Why we use full grain leather
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT OUR LEATHER
Our leather is a full-grain, vegetable-tanned cowhide with a Crazy Horse finish, tanned by a Leather Working Group (LWG) certified tannery in Lahore. The leather from the cows we use is a by-product of the food industry. Additionally, our leather has a top layer to make it water-repellent.
HIGH QUALITY COWHIDE LEATHER
Cowhide - the highest quality leather that can be obtained as a by-product from the food industry. It is more durable than most leather while having a smooth surface unlike pig, camel, horse or buffalo leather.
Full grain leather - while most leathers differentiate between the top and the flesh side of the leather, full grain leather retains its essence, structure and layers.
TOP GRAIN LEATHER
The term top grain leather usually refers to the top layer of cowhide that has been minimally altered, perhaps sanded a little to hide imperfections. Some people may tell you that top grain leather is the same as full grain leather, but in our experience this is not true. Anyone who sells top grain leather would like you to believe that it is the same as full grain leather. But anyone selling full grain leather makes sure you know that it is full grain leather and that it is not marketed as top grain. But it seems that it is common practice in the industry that full grain leather means that at least something has been done to the hide, usually some sanding of the surface.
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FULL-GRAIN AND TOP-GRAIN LEATHER
For two reasons:
- First, the grinding makes the skin weaker. We manufacture bags that should last a very long time, we don't want to weaken the material.
- Secondly, the leather loses some character. With full-grain leather, you can see the leather surface in its natural state - with all the imperfections. For example, if the cow ran into a barbed wire fence, you can see a small scar on the skin. Full-grain leather also allows the natural marbling, texture and variety of colors of the skin to be fully appreciated.