Getting Ugg Boots Tips
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Features
Interested in getting Ugg boots? Here's some background information. Australian sheepskin boots and slippers offer a wide range of characteristics that make them desirable in a variety of settings, ranging from the purely functional to the fashion statement of women's Ugg boots. Sheepskin is naturally thermostatic and therefore your boots will keep your feet comfortable in temperatures as low as –30 F and as high as 80 F. Sheepskin actually contains lanolin which will moisturize your feet when worn barefoot, which is the normal way to wear sheepskin boots in Australia. Additionally, fleece wicks moisture away and allows air to circulate keeping your feet dry. This allows the ladies to wear their fashionable classic tall sheepskin boots most months of the year.
Double-Faced Sheepskins
Double-faced Australian sheepskin is the desired result when the sheepskin leaves the tannery. It means that the skin side and fleece side are of high quality and can therefore be used as a single unit to make the traditional style Ugg boots and slippers. This is what the ladies are looking for when they want authentic Ugg boots. The double-faced Australian merino sheepskin Ugg boot maintains all of the special qualities traditionally associated with sheepskin boots and slippers. These sheepskins are the highest quality available and therefore are more expensive than the single-faced variety now beginning to flood the Ugg boot and sheepskin slipper market.
Single-Faced Sheepskin
Single-faced sheepskin is a reference to a sheepskin which is used only on one side. The wool or fleece side of the single-faced sheepskin is fine but the hide has a quality problem either with uneven dye results or flaws in the hide which make it cosmetically and commercially unacceptable. Such sheepskins are not used in authentic, traditional Uggs sheepskin boots and slippers. These sheepskins are used as liners in products which use some other material as an outer. Thus, they lose most of the unique, special qualities of real sheepskin boots and slippers.
Uggs in America
You don't have to book a trip to Australia if you're interested in getting Ugg boots. Over about the last 30 years, sheepskin Ugg boots gradually became more know in the U.S. as more and more people became aware of their special properties, comfort and warmth. A variety of Australian sheepskin boot companies established representatives in the U.S. to show off their sheepskin boots and slippers and try to build a market with their Uggs. They slowly evolved from the beaches to the ski areas and finally into the world of the mainstream fashion consciousness. Sheepskin's versatility shows that it is not just for surfies anymore mate. In fact, Uggs are worn by many women, including numerous Hollywood starts. This has led to a wide range of fashionable styles including Classic Tall and Classic Short Uggs, Ultra and Essential soled tall and short boots as well as exposed fleece accent boots.
Pigskin
Sometimes in order to use up lower quality sheepskin, manufacturers will use them as a single-faced liner for a pigskin outer. Although this is a considerably less expensive product, it loses the special attributes associated with real sheepskin boots and slippers, most noticeably breath-ability and the wonderful ability to be washed and come out like new again. Pigskin can often be identified by small “dots” which cover the hide and are caused by the pig's thick bristles, the “dots” being the original location of these hair follicles. Awareness of this process can protect you from buying a product only to learn that it does not possess all of the superior qualities of the original Ugg boot and today's real sheepskin boots and slippers.
Origins
In the 19th century as the new Australian colony fought to survive and prosper, sheepskin hides were used to make all forms of clothing, including footwear. One legend has it the sheepskin boot got its classic name (ug, ugh, or ugg) as a result of the Aussie habit of dropping the “h” from the beginning of words, as in “ey mate, those sheepskin boots sure do ug yer legs”. Another claims that it was a result of the original models just being so ugly. Whatever the real or imagined origins of the term ugg, ug, ugh or ugg boots, they have become another one of those famous Australian icons, the Australian sheepskin Ugg boot. A cottage industry grew up around them and they eventually became a favorite of Aussie surfers (I mean surffies, mate) and made their way to the U.S. as a part of the surfing culture.
Purchasing Uggs
Getting Ugg boots? Purchasing a pair of genuine sheepskin Ugg boots or slippers will reward you with many, many years of warmth and comfort with a high degree of serviceability. There are numerous brands available including Ugg Australia, Jumbucks, and Koolaburra. The world's best sheepskins come from Australia and are from Merino sheep. When purchasing Ugg or other sheepskin boots check to ensure they are made from a natural, double-faced hide. This will provide you with the highest quality sheepskin footwear available. They will be available in many styles, such as: tall and short boots with a variety of styles and soles; ankle high slippers with outdoor, indoor/outdoor, and sheepskin soles; open backed slip on clog like slippers; and low-cut step-in slippers. All of these genuine sheepskin boots and slippers should be washable and some are designed to be worn outside in serious ice and snow conditions. Have a look at what is available and then enjoy one of Australia's icons, genuine sheepskin footwear
Health Conditions
There are many health conditions and ailments which require careful protection of the skin against cuts and scrapes. Sheepskin slippers afford this protection and offer the additional plus of keeping the feet warm and comfortable. Many medical patients and sufferers of diabetes wear sheepskin slippers because of their non-abrasive nature and the protection they offer from potentially life threatening exposures.
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