstan. This yurt is the traditional house in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Photo taken April 2020. Photo used under license.

Why do we mention this?

Thomas Trades is not a fur company of the 1700's. We are a 21st century company built on ethics. We call these ethics, the Thomas Trades Tenets:

1. We buy only from small families, never massive agricultural companies.

2. Meat from the the sheep must be directly consumed either by the families we buy from or the local community.

3. The sheep must be humanely treated and live decent lives with adequate space, exercise, and natural food.

4. Sheep must be fully grown before they are harvested and must be harvested humanely.

5. We support legal hunting, but adamantly oppose poaching, over-hunting, and the killing of any endangered animal.

6. All wild animal pelts MUST be legal harvests AND the animal must not be endangered.(In other words, no paying off dictators to hunt elephants and lions).

7. Every year, we donate a percentage of profits annually to accredited organizations that fight poaching and protect endangered species around the world.

8. We only sell our products to customers directly. We do not sell our products to wholesalers or chain stores.

9. We treat our employees with respect. All of our employees get weekends off, holidays off, no mandatory overtime, and a healthy work environment.

10. We honor our warranties and our promises.

"The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.": Proverbs 12:10 (NIV Translation)

References

1. "Karakul". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Animal Science. Retrieved 2009-04-17.