Medical Sheepskin Price: What It Costs and Is It Worth It

A medical sheepskin costs more than a decorative sheepskin rug or a synthetic fleece pad because a certified one is selected, tanned and tested to be washed hot and to resist urine, and it is built for repeated washing. Our Australian Medical Sheepskin Overlay (M102), for example, is made to the AS4480.1 standard and warranted for at least 50 washes. Down-Under Wool, a family business, has supplied medical sheepskin to caregivers since 1988. Below: current prices, what drives the cost, how long a sheepskin lasts and how many you need.

How much does a medical sheepskin cost?

A medical sheepskin costs more than most bedding, and the price depends on certification, size and washing. These were our prices at the time of writing (November 2026), in US dollars:

Prices change, so check each product page before you order.

What makes a medical sheepskin cost more?

Five things set the price of a medical sheepskin: certification, the wool pile, hot washing and urine resistance, size, and shape.

• AS4480.1 certification. A certified skin carries the standard's stamp on its leather back. Our product information says only about 1 in 20 Australian sheep have the properties needed. Victoria's government-funded equipment program, SWEP, will only fund dark green sheepskins with the standard's stamp or tag. What the standard tests is covered in AS4480.1 explained.
• Pile density and depth. The M102C has a very dense 30 mm pile that is the same density across the whole pad. How dense is dense enough is part of our medical sheepskin buyer's checklist.
• HiTemp wash and urine resistance. HiTemp UR skins such as the M102 and M102C can be washed hot and are suitable for incontinent users. The Healthcare Lambskin costs less partly because it is washed cool and is not urine resistant: urine and feces may permanently damage it. See urine resistant vs non-UR sheepskin and what HiTemp and UR mean.
• Size. One overlay covers most people from the shoulders to below the buttocks. Whole-mattress overlays, such as the 30" x 60" Superior Overlay XD, cost more.
• Shape. The M102 is a single hide, so its size varies a little from skin to skin. The fixed-size M102C costs slightly more.

For how a certified skin differs from an ordinary one, see medical sheepskin vs regular sheepskin.

Why are decorative sheepskins and synthetic pads cheaper?

They are cheaper because they skip the selection, tanning and testing a certified skin goes through.

• Decorative sheepskin rugs are made for a floor or sofa. They have no AS4480.1 stamp, and unless the label says otherwise, treat them as not made for hot washing or urine. A green color proves nothing on its own; our checklist shows how to spot a fake medical sheepskin.
• Synthetic fleece pads are inexpensive and easy to wash, but they are not wool, carry no AS4480.1 stamp, and are not what the clinical trials of medical sheepskin tested.

What you give up: the trial evidence, hot washing, urine resistance and a wash warranty. If the budget is tight, a better middle step is the Pressure Smart XD1900 Overlay. It is Merino wool knitted into a backing rather than a tanned hide, it costs less than our certified sheepskins, and it can go in the dryer on low heat. We compare the two in XD1900 wool pad vs medical sheepskin.

How long does a medical sheepskin last?

Our AS4480.1 sheepskins are warranted for at least 50 washes when they are washed in Woolskin and cared for as recommended, and our product information says they give protection for many years with that care. The care that protects your money:

• Wipe small spills with a damp cloth, and machine wash when the sheepskin starts to smell from use.
• Wash in Woolskin sheepskin wash. Normal household detergents damage the leather of washable sheepskins.
• Use warm water and a gentle cycle.
• Air dry with the leather facing up, away from direct sun and heat. Wool does best with about 15% moisture left in it, so don't over-dry.

Step-by-step instructions are in how to wash sheepskin.

What does a medical sheepskin cost per year?

A medical sheepskin's yearly cost is its price spread over the washes you get from it. Divide the price by 50 for the most you pay per warranted wash.

How often you wash depends on use. For example, with two sheepskins in rotation and one washed each week, each sheepskin is washed about every other week, or about 26 times a year. At that pace, 50 washes is about two years for each one, so the warranty alone covers about two years of use for each. A cheaper pad with no wash warranty only saves money if it lasts as long.

How many medical sheepskins should you buy?

Most families do best with two medical sheepskins: one on the bed and one in the wash. Many caregivers find 2 or 3 most helpful, because air drying a sheepskin usually takes about 24 hours. To keep the count down:

• One sheepskin can move from the bed to a chair, so someone who spends the day in a recliner may not need a separate chair pad. Give it a good shake each time you move it, to lift the pile.
• The XD1900 Overlay can be machine dried on low heat and finished on a rack, so it turns around faster than an air-dried sheepskin.
• If incontinence is likely, plan on more washing, and choose a urine-resistant skin.

Is a package better value than single items?

A package is the simpler buy when you want a whole bed setup in one order, while single items suit you if you only need one piece or a second sheepskin for rotation. Each of our bedsore prevention packages includes a 1.0 L bottle of Woolskin:

• HiTemp package (M104A): an M102C certified sheepskin plus the XD1900 Pressure Care Assistant, a 12" x 26" wool pad for the foot of the bed.
• XD package (M104XD): the XD1900 Overlay plus the Pressure Care Assistant.
• Deluxe package (M107): the 30" x 60" Superior Overlay XD plus a 20" x 30" wool pillow cover, for head-to-toe coverage.
• Superior XD package (M200XD): the 30" x 60" Superior Overlay XD on its own with Woolskin.

If you already own Woolskin or don't need a foot pad, single items may suit you better.

Is a medical sheepskin worth it?

For someone at low to moderate risk who spends long hours in bed or a chair, a certified medical sheepskin is worth it, because it has trial evidence behind it and is built for repeated washing. In a 2004 randomized trial of 441 patients at a Melbourne teaching hospital, 9.6% of patients on an Australian Medical Sheepskin developed a new pressure ulcer, compared with 16.6% on standard care. The sheepskin tested met AS4480.1 and could withstand multiple washes at 80°C (176°F), and the authors acknowledged that it may add to the cost of care at first.

It is not the answer for everyone. The patients in that trial were at low to moderate risk, and SWEP's guidance says medical sheepskin is rarely, if ever, appropriate for open wounds or for people at moderate or high risk. A sheepskin doesn't replace regular turning of a bedridden patient or a suitable mattress (see the best mattress topper for bed sores). If there is already a sore, ask a nurse or doctor.

Medical sheepskin cost FAQs

Is sheepskin expensive?

A medical sheepskin costs more than a decorative rug or a synthetic pad, because only certified skins qualify and they are made for hot washing. Spread over at least 50 warranted washes, the cost per use drops quickly.

How much is a sheepskin for bedsores?

Our certified sheepskins for bed sore prevention are the M102 and M102C, and their current prices are in the table above. A full bed package with a foot pad and wash costs more.

Is there a cheap medical sheepskin?

Not a certified one at the price of a synthetic pad. Our lower-cost wool options are the XD1900 Overlay and, for continent users in a chair, the Healthcare Lambskin.

Do you need a special detergent?

Yes. Wash sheepskins in Woolskin or another sheepskin wash, because normal household detergents damage the leather and can shorten the life of the skin.

Can one medical sheepskin be used in bed and in a chair?

Yes. A medical sheepskin moves easily from the bed to a chair, which can save buying a separate chair pad.

The short version

A certified medical sheepskin costs more than a rug or synthetic pad because it is selected, tested, hot-washable, urine resistant and warranted for at least 50 washes. Buy two if you can, wash them in Woolskin, and judge the cost per wash, not the sticker. Shipping is free on orders over $180 to Canada and the lower 48 US states, and our prevention packages ship free. To browse every certified skin, see our Australian medical sheepskin AS4480.1 range, or contact us for help choosing.