While leatherworking is not as common a hobby as sewing or knitting, it’s still a useful and admirable craft that allows you to make beautiful leather clothing and accessories. To get the most out of the craft, you might be wondering what the best types of leather for leatherworking are. Let’s consider some of the most common choices and how you can best use them.
Cowhide Leather
Cowhide leather is the standard product when we talk about leather. You can find cowhide leather in clothing, car seats, bags, furniture, and much more. While slightly rough to the touch, cowhide leather products are long lasting, which makes them incredibly popular for bags in particular.
Because of its abundance, cowhide leather is often the most affordable and therefore the best type of leather for leatherworking beginners. Because of its affordability, it’s not a big deal if you make mistakes while you’re getting the hang of the craft.
Goat- and Sheepskin Leather
Goat- and sheepskin leather are also fairly common, but leatherworkers typically use them for small-scale projects like wallets, gloves, or slippers. These leathers are popular because they feature a smooth and soft texture in comparison to the coarseness of cowhide. This adds a touch of luxury to the leather that makes it highly desirable.
Bison Leather
You might wonder if bison leather is exotic. Well, it is special because the US is the primary exporter of it. While Europe has small populations of bison, they don’t compare to those in North America. This makes bison leather exclusive and rare but well worth it if you’re making leather products that need to be as strong and durable as possible.
Bison leather is far sturdier than cowhide leather, making it a great choice for leather products that you expect to endure a lot of wear and tear. On top of that, bison leather boasts a cool and dignified appearance with its darker colors that can only be found in the USA.
