Sheep Kill It, Cut It, Use It


Sheep

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'From the clothes we wear to the cars we drive,

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'from what we use to look good to what we use to relax.'

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-THEY CHEER

-'Our lives are full of products.

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'And our products are full of animals.'

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In the past few years, I've learned quite a lot about how the meat we eat reaches our plates.

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'But I've always wondered what happens to the bits of the animal we don't eat.

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'And it turns out that these leftover parts are made into things we use every day.'

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That is a symbolic noise for, like, leather.

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'As well as some things you couldn't even imagine.'

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Oh, my God! My face is on fire!

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I've never, ever smelt anything like that.

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'To find out how, I'm going on an extraordinary journey to see these raw animal parts

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'transformed into shiny new products.

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'And I'm going to be joined by the people who use them to see what they make of it.'

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-The sheep need to get slaughtered.

-Will we be in the room?

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Oh, my God!

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Mine had a testicle on it!

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Don't film me being sick.

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'We'll be going behind the doors of unknown companies and into hidden worlds.'

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That is just such a weird vision, just skin hanging there.

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This is when we see what's inside the chest.

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-'Getting hands-on.'

-I don't think that's going to go in there, Julia.

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'And discovering what makes these animal leftovers so indispensible.'

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-I can't even look at it!

-What am I doing here with these?

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Could knowing that so many of our favourite items contain animals

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change the way we feel about them forever?

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'Tonight, the sheep.'

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From curries and kebabs to Sunday roasts,

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almost 16 million British sheep are destined to die for our dinner every year.

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But our national flock provide us with much more than just meat.

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All the bits of the sheep that we don't eat, like the fat and the fleece,

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-can be turned into products that we buy. Comfy boots, cosmetics, even condoms.

-Ohh, old school.

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-To find out how, I'm going to follow these leftovers all the way from the abattoir...

-That's horrible.

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-..to the shop floor.

-Yeah, they're really cute.

-Really soft.

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And I'm going to be joined by my fellow consumers.

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-Goggles on, girls.

-To think that that was on our bed, I'm shocked.

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-To see how they feel about using animals in this way.

-Why? I just don't get it.

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I'm starting my exploration of sheep products with an item I'm very fond of myself.

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Sheepskin boots, or as I like to call them, jacket potatoes, warm and cosy.

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'Sheepskin was once synonymous with football commentators and cockney wide boys.

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'But it's become a major fashion staple, thanks to the unstoppable march of the sheepskin boot.

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'Loved by celebs and civilians alike, each year around a million pairs are sold in the UK.

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'I'm keen to know more about how these woolly wonders get from field to foot

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'and joining me are three self-confessed boot obsessives.'

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-Whoo! Cheers!

-Cheers, girls!

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'Meet best friends Sabrina, Jacqui and Amira.

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'These inseparable girls are fashion-obsessed and they love to shop.'

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As soon as we walk into a shop, we'll see something and we won't say anything, we'll all run towards it.

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-We'll see something and say, "That's Amira."

-I pick things up and say, "That's quite Jacqui".

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-Feel it.

-Is it soft?

-Yeah.

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'Top of their must-have list - their sheepskin boots.'

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They're basically my lifesavers.

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Especially when we go out for a night out and we've got really high shoes on,

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we want to get into the bar. Slippers on the go!

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That's what I call them, slippers on the go.

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-'And they wear them everywhere.'

-I work in a shoe shop so I wear my boots to work.

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-Around the house.

-Uni.

-In the car.

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-On the way to work.

-Shopping.

-On the way home from work.

-I can't think of anywhere I wouldn't wear them.

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'For Jacqui, it's a real love affair.'

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I have got seven pairs of boots.

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These are my first pair when I was 16. They began the addiction.

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These are the cardie ones. These are the classics. They're a definite must-have.

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Another pair of the classic ones but I had to have them in brown.

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These are more unusual. These are my favourite ones.

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'The girl's got it really bad.

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'They want to know where their boots come from but they're scared of what they might find.'

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If there was any sort of inhumane activity going on, that's the sort of thing that might put me off.

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I'd want the sheep to be killed in the most humane way possible

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and I think, if they weren't, that would definitely put me off buying the boots.

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'To see exactly where their fashionable footwear begins its journey,

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'the girls are joining me where the sheep end theirs, at an abattoir in Devon.

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'What they see here could mean they never pull on a pair of boots again.'

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Good morning, ladies. I'm Julia.

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-Hi. Jacqui.

-Hi, Jacqui.

-I'm Sabrina.

-Hello.

-Hi. Amira.

-Good morning.

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Now, I know it's a bit of a chilly day. I know you girls like your sheepskin boots, don't you?

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-ALL: Yes.

-Have you ever thought about where they come from?

-Erm, I kind of knew that, if they're sheepskin,

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they're going to come from sheep, but not much further down the line, I haven't thought about the process.

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That's what this little journey is all about. You know what that building is?

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This is an abattoir and it's the beginning of the journey of our sheepskin boots

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because they do come from sheep and the sheep need to get slaughtered and that's where it happens.

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So that is the first thing we're going to see today. How do you feel about that prospect?

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I feel a little bit nervous cos you're not exposed to that sort of environment every day.

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It's a bit daunting, trying to get your head around it, I suppose.

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-Are we actually going to be in the room?

-We'll be in the room. You're going to see it.

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-It's not a pleasant thing.

-You're not helping.

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But your boots are boots that we like, this is where it all starts.

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-OK, well, I'm ready.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Shall we do it?

-Yeah.

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-OK, follow me.

-OK.

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'The abattoir we're visiting is owned by John Coles.

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'It follows best-practice guidelines, which means animal welfare is a top priority.

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'Lewis Castramill is the vet overseeing the process.'

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-What's just happened there, John?

-Lewis has just inspected them to make sure they're healthy to kill,

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which is the job that has to be done. Now they're ready for slaughter.

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-They're not just being killed for their skin, are they?

-No.

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-The actual fleece is a by-product.

-At least it's not just killed for the skin.

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No, definitely not. This is a high-quality lamb

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-that is 100 percent edible.

-What's next?

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-Next they'll go into the stun pen and the slaughter process will begin.

-All right. Ready?

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-No.

-Yeah.

-Sort of.

-Yeah.

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'Before going inside, we change into the regulation clothing.

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'John gives us a few final words of reassurance.'

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It's quite straightforward. Just don't panic. Just stand there, take it in

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and think that this is something that goes on

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and it's not a special show put on for you, it's goes on every day.

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'Then it's time to make our way into the slaughter hall where the sheep will end their lives

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'and our boots will begin theirs.'

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Basically, the animals will come into this pen here.

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-OK.

-The electric stunners are there.

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That actually stuns the animal unconscious.

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A shackle goes onto the actual leg

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and it then travels up the elevator,

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through these doors to be bled.

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-And that's the first time we'll actually see the animal, isn't it?

-Yes. Let's get the animals now.

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'First, the lambs are stunned with an electric shock that renders them insensitive to pain.'

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Right, I think one of them has been stunned now.

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'Next, the major blood vessels in their neck are severed and the sheep bleed out.

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'They're dead within a couple of minutes.

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'The four sheep are killed rapidly, one after the other.

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'Even though I've seen this before and I know it's the most humane way of killing the sheep,

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'I still find it hard to watch and it's all a bit too much for our girls.'

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Oh, no.

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-What do you think, Sabrina?

-It's horrible!

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It's just like spewing out.

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-It's a shock. It's a shock.

-It's all up the wall.

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No, look at it! It's all up the wall!

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And it's like twitching, as well.

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-Oh, my God, it keeps making a noise!

-But you'll see them, they still move

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-and they still twitch and it's...

-It's making a noise.

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-It's expulsion. It's expulsion of the final bits of air. Its lungs are closing down.

-See?

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'With the killing complete, John joins us in the slaughter hall.

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'The girls have an issue about what they've seen so far.'

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-John, as ever, the twitching is a major concern.

-Yep.

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-Explain that to us.

-When the electric current is applied to the animal, it's technically stunned.

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Then you've got a time limit that you've got to stick it

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for the bleeding process

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and, obviously, then you will get some nerve reaction until such time as it's finally bled

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and finally then dead.

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It's funny how, in the supermarket, you just see it in a packet

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-and you don't think about it like this.

-Not in a million years.

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-Thinking about the boots now?

-It doesn't look very much like it would make a boot at the moment.

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-'Next, the sheep's heads are removed.'

-Oh, my God. Did you hear that?

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'Then what's known as the dressing stage begins.'

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Dressing basically means you're removing the fleece.

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It's a skilled operation to make sure you get into the right layer of skin.

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Otherwise you pull the tissue away from the meat.

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-It's peeling quite easily.

-It's a very difficult job to do.

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He's making it look simple.

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SABRINA GASPS Oh, my God, it just came out the other side!

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Obviously, the process has got to be

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that the fleece doesn't in-roll on the meat, which would contaminate the meat.

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'Before the skin can be completely removed, the sheep's feet must be taken off.'

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-SHE GASPS

-'Then the remaining skin

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'is literally punched out from the flesh by hand.'

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It's quite a long way from what we saw in the pen outside, isn't it?

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Certainly is.

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'It's pretty gory and I'm surprised to see Amira volunteering to have a go.'

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-Just wash your hands first.

-OK.

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-What you need to do is hold the fleece there.

-Yeah.

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And put that hand, with your knuckles clenched, in through there.

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Oh, that feels gross!

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Does it? What does it feel like?

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I don't know! Gross!

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-Can you feel it pulling away?

-Yeah!

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Oh, it feels gross!

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-Oh, did you hear that?

-Yeah.

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-Oh, OK. Yeah, this is...

-That skin could make a pair of boots for you.

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-I don't really want to go any further in than that.

-OK. Well done.

-Well done.

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'The final part of the hide is separated using a machine.

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Oh, look. See? Gross, really gross, but interesting.

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-Oh, my God.

-There we go.

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-I wasn't expecting that!

-So there is the sheepskin.

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-There is it.

-There it is.

-Here are our boots.

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-Are you going to take that one outside?

-OK, Jacqui, there we go.

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It's really heavy.

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'Jacqui has the glamorous job of gathering up the skins.

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'Meanwhile, the sheep's carcass is gutted.

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'Its organs are checked for signs of disease before the meat is passed fit for human consumption.

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'With the job done, I find out how the girls are feeling.'

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What were your expectations before we came in here?

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I don't know. I just didn't expect to see all that blood.

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-More gory than you thought.

-Yeah, it was. But the skinning was a bit more straightforward

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-and less blood and guts.

-Sabrina, you were quite brave throughout everything.

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-You seemed fascinated by every bit of the process, even the killing.

-I did want to see that.

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We've come all this way, I didn't want to miss anything.

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And it was quite gruesome but I did want to keep my eyes on it.

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'To witness the next stage in the journey from sheep to shoe, we travel to Bridgewater in Somerset,

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'home of Fenland Sheepskin. Showing us around is managing director Chris Tinnion.'

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-So Chris, what goes on here?

-Here is where we start the process

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of turning the raw skins into a finished product,

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whether it be rugs or skins for coats or footwear,

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-Ugg Boots and things like that.

-How many skins do you use a year?

-Between 1,000 and 1,500 a week.

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-A total of about 60,000 a year.

-60,000 a year?

-Yeah.

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So that's 60,000 sheep a year.

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-That's a lot.

-Isn't it?

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The largest one is in China, doing 30,000 skins per day.

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-30,000 a day?

-Yeah. And there's two of them.

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So between the two of them, they do the same in one day as we do in a year.

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That's incredible. And if you didn't do this, if you weren't making your sheepskin products,

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-what would happen to the skins?

-Well, they'd either be exported to places like Turkey or China

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or they would have to be disposed of in landfill.

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'I'm relieved to know that none of the skins here will go to waste.

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'We follow Chris to where the transformation begins - the salting room.'

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-Hiya.

-Hello.

-This is George. George is going to show you how to salt skins.

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'As soon as they arrive at the tannery, each skin is covered in salt to stop it from rotting.'

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That one's fine. Do you want to have a go?

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Go on, Amira.

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'Amira helps out, but before she can start, a special little snip is needed.'

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-I'll take that off.

-Yeah, you do that.

-THEY LAUGH

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You don't really want anything to do with that.

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-What's that bit that just came off?

-A testicle.

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THEY LAUGH

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-It's really gross. It's kind of like a...

-The more you rub it in, the better the skin.

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It's quite... It's like a water bed.

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SHE SCREAMS

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-Does it feel anything like your boots at the moment? Can you make the connection?

-No.

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It had a testicle on it!

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-My boot had a testicle!

-THEY LAUGH

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Yeah. It'd be an interesting little addition, wouldn't it?

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You might pay extra for that.

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-So we're going in there?

-Yes.

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'Once the hides are ready to be processed, they're cleaned and rehydrated

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'in a tank of soapy water. This time, I get hands-on, too.' Let's go.

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Come on.

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Nice.

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Yeah! You're doing very well.

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'The hides have any excess fat removed in a de-fleshing machine.

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'Next, tanning chemicals are added to preserve them permanently.

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'The skins are then buffed on a wheel to make them softer.'

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-It's like a big emery board, a big nail file.

-Exactly.

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And that's what it's like beforehand.

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-That's afterwards, and it's got a smoother finish.

-Oh!

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That feels nice.

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Yeah.

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'The smoothed hides are then dyed in large drums for close to 36 hours.

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'Then they're stretched out to be dried in heated cabinets.'

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-So, drying done.

-Upstairs.

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'The finished skins are now ready to be boxed up.'

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-And these skins are actually going to make boots?

-Yes, that's right.

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They go down to Cornwall for boots.

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And how much does it cost you to buy in your sheepskin?

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The raw skins cost about £6.50 at the moment.

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-And how much do you sell them for?

-About £22.

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-So after your whole process, the dying and everything, you sell that for £22.

-Yes.

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-How much do you buy your boots for, girls?

-Anywhere between £100 and £200.

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Yeah, some of them go up to about £220.

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And that, as you've just heard, is £22.

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'I'm curious to know how a £22 sheepskin

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'becomes a pair of boots worth hundreds,

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'so to find out, we follow the trail to Newquay.

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'It's home to Celtic Sheepskin, who make a range of products, including boots.

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'Here to meet us is managing director Nick Whitworth.'

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Welcome to Celtic Sheepskin. We'll now show you how your boots will be made.

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'We start our tour at the cutting machines.'

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So a pair of boots is made from eight pieces of sheepskin.

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Every style has a pattern and we cut them out of

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whatever colour it is that you want your boots made from.

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How many pairs of boots would you get out of one sheepskin?

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We go for a least one pair, depending on the size of the skin.

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If it's a small pair of shorty boots that are only ankle-high, we might get two.

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Those two bits go together like that at the back.

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-Yep.

-That's the little shin piece to go in front of your shin. The toes.

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And they're all joined together like that to form a boot.

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'After cutting, the pieces are sewn together by hand.

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'Then the soles are stuck on. And finally, the boots are ready for the shops.

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'Having seen the entire journey from fluffy sheep to comfy boot,

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'I'm keen to know if the girls feel differently about their favourite footwear.'

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When you're looking at these now,

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are you looking at them any differently?

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I think I've got a better understanding now. Yeah.

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So do you like them more or less?

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I think, if anything, I like them more now.

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I appreciate where they came from and I just appreciate the process they've been through a lot more now.

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-So I think we all love them more.

-You've seen that sheep walking around

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-and you saw it in the abattoir, remember that.

-Don't say it like that!

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-You've seen the skin come off.

-I think that image is pretty much burned into our memories.

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-You could see it as we're just using the material that might not have been used.

-Yeah, the by-product.

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I was just thinking, "This is a slaughter"

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-whereas now I'm thinking, "This is shopping!"

-Yeah, exactly!

-Do you know what I mean?

0:19:300:19:36

Ultimately, a good experience or a bad experience?

0:19:360:19:39

-I think it's a good experience.

-Good.

-Really good.

0:19:390:19:42

I think a lot of people should be more conscious about where their products come from.

0:19:420:19:48

I think a lot of people are becoming a lot more aware. It's been a good journey.

0:19:480:19:52

-Well done, girls. I think you've done very well.

-Thank you.

-You've done really well.

0:19:520:19:56

'I find it incredible to think that in less than a week,

0:19:580:20:01

'the skins of a living sheep can become a pair of comfy boots.

0:20:010:20:06

'But though the process may be unfamiliar, the fact that sheepskin boots are made from sheep

0:20:070:20:11

'is hardly a surprise. However, there's another by-product resulting from our love of lamb

0:20:110:20:16

'that's just as widespread as the boots, but it's much less well known and much more astounding.

0:20:160:20:22

'I'm heading off to the Lake District to find out more.'

0:20:230:20:26

If I hear the word tallow, I think of something quite old-fashioned.

0:20:300:20:34

I know it's a fat and I think we used to make candles out of it in the good old days.

0:20:340:20:38

I learnt more recently that it's still used in everyday products and they make it here.

0:20:380:20:43

I've come to find out how.

0:20:430:20:45

'I'm visiting Alba Proteins who process the parts of cows and sheep left over from the food industry.

0:20:450:20:50

'Though it's a vital job, it's a pretty grizzly one, and has historically been kept under wraps.

0:20:500:20:56

'I have a rare opportunity to see it first-hand.

0:20:560:20:59

'Site manager Simon Boyes will be my guide.'

0:20:590:21:02

-Hi, Simon.

-Pleased to meet you.

-You, too. Now, tallow. I know it's a fat, but what sort of fat?

0:21:020:21:07

It's fat from the bits of animals that we don't actually eat.

0:21:070:21:10

-Right. And how do you extract it?

-We use what we call in the industry a rendering,

0:21:100:21:14

which we heat the material up and extract the oil.

0:21:140:21:18

'Over half a million tonnes of sheep, cows and pig parts are rendered in the UK every year.'

0:21:190:21:26

Here we've got a load of sheep coming in to process.

0:21:260:21:29

-Right. How much? It's a big truck.

-Erm, about 20 to 25 tonnes we normally receive in one load.

0:21:290:21:35

'The raw animal parts are unloaded into a huge bin.'

0:21:400:21:44

-25 tonnes of sheep bits and bobs.

-Yep.

0:21:480:21:52

It's pretty gruesome, you've got to say.

0:21:520:21:55

The blood on the floor, the fleshy bits.

0:21:550:21:59

It is. But what you've got to appreciate is this is materials which are fit for humans

0:21:590:22:04

-but they choose not to eat.

-Yeah.

0:22:040:22:07

'These sheep parts have just started to decay and they're giving off a real stink.'

0:22:070:22:12

SHE COUGHS

0:22:120:22:14

I haven't actually smelt anything quite as pungent, even in an abattoir.

0:22:140:22:19

It really sticks to the back of your throat.

0:22:190:22:23

'And if a lorry-load of sheep parts don't smell pretty,

0:22:240:22:27

'I'm sure they don't look too pretty, either.'

0:22:270:22:29

-Ohh. That's a lot of sheep heads.

-It is.

0:22:290:22:32

We've got sheep heads, hooves, innards,

0:22:320:22:35

sheep fat and also the carcass, as well.

0:22:350:22:38

I've never, ever smelt anything like that.

0:22:380:22:41

Ever. No. Oh! No.

0:22:410:22:44

-Where does it go from here?

-We have a crusher where we break it down to even particle size.

0:22:440:22:50

We'll go round, I'll show you the crusher

0:22:500:22:53

-and then we can take it from there.

-Anything's better than here.

-No problem.

0:22:530:22:57

'From the bin, the sheep parts pass into the crusher, which pounds them into small, even pieces.

0:23:020:23:09

'The crusher is monitored remotely from the rendering plant's control room.'

0:23:100:23:14

You see the picture there is the crusher. That's crushing the material down to particle size

0:23:140:23:20

and we pump it direct into the cooker.

0:23:200:23:22

-So, basically, that's turning it into pate.

-That's right.

0:23:220:23:25

'This pate goes into a giant oven where it's heated to 120 degrees.

0:23:250:23:30

'The heat kills off any bacteria, evaporates the water

0:23:300:23:34

'and causes the fat to melt away from the protein.'

0:23:340:23:37

Here we have the material which is being cooked at the moment.

0:23:370:23:40

-It's like a kebab machine!

-Yeah. You can naturally see the oil being released from the material.

0:23:430:23:48

'Once the sheep parts have been rendered, the hot melted fat

0:23:520:23:55

'is squeezed out by a press and drained off.'

0:23:550:23:58

-That's it, that's tallow?

-That's our finished product that we sell to the customer.

-It's like gravy.

-Yeah.

0:23:580:24:04

-So there's a lot of that in there.

-There certainly is, yes.

0:24:050:24:10

-And that's going off to your customers.

-It does.

0:24:100:24:12

So the million-dollar question is, Simon, who are your customers? What is this used in?

0:24:120:24:17

In conditioners, cosmetics. It forms the first ingredient of a cleaning agent.

0:24:170:24:22

That is a bit of a surprise, I must say. Have you ever tasted any?

0:24:220:24:25

-I haven't, no.

-I don't blame you.

0:24:250:24:28

'Since that gut-wrenching experience,

0:24:320:24:34

'I've been surprised to discover how much tallow is used in our cleaning products.'

0:24:340:24:38

I wonder how many people know about this product

0:24:380:24:42

and how they'll feel about it when they know how it's made. All right, boys?

0:24:420:24:47

'To find out, I'm joined by Jenny and Laura, who know very little about what goes into their wash.'

0:24:470:24:52

-So you're students?

-Yeah.

-And what do you look for in your washing products?

0:24:520:24:57

-Price.

-What's on offer.

0:24:570:24:59

-Right. Do you ever look at the ingredients?

-No.

-Never.

0:24:590:25:02

Look at the ingredients on that, see if any stick out to you.

0:25:020:25:06

-Read that one.

-I don't even know what those words are.

0:25:060:25:10

-What's the worst thing it could be?

-I think if it was dead animal, that would be the worst thing ever.

0:25:100:25:15

'Uh-oh. Time for the big reveal.'

0:25:150:25:18

Don't be frightened. It'll all be OK.

0:25:200:25:24

-Are you ready?

-THEY LAUGH

0:25:240:25:26

OK, this is what is in a lot of fabric conditioners and soaps.

0:25:260:25:31

THEY SCREAM Ughhhh!

0:25:320:25:35

-Oh, my God.

-I can't even look at it! That is disgusting. Urgh.

0:25:350:25:40

-Look at his teeth!

-I can't look!

-Look at his teeth!

0:25:400:25:44

-She won't look!

-What is that?

-That is sheep's head.

-Urgh!

0:25:440:25:48

It's not just sheep. There are lots of animals that go into this kind of product.

0:25:480:25:52

Basically, what they do is, all the bits of meat that we don't eat

0:25:520:25:58

go to a big rendering plant and they are boiled down into an oil

0:25:580:26:03

which becomes tallow and it comes from this kind of product.

0:26:030:26:08

-So it's in everything?

-It's in an awful lot. It's in lots of fabric conditioners,

0:26:080:26:12

-it's in lots of soaps.

-I don't feel clean!

0:26:120:26:15

I don't. I feel like... I keep looking at its little face.

0:26:150:26:19

-Are you curious to know how something like that becomes this product?

-BOTH: Yeah.

0:26:200:26:25

-Well, we've got an expert and he's going to answer any questions that you've got.

-Cool.

0:26:250:26:29

'While we put on a load of washing, we're joined by David Howells,

0:26:320:26:35

'a chemist with 30 years experience in the tallow industry.'

0:26:350:26:39

-Hi, Julia.

-This is Jenny and Laura.

-Hi.

-Hi, girls, how are you?

0:26:390:26:43

They're quite shocked by what we've revealed so far.

0:26:430:26:46

-What's your big question?

-Why? I just don't get it.

0:26:460:26:50

-Why is that used?

-How is that head used to make this?

0:26:500:26:55

-That's a liquid and that's a head.

-Because it's there.

0:26:550:26:58

You've had your sheep or your cow, you've eaten it.

0:26:580:27:02

As a by-product from that, you're left with this fat, you find things to do with it.

0:27:020:27:06

Right, how do we make tallow into soap?

0:27:060:27:09

It's very easy. Come on, girls, let me show you.

0:27:090:27:12

I've got a little demonstration here.

0:27:120:27:14

There's tallow. It's solid. I've melted some so I can show you more easily.

0:27:140:27:19

If we put some of the tallow in here, this is some simple caustic soda solution,

0:27:190:27:24

and instantly it's reacted and started forming soap.

0:27:240:27:27

Now instead of it being two separate clear liquids not mixed,

0:27:270:27:31

they've mixed together and it's now like a custard.

0:27:310:27:34

In industry, if you then want to get soap from that,

0:27:340:27:37

you add salt to it, the soap comes to the surface,

0:27:370:27:40

run off the water and you make it into a bar of soap. That's it.

0:27:400:27:43

'As well as being used to make soap, tallow can be found in washing powders.

0:27:450:27:49

'It's also added to fabric conditioners

0:27:490:27:51

'where it's listed on the label as a cationic surfactant

0:27:510:27:55

'and helps the perfume and softening agents spread into the clothing.'

0:27:550:27:58

-How is that allowed in that?

-The alternatives are what?

0:27:580:28:03

We could use products like palm oil.

0:28:030:28:06

-That's got moral issues, as well, hasn't it?

-Sustainability.

0:28:060:28:09

The animal fat is there, it's available, and can make products which are like that.

0:28:090:28:15

-When we see tallow on a label, does it always come from an animal?

-It's always animal fat.

0:28:150:28:21

'Tallow and tallow-derived chemicals have a number of different names.

0:28:210:28:26

'Just some of those to look out for on your labels include sodium tallowate,

0:28:260:28:30

'tallow alcohol, tallow amine, and my personal favourite,

0:28:300:28:33

'dihydrogenated tallowoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate.'

0:28:330:28:39

And when it says surfactant, is that always from an animal?

0:28:390:28:42

No, it can be from tallow, but it can also be totally synthetic,

0:28:420:28:47

a detergent made from chemicals.

0:28:470:28:49

-How do you know?

-You don't.

0:28:490:28:52

'It's clear that getting to the bottom of what's in our products can be tricky.

0:28:520:28:56

'But once we know about a hidden ingredient like tallow,

0:28:560:29:00

'we then have to decide how we feel about it.'

0:29:000:29:02

-Has it changed the way you think about what you buy, your perception of the industry?

-Definitely!

0:29:020:29:07

-It's really deceiving.

-I'm like, quick in and out, so I'll just grab what I need and go.

0:29:070:29:12

I would never think to look at it. But now I would definitely take a minute to see what's in it.

0:29:120:29:17

-We know the words now.

-We know what to look out for.

0:29:170:29:20

Do you think the fact that animals have been used in these products should be labelled?

0:29:200:29:24

I think it should, because they still put on animal testing

0:29:240:29:28

and suitable for vegetarians, vegans, all sorts. I think they should at least indicate it.

0:29:280:29:33

-Because if people still want to use it, they will.

-We know now, but we'll still buy it.

0:29:330:29:37

-If nobody knows, they're using it unaware.

-Definitely.

-That's a bit rubbish.

0:29:370:29:41

-Do you want to take the sheep heads with you?

-No.

-Erm, I think we'll leave them there.

0:29:410:29:46

-They don't fit in with our living room, do they?

-No.

0:29:460:29:49

'Though it's fair to be squeamish about tallow and where it comes from,

0:29:490:29:53

'to me it makes perfect sense that we don't waste these lamby leftovers.

0:29:530:29:58

'However, there's one way that another part of the sheep's anatomy is used that doesn't turn me on.'

0:29:580:30:03

'Sheep guts are often used to make casings for sausages.

0:30:050:30:09

'But throughout history, we've also wrapped these delicate intestinal tracts

0:30:090:30:13

'around a very different kind of flesh.'

0:30:130:30:15

Now, it's got to be said, the origin of the sheep-gut contraceptives is fairly woolly.

0:30:150:30:20

'Legend has it they were first invented in the 17th century for Charles II.

0:30:200:30:24

'It's claimed a certain Dr Condom tried to reduce the king's quota of illegitimate kids

0:30:240:30:29

'by giving him oiled sheep intestines to use between the royal bed sheets.

0:30:290:30:33

'Though there's no hard evidence for this story, by the 18th century,

0:30:330:30:37

'these animal-gut condoms were everywhere.

0:30:370:30:40

'Serial seducer Casanova mentions blowing them up to entertain ladies in his memoirs

0:30:400:30:45

'while records show that London's flourishing trade was led by two women,

0:30:450:30:48

'a Mrs Perkins and a Mrs Phillips. Today, most condoms are made from latex.

0:30:480:30:53

'But if you're allergic to those or you fancy something different,

0:30:530:30:57

-'I'm amazed to find you can still buy sheep intestine condoms online.'

-# Mr lover-lover

0:30:570:31:01

'I'm keen to find out what a group of London lads will make of these.'

0:31:010:31:06

I'll try my best not to embarrass you. Let's be grown up. Come here. All right.

0:31:060:31:11

-Do we know what these are?

-Ah, I know these.

0:31:110:31:14

-Yeah, do you know what them is?

-THEY LAUGH

0:31:140:31:16

-Yep.

-Wow.

-Use these regularly?

0:31:160:31:19

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Should do.

-I'm pleased to hear it.

0:31:190:31:22

-What do you think that's made out of?

-Latex.

0:31:220:31:25

-What is that, plastic or...?

-I'm not sure.

0:31:250:31:27

I'm going to show you.

0:31:270:31:30

-Sheep's intestine!

-Ohh, old school! Isn't that what they used to make them out of in the old days?

-Yeah.

0:31:300:31:36

-What is that?

-Is that intestines?

-It is indeed.

-Lovely.

-Spot on.

-Beautiful.

0:31:360:31:40

-How do you feel about that now?

-A bit weird.

0:31:400:31:42

-It's sheep's intestines.

-Oh, right.

0:31:420:31:45

SHE LAUGHS Nice! Looks like spaghetti.

0:31:450:31:48

-You haven't got a knife and fork, have you?

-Ohh, you're disgusting!

0:31:480:31:52

-Would you be happy trying those out?

-Yeah.

-As long as they work and they ain't going to get nobody pregnant!

0:31:530:32:00

-Hm.

-No? You wouldn't feel happy wearing one of those?

-No.

0:32:000:32:04

-I don't see why I shouldn't use it.

-You'd have a go?

0:32:040:32:06

-Maybe.

-I'd rather not.

-I wouldn't tell her about it.

-Exactly.

0:32:060:32:11

-My girlfriend, her religious views don't...

-They don't go with that?

0:32:110:32:16

-They don't go with sheep-intestine condoms?

-No.

0:32:160:32:19

-I tell you what, gents, take one.

-Oh, thank you ever so much.

0:32:190:32:23

-Let me know how you get on.

-What time do you finish?

0:32:230:32:25

-THEY LAUGH

-Thank you for your time.

-See you, guys. Bye.

0:32:250:32:30

'Though these old-fashioned condoms may help to prevent pregnancy,

0:32:310:32:35

'they don't protect from STDs, so for the safest sex, it's safer to stick with the more modern variety.

0:32:350:32:41

'From a product I'd expect to find in the more niche section of the chemist shop

0:32:410:32:45

'to one that's commonplace on the nation's beauty counters.'

0:32:450:32:48

Lanolin is a sheep-related ingredient that's found in hundreds of cosmetics,

0:32:480:32:53

from makeup and moisturisers to body creams and baby lotions.

0:32:530:32:57

But does anyone know what it is?

0:32:570:33:00

-Lanolin.

-Lanolin.

0:33:000:33:02

-I've never heard of lanolin.

-I don't know what lanolin is.

-Lanolin? What is lanolin?

0:33:020:33:07

-What is lanolin?

-Is it bad?

0:33:070:33:09

I've got some idea of where lanolin comes from but I'm going to meet two women from Oldham

0:33:090:33:14

who've got more reason than most to care about what goes into their cosmetics.

0:33:140:33:19

'Meet young mum Nadia, her two-year-old daughter Sharina, and her cousin, nursing student Farmina.

0:33:190:33:25

'These ladies love their beauty products.'

0:33:250:33:29

Skincare is very important to me.

0:33:290:33:32

I do have a strict routine that's wash, tone, moisturise, exfoliate.

0:33:320:33:38

Constantly giving creams a trial run, see if it works. If it looks good then it should be all right.

0:33:380:33:43

'But they need to be careful about what they use.'

0:33:430:33:46

Because we're Muslims,

0:33:460:33:48

we can't use alcohol

0:33:480:33:51

or any form of pig or gelatine or anything like that.

0:33:510:33:55

'In fact, many by-products derived from UK farm animals

0:33:550:33:58

'might not be considered Halal.'

0:33:580:34:01

Shall we give your hair a little bit of a wash?

0:34:010:34:04

'And for Nadia, it's not just a case of looking after her own skin.

0:34:040:34:08

'She also has to deal with Sharina's eczema.'

0:34:080:34:11

Sharina was born a premature child

0:34:110:34:13

so she was a month and a half early.

0:34:130:34:16

From the minute she was born, she started having a few rashes on her cheeks.

0:34:160:34:20

'So looking at what goes into their products is pretty important.'

0:34:210:34:25

Thanks a lot. Bye.

0:34:250:34:27

'But it's one thing looking and another thing understanding.'

0:34:270:34:31

Most of the things here, I have no idea what they are.

0:34:310:34:35

My head is spinning just reading these ingredients.

0:34:350:34:38

Lanolin. That's one that's very common.

0:34:380:34:41

'Lanolin is one ingredient I can help them to find out more about.

0:34:410:34:44

'How will they feel when they learn exactly where it comes from?

0:34:440:34:48

'To find out, the girls are joining me at a company called Thomas Chadwick's

0:34:500:34:54

'who wash wool for the UK carpet industry.

0:34:540:34:56

'At this stage, they've got no idea where lanolin comes from.'

0:34:560:35:01

-Do you know what this is?

-Wool.

-Any idea what might come out of this?

0:35:010:35:06

-No idea.

-I don't have a clue but it does smell a lot.

-It's a bit smelly.

-It's not very pleasant.

0:35:060:35:11

I'm going to say one word to you - lanolin. What does that mean?

0:35:110:35:14

-Erm...

-Nothing.

-It doesn't mean anything at all but I see it a lot.

0:35:140:35:19

-A lot of moisturisers. Everything I use.

-You don't know what it is?

-Not at all.

0:35:190:35:23

-Do you want to go and find out?

-Yes, definitely.

-Follow me.

0:35:230:35:27

'So, lanolin is related to wool. But how we've yet to discover.

0:35:300:35:35

'On hand to explain is managing director Mark Andrews.'

0:35:350:35:38

-That's a lot of wool, Mark!

-A lot of wool, indeed.

0:35:380:35:41

So this is wool directly off the sheep's back.

0:35:410:35:43

So this is sheared wool.

0:35:430:35:45

-You'll probably recognise it better if we open up the fleece here.

-Oh, no!

0:35:450:35:50

-There we go! Now a little bit of recognition.

-You've seen them shearing sheep.

0:35:500:35:55

'Sheep aren't killed to get wool. The fleece is just shaved off.

0:35:550:35:59

'It's Mark's job to get it clean enough to sell. But it's mucky work.'

0:35:590:36:03

Quite a lot of things in sheep wool.

0:36:030:36:06

-Yeah.

-Sheep poo and all that.

0:36:060:36:09

-Disgusting.

-The other contaminants are sweat, the sheep sweats.

0:36:090:36:14

The major contaminant is the wool grease that's on there.

0:36:140:36:17

'And it's this wool grease that's a crude form of lanolin.'

0:36:170:36:20

And are you after lanolin or are you after the wool?

0:36:200:36:24

The wool is the most important thing to us. Wool grease is a valuable by-product for us

0:36:240:36:29

and we produce anything between 5 and 6 tonnes a week.

0:36:290:36:32

-Feel that.

-Feel it!

-Go on, have a feel.

0:36:320:36:37

-Oh, God. It's a bit...

-They're heavy, aren't they?

0:36:370:36:40

-They are heavy.

-This is our bread and butter material.

0:36:400:36:44

-Can you feel it? I can feel...

-You can feel the grease.

0:36:440:36:48

-It is sticky.

-That's the wool grease.

0:36:480:36:51

'Sheep secrete wool grease from glands in their skin,

0:36:520:36:55

'coating and softening the wool fibres and protecting the fleece against the elements.

0:36:550:37:00

'Much like a moisturiser helps to protect our faces.'

0:37:000:37:03

# Is the word that you heard, it's got groove, it's got meaning

0:37:030:37:07

I expect to wear a wool and not smother it on my body!

0:37:070:37:10

We don't know how that happens yet, but it somehow gets from there onto our bodies.

0:37:100:37:17

'To learn more, we head into the heart of the factory.

0:37:170:37:20

'Before the wool is washed, the bails are broken down into smaller pieces.'

0:37:200:37:24

-This is scary.

-Can you see the wool going in now?

0:37:260:37:29

It's being fed evenly into the wool scour now.

0:37:290:37:33

'To wash or scour the wool, it's mixed with water and detergent

0:37:350:37:38

'and passed through three tanks, each one cooler than the last.

0:37:380:37:42

'It's then rinsed on what looks like a medieval torture chamber.'

0:37:420:37:46

Look at that machinery!

0:37:460:37:48

So the majority of the wool grease is washed out in the first bowl.

0:37:480:37:52

The first bowl is the hottest bowl

0:37:520:37:54

and about 80 percent of the wool grease will be washed out there.

0:37:540:37:59

And that's where we'll extract that water from,

0:37:590:38:02

because it's concentrated wool grease there.

0:38:020:38:04

'While the clean wool goes off to be dried,

0:38:040:38:07

'the grease-rich liquid from the first tank is pumped into a series of centrifuges.

0:38:070:38:13

'These spin it at high speeds to separate the grease from the water and any dirt.'

0:38:130:38:18

We're producing what we know as wool grease.

0:38:180:38:22

You can see how clear it is now.

0:38:220:38:24

-It's drying already, yeah?

-Yeah.

0:38:240:38:26

Oh, that's really sticky! That's like ear wax.

0:38:260:38:30

Yeah. As we said earlier, it officially is a wax.

0:38:300:38:34

-This isn't lanolin yet.

-No, this is the raw product that we then sell to refiners.

0:38:340:38:39

'It takes 500 tonnes of fleece to produce 5 tonnes of wool grease,

0:38:410:38:46

'which is sold on to be refined into lanolin.

0:38:460:38:48

'So when you see lanolin on a label,

0:38:480:38:51

'it means that a version of this oily brown grease with all the dirt and impurities removed

0:38:510:38:55

'is in the product. But just what is it doing there and why is it used in such a wide range of stuff?

0:38:550:39:00

'To find out, it's time for my very own Blue Peter moment

0:39:000:39:04

'as the girls and I make a moisturiser from scratch.

0:39:040:39:07

'Helping us is Dr Laura Waters from the University of Huddersfield,

0:39:070:39:11

'an expert in making the products we see on the chemist's shelves.'

0:39:110:39:14

Goggles on, girls. Come on. Goggles on.

0:39:140:39:16

-Let's see. Yeah, good to go.

-OK, come on round.

0:39:160:39:21

'Unlike the grease we saw in the factory,

0:39:210:39:23

'the lanolin we're using has been through the refining process.

0:39:230:39:27

'I'm keen to know what makes it such a desirable ingredient in our cosmetics.'

0:39:270:39:31

What's so special about lanolin is the way it can take up the water,

0:39:310:39:34

it can mix it in, we call that an emulsifier,

0:39:340:39:37

and it mixes the water in so when you apply it to your skin,

0:39:370:39:40

it not only forms a barrier as an oil

0:39:400:39:42

but it also has water inside that acts to rehydrate your skin

0:39:420:39:46

-so it's also a moisturiser.

-So it's unique in that way?

-There are several other emulsifiers

0:39:460:39:51

but with lanolin, it's a natural product, people trust it, it's gentle, it's safe

0:39:510:39:55

-and it feels nice on the skin.

-Yes.

0:39:550:39:59

-Even in its most raw form.

-That's really nice to know, actually.

0:39:590:40:03

-So are we all ready to start mixing?

-ALL: Yes.

-Fantastic.

0:40:030:40:07

'First we heat the lanolin in a beaker and add some petroleum jelly.'

0:40:080:40:11

It's like being back in home economics!

0:40:110:40:14

'Next we add emulsifying wax, which helps blend the oil and water in the cream together.'

0:40:140:40:19

OK, and then finally we need to add our liquid paraffin.

0:40:190:40:22

'Liquid paraffin is a mineral oil that helps soften the skin.'

0:40:220:40:27

This is just the basis of most creams?

0:40:270:40:30

-It is.

-And then they add whatever they need to add, like perfumes, colourings or whatever?

0:40:300:40:35

Sure. This is the base of most moisturisers and barrier creams, as well.

0:40:350:40:40

'Once the lanolin mixture has melted, it's time for the most critical part - stirring.'

0:40:400:40:45

-Stir.

-Yep.

0:40:460:40:48

-Pour your water in.

-Ooh, it's already got thicker.

0:40:480:40:52

I can feel it. The texture just changes instantly, doesn't it?

0:40:520:40:55

'Now the moment of truth. Have our homemade moisturisers made the grade?'

0:40:550:40:59

OK, that looks fantastic! That looks really good! It's very nicely mixed.

0:40:590:41:04

So if you were to apply that to your skin, you'd find it would hydrate your skin very, very nicely.

0:41:040:41:09

Nadia, what's going on with yours? That just looks like... Well, I won't say.

0:41:090:41:14

-It's not pretty, is it?

-Oh, my God.

-Why did that go wrong?

0:41:140:41:18

It could be because it got too hot while it was on the hot plate.

0:41:180:41:21

-What do you think of yours?

-I really like mine, the texture.

0:41:210:41:25

And it's nice and silky.

0:41:250:41:27

Go on, I know you're jealous. Have a feel of that.

0:41:270:41:32

Aww. Oh.

0:41:320:41:34

'So has witnessing the journey from dirty fleece to moisturising cream

0:41:340:41:38

'had any effect on our girls?'

0:41:380:41:41

Are you concerned about using lanolin on Sharina now, your little girl?

0:41:410:41:44

At the beginning, I was thinking, "OK, it might be from an animal"

0:41:440:41:48

but it is from an animal but it's not from the inside of an animal, it's from the wool extracts,

0:41:480:41:53

-which is good to know.

-It's like a secretion.

0:41:530:41:56

-Because it's not meat, not an animal part, that's all right for you.

-Yeah, that's fine.

0:41:560:42:01

'Because lanolin doesn't come from dead sheep, it's acceptable to use to most Muslims.'

0:42:020:42:07

-And you're going to carry on using all your beauty creams.

-Yeah. It's been a really good experience,

0:42:070:42:12

from where it starts to this and I made my own cream, so I'm really happy.

0:42:120:42:16

-I'd quite like to take that home in a little jar.

-Yeah.

0:42:160:42:20

'So far, I've seen how the sheep's skin, its fat, its guts and even its natural grease

0:42:220:42:27

'can be turned into popular everyday products.

0:42:270:42:30

'I can't imagine that there's any more the sheep has to offer.'

0:42:300:42:34

But it turns out there's a more radical way of using a sheep by-product.

0:42:340:42:37

To try and improve our looks.

0:42:370:42:40

'To find out more, I've come here to London's Harley Street.

0:42:430:42:47

'It's the home of cosmetic surgery,

0:42:470:42:49

'and one of the clinics here offers a treatment made from a part of a sheep.

0:42:490:42:53

'But I've absolutely no idea which bit.

0:42:530:42:55

'I'm meeting Dr Roberto Viel,

0:42:550:42:57

'a cosmetic surgeon who's spent the last 20 years

0:42:570:43:00

'helping patients in search of the body beautiful

0:43:000:43:03

'alongside his twin brother Maurizio. Hm, wonder who this lucky lady is.'

0:43:030:43:07

-Hi, Alice.

-Hi.

-Lying in the supine position here. Roberto, hello.

0:43:090:43:14

-What are you doing here?

-At the moment, I'm applying the last batch of anaesthetic cream.

0:43:140:43:20

'Today he's going to be carrying out a procedure on 26-year-old Londoner Alice.

0:43:200:43:25

'She's an aspiring makeup artist with an interest in beauty products

0:43:250:43:29

-'and it's the first time she's had this unusual facial.'

-We need to numb the skin

0:43:290:43:33

because what we're going to do involves the use of a micro-needle dermo roller

0:43:330:43:38

and an application of a solution called an ActiStem dermal.

0:43:380:43:44

-What is it? I know it's a part of a sheep.

-That is a solution

0:43:440:43:48

of a concentration of a protein from lamb placenta.

0:43:480:43:53

-It's the placenta?

-Placenta from the sheep.

0:43:530:43:57

There we are. There we are. There.

0:43:570:44:01

So let's just get this clear. The placenta is in the sheep's womb

0:44:010:44:06

and is attached to the lamb in the womb

0:44:060:44:10

and is feeding that lamb.

0:44:100:44:13

-But it's the bit that's full of all the goodness, isn't it? It's the...

-Yeah.

0:44:140:44:19

I can't lie.

0:44:190:44:21

When you put it like that, it does seem quite...yucky. But I'm quite fascinated with it.

0:44:210:44:27

'In recent years, our taste for radical beauty procedures has continued to grow.

0:44:310:44:36

'New treatments appear regularly

0:44:360:44:38

'and the one I'm about to see is not mainstream yet.'

0:44:380:44:41

Is that the micro roller?

0:44:410:44:43

Yes. It's made of titanium. Looks like a torture instrument but it's not at all true, don't worry.

0:44:430:44:49

-'Looks a bit painful to me.'

-OK, let's start.

0:44:490:44:53

-How does it feel, Alice?

-It's not... It's not nice, but it's not painful.

-It's dealable.

0:44:550:45:01

Yeah, it's not agony by any stretch.

0:45:010:45:05

You see, the skin becomes a little bit red and pinkish.

0:45:050:45:08

-Mm-hm.

-And that's what we want.

0:45:080:45:11

'Alice's pores are opened up to allow the liquid placenta treatment to penetrate more deeply

0:45:130:45:18

'into the middle, or mesodermal, layer of the skin.'

0:45:180:45:21

So now you're just painting it onto those open pores.

0:45:210:45:24

-I'm like an artist. I'm doing some nice painting.

-Yeah!

0:45:240:45:28

'There's currently limited scientific evidence for this treatment

0:45:280:45:32

'but Dr Viel is convinced of its benefits.'

0:45:320:45:35

The protein of the placenta will activate the dormant stem cells of the skin.

0:45:350:45:43

In doing that, there will be a faster skin regeneration.

0:45:430:45:47

So you will have new skin cells on your face much quicker than normal

0:45:470:45:51

and that will give a better glow and improvement to the skin.

0:45:510:45:57

'The placentas used to make this treatment come from a specially isolated flock in Australia.

0:45:580:46:03

'The fresh placenta is dried and made into a powder

0:46:030:46:06

'from which a sterilised protein is extracted for use in the facial serum.'

0:46:060:46:10

-How does it feel on a fresh corner of your face?

-It's actually better on this bit.

0:46:100:46:14

'According to Dr Viel, sheep placenta is favoured over other animals

0:46:140:46:19

-'because it's richer in all the necessary proteins.'

-Now you have to look up, OK?

0:46:190:46:24

-Perfect.

-What are the benefits for somebody of Alice's age?

0:46:270:46:30

It helps to give a boost to the cells

0:46:300:46:34

to have a better skin complexion, to revitalise the skin

0:46:340:46:39

and, of course, I always believe that prevention is very important in anti-aging medicine.

0:46:390:46:46

-So prevention is better than cure.

-I always believe that, yeah.

0:46:460:46:50

'The treatment ends with a final application of moisturising serum

0:46:510:46:54

'and then Alice gets a chance to check out her new facial glow.'

0:46:540:46:58

-Ooh! Oh, dear.

-SHE LAUGHS

0:46:590:47:01

-A little bit lobster!

-A little bit lobster-esque.

0:47:010:47:05

-But it's not too bad.

-You see, that's the first area.

0:47:050:47:08

It's going away, the redness. A couple of hours and she will be back to normal.

0:47:080:47:14

-You will be happy.

-I am sure I will.

-You are beautiful.

0:47:140:47:18

'Three weeks later and the results of Alice's unusual treatment can be seen.

0:47:180:47:23

'Has it worked? I'll let you judge for yourself.'

0:47:230:47:26

Having explored pretty much every inch of the sheep's anatomy,

0:47:280:47:32

it may seem strange that I've pretty much ignored the part that we use the most,

0:47:320:47:36

the part that's most familiar in our homes and on the high street. This stuff. Wool.

0:47:360:47:42

'The reason I've left wool until last is because it seems hard to find something new

0:47:440:47:49

'or unexpected to say about such a familiar sheep by-product.

0:47:490:47:53

'Wool is sheared from living sheep before being processed into fibre, spun and dyed.

0:47:530:47:57

'I can be knitted or woven into everything from jumpers and carpets

0:47:570:48:01

'to snooker-table cloth and even coffins.

0:48:010:48:04

'It's a fabric that's been with us so long, it's difficult to get excited about it.'

0:48:040:48:08

-Frumpy.

-Is that what you think?

-Yeah.

-Wool, frump, dull.

-Yep.

0:48:080:48:12

-Cosy, I suppose. That's about it.

-Cosy?

-Yeah.

0:48:120:48:14

-Wool?

-I hate wool. The feel of it, it's awful.

-I'd say a bit boring.

0:48:140:48:20

'But despite what we might think, it turns out that even something as everyday as wool has its surprises.

0:48:210:48:27

'Especially when it comes to the part it can play in the furniture and fittings we buy for our homes.

0:48:270:48:33

'To find out more, I've come to the Chiltern International Fire Testing Facility in Buckinghamshire.

0:48:330:48:38

'Here an expert team test fire-resistance in a wide range of products.

0:48:380:48:43

'For this visit, I'm joined by friends Ayiesha and Dan, who've recently moved in together.

0:48:430:48:48

'They both consider themselves fans of modern interiors,

0:48:480:48:51

'so I wonder where wool rates in their list of fashionable home fittings.'

0:48:510:48:55

-The two of you have just moved into a flat together.

-We have.

0:48:550:48:59

-It's an exciting time, you're furnishing it. So shopping?

-Yes, lots of that.

0:48:590:49:03

And are we getting on? Stylistically, do we agree?

0:49:030:49:06

-We're very different.

-Yes.

-I like minimalistic, she likes clutter and too much colour for me.

0:49:060:49:13

-When you're shopping for your furniture, do you ever consider wool as a material?

-Not furniture, no.

0:49:130:49:19

-No?

-No.

-No.

-Not wool curtains?

0:49:190:49:21

-No.

-Wool sofa?

-If it looks nice, it looks nice. I don't think, "What's it made of?" at all.

0:49:210:49:26

'One man who'd like Ayiesha and Dan to take a second look

0:49:260:49:30

'at the fabrics they choose for their home is Sir Ken Knight, one of Britain's leading firemen.'

0:49:300:49:36

-Explain what you do.

-I started as a firefighter, became chief fire officer of London.

0:49:360:49:40

-Now I'm the government's chief fire and rescue advisor.

-'To demonstrate what's so special about wool,

0:49:400:49:46

'Dan and Ayiesha will witness a revealing experiment.

0:49:460:49:49

'We're going to test how wool compares to a synthetic fabric, polyester,

0:49:490:49:54

'by staging a bedroom fire inside what's known as a firebox.'

0:49:540:49:58

-What have we got in front of us here?

-I've set up the typical materials of a bedrooms.

0:49:580:50:04

So we've got a woollen blanket, a woollen mattress,

0:50:040:50:08

-a woollen pillow and a woollen carpet.

-How does that compare to your bedroom?

0:50:080:50:12

-Woollen blanket?

-Definitely. The bed frame, definitely.

0:50:120:50:15

-But not wool. All synthetics.

-Mm.

0:50:150:50:18

We'll now set this on fire as though it was a bedroom fire

0:50:180:50:21

and just seen what happens and see how the materials perform.

0:50:210:50:24

I'm just going to pop a little photo of you guys in there.

0:50:270:50:29

Let's see how that stands up, shall we?

0:50:290:50:32

I'll just put that on the bedside table. Aww, lovely. There we go.

0:50:320:50:36

We've got a flame. So this is on the wool blanket.

0:50:360:50:40

Still hasn't really ignited.

0:50:400:50:43

-You see the difficulty you're having setting light to it?

-I actually can't set fire...to the blanket.

0:50:430:50:50

'In fact, it takes almost two minutes before the fire is underway.'

0:50:510:50:55

Now you can see that it's really caught alight. But in a localised area.

0:50:550:50:59

-Very local. I think we ought to come out of the way now and just see how long it takes.

-OK.

0:50:590:51:04

Still very slow smouldering. Smoke enough to set a smoke detector off

0:51:060:51:10

but not a fast-burning fire, not a huge amount of heat given off.

0:51:100:51:13

It's not spreading at all. Normally when you see fires, they race across.

0:51:130:51:17

'Naturally occurring substances in the sheep's wool,

0:51:170:51:20

'like nitrogen and lanolin, give it an ability to self-extinguish, reducing the spread of fire.'

0:51:200:51:26

We're now at seven minutes and I don't think we're going to see much more of this for some time.

0:51:260:51:30

The fire is still not a room alight, still not even the whole bedding alight.

0:51:300:51:35

-So I think we're probably ready to stop there.

-Ready to put this out?

-I think we are.

-Let's do it.

0:51:350:51:40

'It takes mere moments to douse the flames and we go to examine the damage.'

0:51:410:51:45

Charring. Not much flame spread. Nothing on the bed frame.

0:51:470:51:51

-No.

-No dripping at all. So the wool carpet we put down

0:51:510:51:55

didn't actually have any fire damage at all.

0:51:550:51:58

-After eight minutes, I'd expect much more. I'd expect the whole thing to be up in flames.

-I'm surprised.

0:51:580:52:04

And very impressed. Do you think we can get the picture out?

0:52:040:52:07

-Shall I?

-Yep, go on.

-Let's see if it's still there.

0:52:070:52:10

-Oh, look!

-Bit of water there.

-Just a little bit of water damage from the firemen,

0:52:100:52:16

-but apart from that, intact.

-OK?

-There you go. You survived fire number one.

-Thank you!

0:52:160:52:22

'Now it's time to repeat the test

0:52:290:52:32

'but with the kind of synthetic polyester furnishing Dan and Ayiesha use in their flat.'

0:52:320:52:36

You're going back in, you two.

0:52:360:52:39

I shall place you again delicately on the bedside table.

0:52:390:52:43

-Stopwatch at the ready.

-Ready.

-There we go. So...

0:52:430:52:48

Right, I'm away.

0:52:490:52:51

A lot lower ignition temperature than wool.

0:52:510:52:54

-It has definitely caught fire.

-That was about ten seconds to when it started to take fire.

0:52:540:52:58

Flames dropping onto the carpet. And this is a polyester carpet, as well.

0:52:580:53:03

-Can you smell it?

-Phwoar! Yep, smell.

0:53:030:53:05

-Smells a lot quicker.

-And look at the smoke. It's black

0:53:050:53:08

-And it does smell.

-This is a toxic smoke coming out of here.

0:53:080:53:12

-Look at the difference. Where are we at time-wise?

-We're not up to a minute yet.

-Not a minute?

0:53:120:53:16

-Shall we move away from these fumes?

-Yeah, we should.

-It's toxic.

0:53:160:53:20

'Just two minutes in and the fire is really gathering pace.'

0:53:210:53:25

You're seeing a lot more actual flaming and there's a lot more smoke higher up.

0:53:250:53:29

You can smell it, even at this end.

0:53:290:53:32

Look at the bedding now, it's spreading across the bed very quickly.

0:53:330:53:36

We're just into four and a half minutes.

0:53:360:53:39

To think that that was on our bed, I mean, I'm shocked.

0:53:390:53:42

It really is literally five minutes and it's completely in flames.

0:53:420:53:45

That fire has now burnt all the way through the mattress.

0:53:450:53:49

Look at the smoke coming out. So you really have now got a serious room fire.

0:53:490:53:53

We're still only at six and a half minutes.

0:53:530:53:56

We're almost coming up to eight minutes. This is where we stopped it before

0:53:590:54:03

when we said, "There's not enough burning".

0:54:030:54:05

Compare what we're seeing now, with very similar bedding materials, but made of a different material.

0:54:050:54:12

-How long do we want to let this burn?

-I think we've seen enough.

0:54:120:54:15

-We've got to send firefighters in to put this out, remember.

-OK.

0:54:150:54:18

-I think we're ready to stop.

-Let's put them in. OK.

0:54:180:54:21

'With the flames finally extinguished,

0:54:480:54:50

'we go to see what's left of the bedroom.'

0:54:500:54:53

-Completely destroyed it.

-Yep.

0:54:530:54:55

-I know which one I'd rather be sleeping in.

-That is frightening, isn't it?

0:54:550:54:59

I mean, look. Everything that was left after eight minutes on this bed.

0:54:590:55:03

-The little sheep have survived.

-Yeah.

0:55:030:55:06

-And there's nothing.

-Mm.

0:55:060:55:08

What do you think about this whole experiment, now that you've seen this?

0:55:100:55:15

It's more than just colour and texture now, isn't it?

0:55:150:55:18

Yeah. It's been a real eye-opener. It'll definitely give us something more to think about when we shop.

0:55:180:55:23

-So more arguments. But I think this is one thing we'll both be agreed on.

-Yeah.

0:55:230:55:27

-No more arguments when it comes to safety.

-Yeah.

0:55:270:55:30

Ken, does this mean we've got to get rid of everything polyester in our bedrooms and our houses?

0:55:300:55:35

No, I doesn't. But it means people need to think about safety in terms of their choice of products.

0:55:350:55:40

We've seen here that Dan and Ayiesha can make those choices about colour and type

0:55:400:55:45

and there are choices in safety we'd like people to think about, as well.

0:55:450:55:48

'While all mattresses and pillows, regardless of what they're made of,

0:55:480:55:52

'must be treated to comply with a certain level of fire resistance by law,

0:55:520:55:56

'there are currently no fire regulations for duvets, carpets or curtains in the UK.

0:55:560:56:01

'For this reason, it's always worth checking labels on any such products

0:56:010:56:05

'to see what they say in terms of fire safety.'

0:56:050:56:07

-Is there any point in asking about the picture, Sir Ken?

-I'm afraid this is all that survived.

0:56:070:56:12

There's no picture and there's no frame any more.

0:56:120:56:15

There's no nothing. This really is everything from the bedroom.

0:56:150:56:18

The fire resisting power of a simple woolly blanket

0:56:210:56:25

is just one of the surprising things I discovered

0:56:250:56:28

while exploring how and why sheep are used to make our products.

0:56:280:56:32

'In fact, it seems as though many of the sheep's body parts,

0:56:320:56:35

'from its warm, durable fleece to its moisturising grease,

0:56:350:56:38

'have natural qualities that are hard to beat.

0:56:380:56:41

'It's made me and the people I've shared this journey with think again about the humble sheep.'

0:56:410:56:46

And even though some of the things we do with it can be quite hard to stomach,

0:56:460:56:50

I'm glad we don't waste any of it.

0:56:500:56:53

'Next time on Kill It, Cut It, Use It, the pig.'

0:56:530:56:57

-It won't go on.

-Ohh! That's just horrible!

0:56:570:57:01

-Oh, my God.

-GUNSHOT

0:57:010:57:03

-Pig head.

-Urgh, it's got skin in it!

0:57:030:57:06

-That saved me.

-That's keeping you alive.

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