Most leather you will come across is one of five types of leather: cowhide, calfskin, goatskin, sheepskin or deerskin. They look alike on a shelf, but they behave very differently once you start using them. Here is what each one is good at, and where it falls short.
Why types of leather differ
Leather is skin, and every animal’s skin is built for a different life. The thickness, the density of the fibers and the size of the hide all come from the animal, and tanning can only work with what it is given. That is why the same stitching and hardware can last for decades on one type and wear through in a season on another.
The grade (full grain, top grain and so on) is a separate question. It describes which layer of the hide you are looking at, not which animal it came from. Our leather grades post covers that side.
Cowhide: the workhorse
Cowhide is thick, dense and comes in large hides, which makes it the default for anything that carries load: belts, straps, holsters, bag bodies and knife sheaths. It takes tooling and edge finishing well, and it holds a snap or a rivet firmly. The trade-off is weight and stiffness. A heavy cowhide strap needs some breaking in.
Calfskin: finer and smoother
Calfskin comes from younger animals, so the grain is tighter and the surface smoother than adult cowhide. It is lighter and more supple, which suits wallets, watch straps and small goods. It also scuffs more easily and costs more per square foot.
Goatskin: light but tough
Goatskin has a pebbled natural grain and is tougher than its weight suggests. It resists abrasion well, which is why it turns up in gloves, bookbinding and lightweight bags. It is rarely thick enough for a strap that has to carry weight.
Sheepskin and lambskin: the softest types of leather
The fibers in sheepskin and lambskin are loose, so the leather drapes beautifully and feels warm. The same looseness means it stretches and tears more easily. With the wool left on, it becomes shearling. Use it for linings, garments and anything worn against the skin, not for straps or anything a snap has to hold.
Deerskin: stretchy and forgiving
Deerskin is soft yet strong, and it stays supple after getting wet and drying out. That is why it is a traditional glove and moccasin leather. It does stretch under load, so it is a poor choice where a strap has to keep its length.
Choosing between the types of leather
- Carrying weight (belts, straps, sheaths): cowhide.
- Small, refined goods (wallets, watch straps): calfskin or goatskin.
- Worn close to the body (linings, garments, gloves): lambskin or deerskin.
- Holding hardware (snaps, rivets, buckles): the firmer the leather, the better it holds. Cowhide first.
Whichever you pick, match the hardware to the thickness. Which decorative snap fits your leather walks through that, and our leather straps are a good place to start a project. For more on how hides become leather, the leather entry on Wikipedia is a good primer.