I learned a lot about leather this year; I learned about leather’s quality control standards with a sneaker company; I made my own leather in Mexico; I saw how Thursday Boot Company’s suede is made, I even made my own boots from scratch, and in between I talked to just anyone who would listen about … Read more
I don’t care for leather creases on my boots. I know they’re a sign of well-worn pair of boots, but with a nice pair of calfskin dress boots, I just want a perfectly smooth, uniform boot. How do you stop leather boots from creasing? I went to Virginia to ask Steve Doudaklian, the award-winning cobbler … Read more
Is leather the by-product of a slaughter, or the cause of it? Examining the impact of the heritage boot industry on cowhide demand. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or carnivore, you may have at one point asked yourself, “is wearing a cow’s skin ethical?” For the average meat-eater, it’s probably an easy “yes,” and we … Read more
I’ve been following Truman Boot Company from day one, when they were just getting started in Pennsylvania. Over the course of time, they became known not just for their rugged look but for their unusual leathers, maybe even leathers the boot community wasn’t ready for yet: Ramblers, kudus, moose, Mohawk, beaver fur, and the list … Read more
Depending on where you’re from, camel leather may seem like an unusual, exotic choice of material. But, there are a few reasons why you should consider this fine leather for your next purchase, be it a camelhide bag, boots, or belt. There are also a few potential reasons not to — like the occasional “funky” … Read more
If you were to ask the average person on the street what ‘patina’ is, you’d likely get some variation of “Isn’t that when copper turns green?” The shortest answer is, yes, that is indeed one example of patina. However, this mystical buzz word is not limited to discolored metal and has far more power than … Read more
Especially popular with high-end English tanners like CF Stead and shoemakers like Crocket and Jones, calf leather is a mainstay in dress shoes. But what a lot of people don’t know is that despite its classy reputation, it can be tanned to produce a rugged, outdoorsy leather as well, like the one you’ll find on … Read more
Pull up leather gives Harrison Ford his roguishness. It protects Tom Cruise while piloting fighter jets. It’s used in the highest quality boots, attached to Rolexes, and a mainstay of vintage clothes shops. It has an almost alchemical ability to shift in time. So what is it? Santalum‘s chrome tanned pull up leather from Indonesia … Read more