It is one of the best-known natural materials: leather. At the same time, it is the subject of much debate, and alongside genuine leather, artificial leather is now an essential component of the furniture and clothing industry. Thanks to its unique properties, high tactile comfort and exceptional durability, genuine leather enjoys unbroken popularity. We would like to explain in detail what you should look out for when buying high-quality leather clothing or leather accessories, such as a belt or a pair of leather shoes.
Why leather clothing is so popular today
Leather obtained from animal hide is one of the oldest materials in the history of mankind. It is still used in many areas of life today. These include fashion and accessories, furniture, car production, sport, book production and restoration, as well as the military.
Even the Stone Age man Ötzi wore leather clothing, which shows how original the material is. Tanned animal skin as protection against the weather and cold, but also against injuries during wars, was popular throughout the centuries right up to modern times. Today, leather for men is mainly chosen for fashion reasons. Genuine leather is a popular material for shoes in particular, but also for belts, bags and jackets. In addition to the typical natural smell, great durability and longevity, the feel is particularly impressive. Unlike artificial leather, genuine leather is breathable, although this breathability varies from leather to leather. Choosing high-quality leather clothing often results in a product that will last a lifetime, or at least many years.
Unique genuine leather - How to recognize quality
Since leather as a natural product is not always the same, it is subject to numerous standards and requirements in Germany. This ensures that only high-quality leather from suitable animals is processed. The animals whose skin is used to make leather for men today include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chamois, deer, buffalo, bison, horses, kangaroos, ostriches, reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles, fish and elephants.
There are numerous test methods for recognizing good genuine leather, which primarily focus on chemical and biological properties such as smell, gloss level, creasing behaviour, water permeability, light fastness and feel. This is how different leather quality levels are determined. However, there are also characteristics that you can test directly as a layperson:
- Natural look. Good leather looks natural and has a flawless surface.
- Grain. This should be pure and unembossed so that the leather looks really natural.
- Softness. With a few exceptions, leather should always feel soft and supple.
- Color. A protective film is often applied to leather to make it more robust. This should be so thin that it does not affect the natural leather color.
- Breathability. As leather is a natural material that breathes, this property must not be restricted by chemical treatments.
- Stability. Although there are differences between individual types of leather, leather is generally very hard-wearing and tear-resistant.
Where does the leather for shoes and co. come from?
As leather for men is a very expensive material, it is worth asking yourself how this price comes about. It is important to know how the leather you want to buy is produced, especially in terms of animal welfare and quality of workmanship.
As a general rule, you should have all the information you need quickly, transparency is essential in leather production. On the one hand, to prevent 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 purchases the animal hides, which are often already tanned, as raw material for further processing. At this stage, the hide is still perishable and completely organic.
The actual leather is obtained in a complex, multi-part process:
- Preserving: In the tannery, the raw hide is preserved in salt or by drying.
- Soaking: After arriving at the leather factory, the rawhide is soaked in water to remove the salts. Coarse dirt can also be removed in this way, and the rawhide also reaches its natural water content, which is essential for further processing.
- Liming: Lime and a sulphur compound are added to the rawhide to remove hair and the epidermis. This prepares the hide fibers to absorb the tanning agents.
- Fleshing: The subcutaneous tissue, meat residues and non-collagenous proteins as well as fat are removed from the rawhide with the aid of sharp knife rollers.
- Splitting: Here, the grain side of the rawhide on the hair side is separated from the flesh side on the body side. Smooth leather is then obtained from the so-called grain split, while suede, among other things, is obtained from the flesh side.
- Pelt: The raw skin that is now preserved is known as pelt and is already particularly hard-wearing.
- Pickling and pickling: In this step, acids and enzymes are added to the leather to prepare it for tanning.
- Tanning: The leather is first prepared again with acid and salt before being mixed with a water-based tanning agent. This makes it robust against the effects of heat and resistant to rot.
- Withering: To dehydrate the leather again, it is pulled through huge rollers.
- Sorting and folding: After the leather has been divided into different quality groups, it is pulled through rollers again to bring it to a uniform thickness.
- Wet finishing: In this step, the acid added during the tanning process is neutralized. The leather is then dyed and greased, whereby these steps vary depending on the type of leather.
- Drying: By withering and stretching, the remaining water is pressed out of the leather fibers and the leather is smoothed. It is then first dried and then milled again to loosen any adhesions that form during the drying process.
- Waterproofing: To make the leather resistant to water and dirt, it is impregnated.
- Finishing: Depending on the desired look, the leather is printed, embossed, matted or smoothed in the dry finishing process. In this step, the appearance of the leather can change significantly.
- Final inspection: To finally assess the quality of the leather, it is checked whether all requirements have been met during the manufacturing process. The leather is then sorted, measured, packaged and sent to the respective manufacturers.
Good leather shoes for men - these are the most popular models
Men like to wear elegant leather shoes, especially for festivities such as weddings or other family celebrations. However, men who attach great importance to style also wear them in everyday life. Depending on your personal taste, there are different types of leather shoes that are suitable.
Budapest
Originally, this was a very comfortable shoe characterized by its curved wingtips. Today, brogues are also mistakenly referred to as Budapest shoes. The genuine Budapester goes well with business-casual looks, chinos and corduroy pants.
Oxford
This elegant shoe is a true classic. It comes with a so-called closed lacing and is the first choice for very formal occasions. It goes well with a business suit as well as elegant evening suits and tuxedos.
Derby
This shoe is the open alternative to the Oxford shoe. It can be recognized 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, including smooth leather and suede. It is a perfect business shoe and perfect for all business casual outfits.
Monkstrap
This very classic shoe has experienced a revival in recent years: instead of lacing, it has one or even two leather straps as a fastening on the top. It is extravagant but still formal, so it can be worn for all business occasions and weddings.
Loafer / Slipper
This casual shoe tends not to be combined with a classic suit, but with smart-casual looks with chinos and loose cotton pants. Only black patent loafers are often worn with a tuxedo or tailcoat.
Do you need help choosing the right shoes for your suit? We will be happy to advise you and work with you to find an ensemble that suits you perfectly! Just get in touch with us.