It is one of the best-known natural materials: leather. At the same time it is much discussed; alongside real leather, imitation leather is today an essential part of the furniture and clothing industry. Thanks to its unique properties, its high tactile comfort and its outstanding durability, real leather enjoys undiminished popularity. We would like to explain to you in detail what you should look out for when buying high-quality leather clothing or leather accessories, for example a belt or a pair of leather shoes.
Why leather clothing is so popular today
Leather, which is obtained from animal hide, is one of the oldest materials in human history. To this day it is used in many areas of life. Besides fashion and accessories, these include furniture, car production, sport, book making and restoration, and the military as well.
The Stone Age man Ötzi already wore leather clothing, which shows how original the material is. Tanned animal hide as protection against the weather and the cold, but also against injuries during wars, was popular in every century right up to modern times. Today leather for men is chosen above all for reasons of fashion. Real leather is a material that is gladly bought, above all as a shoe material, but also for belts, bags and jackets. Besides its typically natural smell, its great resistance and its durability, it is above all the feel that convinces. Unlike imitation leather, real leather is breathable, and this breathability varies from leather to leather. Anyone who decides on high-quality leather clothing often has a product that lasts for a lifetime, or at least for many years.
Unique real leather – how to recognize quality
As a natural product, leather is not always the same, which is why in Germany it is subject to numerous standards and requirements. This ensures that only high-quality leather from suitable animals is processed. The animals whose hide is used today to obtain leather for men include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chamois, deer, roe deer, buffalo, bison, horses, kangaroos, ostriches, reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles, fish and elephants.
To recognize high-quality genuine leather there are numerous test methods, which cover above all chemical and biological properties such as smell, degree of gloss, behavior when folded, water permeability, light fastness and feel. In this way different quality grades of leather are established. There are, however, also features that you can check directly as a layperson:
- A natural look. Good leather looks natural and has a flawless surface.
- Grain. This should be pure and unembossed, so that the leather really looks natural.
- Softness. With a very few exceptions, leather should always feel soft and supple.
- Color. A protective film is often applied to leather, which makes it more robust. This should be so thin that it does not impair the natural color of the leather.
- Breathability. Since leather is breathable as a natural material, this property must not be restricted by chemical treatments.
- Stability. There are differences between the individual types of leather, but leather is generally very resistant and tear-proof.
Where does the leather for shoes and the like come from?
Since leather for men is a relatively expensive material, it is worth asking what accounts for its price. Above all from the points of view of animal welfare and quality of workmanship, it is necessary to know how the leather you want to buy is produced.
In general terms the rule is: you should have all the information readily available, because transparency is essential in leather production. On the one hand to rule out animal suffering, and on the other to conserve resources and obtain a natural, high-quality product. Leather is produced in almost 40 small steps, which alone explains the often very high price. The leather manufacturer acquires the animal hides, often already tanned, as raw material in order to process them further. At this point the hide is still highly perishable and completely organic.
The actual leather is obtained in an elaborate process with several stages:
- Preserving: At the tannery the raw hide is preserved in salt or by drying.
- Soaking: After it arrives at the leather manufacturer, the raw hide is freed from those very salts by soaking it in water. Coarse dirt can also be loosened in this way, and the raw hide reaches its natural water content, which is essential for further processing.
- Liming: To free the raw hide from hair and the outer skin, lime and a sulfur compound are added. This prepares the fibers of the hide to take up the tanning agents.
- Fleshing: With the help of sharp bladed rollers, the subcutaneous tissue, remains of flesh and non-collagenous proteins as well as fat are removed from the raw hide.
- Splitting: Here the grain side of the raw hide, on the hair side, is separated from the flesh side, on the body side. Smooth leather is finally obtained from the so-called grain split, and suede among other things from the flesh side.
- Pelt: The raw hide obtained in this way has the technical term pelt and is already particularly hard-wearing at this stage.
- Bating and pickling: In this step acids and enzymes are added to the leather in order to prepare it for tanning.
- Tanning: First the leather is prepared again with acid and salt, before it is then treated with a mixture of water and tanning agent. In this way it becomes robust against the effects of heat and resistant to rot.
- Sammying: To remove the water from the leather again, it is drawn through huge rollers.
- Sorting and shaving: After the leather has been divided into different quality groups, it is drawn through rollers once more in order to bring it to an even thickness.
- Wet finishing: In this step the acid added during tanning is neutralized. The leather is then dyed and fatliquored, and these steps differ according to the type of leather.
- Drying: By sammying and stretching, the remaining water is pressed out of the leather fibers and the leather is smoothed. After that it is first dried and then milled again in order to loosen any sticking that arises during the drying process.
- Water-repellent treatment: To make the leather robust against water and dirt, it is impregnated.
- Finishing: Depending on the desired look, the leather is printed, embossed, matted or smoothed in the dry finishing stage. In this step the look of the leather can change considerably once more.
- Final inspection: To assess the quality of the leather at the end, it is checked whether all requirements were met during the production process. After that the leather is sorted, measured, packed and sent to the respective manufacturers.
Good leather shoes for men – these are the most popular models
At festive occasions such as weddings or other family celebrations in particular, men like to reach for elegant shoes made of leather. Men who set great store by style, however, also wear them in everyday life. Depending on personal taste, there are various leather shoes that come into question.
Budapester
Originally this was a very comfortable shoe, distinguished by its curved wing caps. Today brogues are mistakenly called Budapester as well. The true Budapester goes with business-casual looks, with chinos and corduroy trousers.
Oxford
This elegant shoe is a true classic. It comes with what is known as a closed lacing and is the first choice for very formal occasions. It goes with a business suit as well as with fine evening suits and tuxedos.
Derby
This shoe is the open alternative to the Oxford shoe. You recognize it by the fact that the pieces of leather on which the lacing rests look like little wings. The Derby shoe is available in many materials, among them smooth leather and suede. It is a perfect business shoe and perfectly suited to all business casual outfits.
Monkstrap
This very classic shoe has been enjoying a revival in recent years: instead of a lacing it has one or even two leather straps as a fastening on the upper side. It is extravagant but still formal, so that it can be worn on all business occasions and at weddings too.
Loafer / Slipper
This leisure shoe is not really combined with a classic suit, but rather with smart-casual looks with chinos and loose cotton trousers. Only black patent loafers are frequently chosen with a tuxedo or a tailcoat.
Do you need support in choosing the right shoes for your suit? We are glad to be at your side with advice and to find, together with you, an ensemble that suits you perfectly! Just get in touch.