Zebra Rugs

Garry currently has several clients who want zebra rugs. The process is interesting. About 3-6 months after the hunter returns from Africa, the salted, dried, disinfected skins are shipped from Africa by air freight to Chicago. A customs broker clears U.S. Fish & Wildlife, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and U.S. Customs. The broker then forwards the shipment to a tannery in North Carolina. Four months later, the tanned skins arrive in the studio. 

Zebra hides delivered from the tannery

The next step is to rehydrate and stretch the skin onto a large piece of plywood, and nail it down around the edges. When it is dry (about 10 days), it is trimmed and taken to person who specializes in making animal rugs, who attaches a backing. 

This is  a Hartman's Mountain Zebra from Namibia. Note the white belly in this species of zebra.

Hide of Burchell's Zebra stretched onto plywood. Burchell's is the most common of the 5 species of zebra in Africa. 

Trimmed hide without backing

Finished Burchell's rug with Dacron backing and piping edge, ready to be picked up by customer.