Due to leather's natural origins and complex production process, buying it can differ from purchasing other materials. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve gathered some of the most basic but important things to know when purchasing leather.

Always remember, leather is animal skin, and every hide is unique. Over a lifetime, animals can develop scars, insect bites, stretch marks, and other natural features. These, along with occasional brand markings or holes, become an integral part of the hide. While some may view them as imperfections, they add to the leather’s uniqueness and authenticity, making each piece distinctive. So always remember, when you buy leather, some blemishes and imperfections may be present. This applies to every type of leather, even the most expensive and high-quality options.

Leather hides come in irregular, natural shapes, and every hide has its own surface area. For example, a hide might measure 23 or 23.5 sq ft. However, we sell leather hides by the piece, not by the exact surface area, which is why we provide a size range, such as 22-24 sq ft. When you purchase a hide, you will receive a piece within this range. Please note, this applies to full hides, not pre-cut panels, which come in exact dimensions. Visit our Leather Cuts section to learn more.

Leather production is a detailed and complex process that can greatly affect the final appearance. Tanning techniques, dyeing, and finishing methods all play a role in shaping the leather’s characteristics, such as temper (firmness) and texture/feel. We strive to describe these qualities as accurately as possible in each product listing.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

Leather coloration can vary. Though tanneries do their best to maintain consistent colors, slight variations between batches—or even within the same batch—can occur. This is due to leather’s natural properties. Different skins absorb dye differently, and the many variables involved in the production process contribute to these variations. For example, pigmented leather tends to be more consistent in color, and color variations happen less often compared to more natural finishes like aniline or vegetable-tanned leathers.

Vegetable-tanned leather develops a patina over time because it is tanned using natural tannins from plants. These tannins allow the leather to absorb oils, sunlight, and moisture from the environment, causing it to darken and develop a unique, aged appearance.

Oil- and Wax-Treated leather also develops a beautiful patina over time as the oils and waxes shift and interact with the environment, creating a rich, aged appearance. In some cases, due to its natural treatment, initial color transfer onto lighter fabrics may occur. However, as the leather breaks in, this transfer diminishes, revealing a material full of character and depth.

In our Leather Glossary, we have defined some basic leather production-related terms.

To ensure you receive the best leather possible, we strive to find and work with top tanneries to source high-quality hides. We carefully select each hide, choosing only the cleanest and most premium ones to deliver to our customers. When you purchase pre-cut panels, rest assured that these pieces are cut from the cleanest areas of the hide. As a result, our pre-cut panels contain even fewer blemishes and imperfections than full hides, making them an excellent choice for your projects.

These are the most basic things we believe every customer should know when purchasing leather. We regularly update this section based on your questions and feedback, so please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.