The Most Common Boot Leathers: Know Your Options

When it comes to boot comfort, durability and stability, leather is the material you need to turn to. According to fashion designers, investing in genuine leather boots is the least you could do for the sake of your legs and overall health. Exposing yourself to boots or footwear in general which are made of man-made synthetic materials is the worst thing you could do. You are not only facing the option of investing in the worst quality boots, but you are also facing the option of exposing your feet and health to a wide range of toxins and chemicals. 

Now, an important thing to know about leather is that this material is sourced from different animals and all of them have different characteristics. In order to keep your female boots always in good shape, you’ll need to better understand the type of leather you have chosen for your boots.

Types of Boots Leather

Calfskin

Without a doubt calfskin is one of the most popular and most commonly used types of material used for the production of both men and women footwear in general. This type of skin comes from the skin of young calves that are between 6 -12 months and is considered as one of the most durable, soft and appealing. In other words, the grain is quite fine but extremely durable and pliable. The main purpose for this is because of the calves dense fibre structure which is stronger than the regular cowhide. According to manufacturers, calfskin thickness can be around 1-1.2 millimetres and a good hide can provide enough leather for about five pairs of boots, depending on the model and length. Another benefit of calfskin is that this leather can be used for the production of different female boots models. Calfskin also allows being dyed in a range of colours and finishes. Because of its softness, this type of leather can perfectly conform to your feet which can add to the overall boot's comfort.

Another important thing to know about these leather boots is that they do not require that much of a maintenance. You will only need to polish and nourish it in order not to dry up. If the leather becomes too dry, the chances that your boots will crack are huge.

Cowhide

The first thing we need to point is that there is not that much of a difference between calf and cowhide skin. This is because both of these leathers come from the same animal. The main difference is in the animal’s age. Consequently, cowhide comes from older cattle which explains its thickness. When compared to calfskin, cowhide is way thicker which adds to the boots’ strength and flexibility.

Deertanned Leather

This leather is cowhide processed that has the best qualities of deer and cow leather. According to manufacturers, this is one of the softest types of leathers on the market which is the reason why so many people love it. However, if compared, calfskin and cowhide are more durable.

Suede Leather

Without a doubt, suede is one of the most popular types of leather among women. There is no single woman in this world who doesn’t have at least one pair of suede footwear (be it shoes, ankle boots, high-length boots., etc.). In order to have a suede leather, the hair should be removed from the grain and trimmed in order to get to the split part of the hide i.e the fleshy part. This fleshy part is buffed and sanded in order to create a soft thin texture.  The main downside of suede leather is that it can be easily stained especially when the weather is rainy or snowy. Fortunately, nowadays, you can invest in different types of footwear sprays which are specially designed to improve the suede’s protection. There is also a spray that can help you to remove any stains of the shoes.

Nubuck

Nubuck is also a suede type of leather that comes from cattle leather. The biggest difference between suede and nubuck is that suede comes from the grain part of the hide. Additionally, this type of leather is sanded lightly in order to produce a similar soft nap. When compared to nubuck, it seems that suede is more resistant and repellent to water.

Apache

The last but not least type of boots’ leather is apache. This is a type of cowhide which is also known under the names distressed and crazyhorse. The thing that makes this type of leather so popular is its vintage and old look that is created with the help of a wax and oil. As an addition to this, wax makes this leather even more durable as it is considered that wax can give a more waterproof quality to the construction. Just like suede, this type of leather can be sanded lightly in order to create a very unique character.