Genuine Australian Sheepskin, By Way of South San Francisco

Slippers, rugs and handbags may not have been the heavy industrial products city leaders had in mind when they installed the words, "South San Francisco, The Industrial City," on Sign Hill in the 1920s.  But local company Wooly Rascals turns out more than a hundred natural Merino sheepskin and leather products every week at its workshop on Airport Boulevard, just one of the hundreds of companies that still make a buck by making things in South City.

Owner Chris Gurdal has been in the business of manufacturing leather products since he came over to the United States decades ago.  He was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and has worked for several leather companies here, including coat maker Sawyer of Napa, which now, like many others, outsources its manufacturing to South Asia.  

Knowing the quality and durability of Australian Merino lambskin, Gurdal wanted to produce the best sheepskin products possible, and he feels immensely rewarded seeing positive customer feedback.

"I remember at the Los Altos Fair, it was 107 degrees in the shade, and a customer came up quickly asking for shoes in her size," he recalled.  "I asked if she wanted to try them on to check the fit, but she said she knew my products and to please just 'give me the shoes!' That must say something, right?"

Gurdal decided to start his own business in 1984 with the intention of personally producing the highest quality leather and sheepskin products.  He set up shop on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Valentine's Day, later moving the business to Brisbane.  In 2004, he brought Wooly Rascals, which he runs with his wife, Charlotte Gurdal, to South San Francisco.

Shoe-shaped metal cookie cutters in different sizes line one wall of the South City factory. They cut into whole sheepskins, leaving a set of pieces that fit together to make slippers or boots.  All it then takes is some stitches from their industrial sewing machines, glue, finishing products, and the shoes are ready to wear. Gurdal stocks sheepskins of all different colors and hair lengths for variation, as well as hundreds of specialized tools for his different products.

Although Wooly Rascals has a complete online store, sales primarily come from the more than 40 West Coast arts and crafts fairs they attend annually.  Their large booth appears at the yearly Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Gilroy Garlic Festival, and many other harvest festivals throughout California.

Gurdal deliberately markets directly to his customers, and he's resisted getting into the wholesale business because he doesn't have the manpower.

"I'm frying with my own fat," he said, staying on top of things without letting them grow out of control.

Gurdal has counted on his personal touch and craftsmanship to keep customers loyal, and so far he says it's worked, even in a down economy.

He hopes his business will continue to grow over the next ten years.

"Slowly but surely it's going to evolve and get to the next step," he said.

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