Rae's Uggs in a recent thread reminded me of a facebook conversation I read the other day. Well, really, it was something a blogger that I followed posted, plus the ensuing comment conversation.

Anyway, blogger in question posted an article about how she was horrified to learn that Ugg boots, despite their (apparently) cuddly image, are made from the actual skin of sheep. That is, the woolly bit is not sheep fur stuck to a backing, but hide with the wool still on it. She, and many of the people commenting, was really upset to learn that sheep had been killed to make her boots.

I didn't comment, but I was bemused by the whole thing. Whatever your views on using animal products, I have always assumed that sheepskin is exactly that -- the skin of an unfortunate sheep, turned into leather. Was I wrong? Is sheepskin normally a synthetic material with wool stuck to it?