All You Need to Know About Buffalo Leather

What is Buffalo Leather?

Generally, if an item is delineated as bison leather or buffalo leather (at least here in the US), it’s actually alluding to leather from the American Bison. The American Bison is obtained mainly in North America. Primordial American colonists named them “buffalo” because of their similar appearance to the buffalo, and the term stuck - but it’s actually inaccurate. (Regardless, most bison and buffalo leather sold in the US is from the American Bison.)

Where does Buffalo Leather come from?

The two primary buffalo species can be found in Asia (the Water Buffalo) and Africa (the Cape Buffalo). The Asian Water Buffalo can be found in both meadows and wetlands garbled throughout Asia, while the African Cape Buffalo wanders the steppes of southern and eastern Africa.

According to the visual aspects, the grain of the Asian Water Buffalo hide is fairly analogous to that of the American Bison; however, the grain of an African Cape Buffalo hide is quite recognizable from the others.

What does Buffalo Leather look like?

Buffalo leather has a more distinguishing grain than bovine leather. It comes in an array of different colors and finishes, characterized by plentiful, thick tones which give it a conspicuous visual aspect.

How is Buffalo Leather made?

In its basic form, Leather is fundamentally animal skin. Finding useful applications for animal hides is one of man's earliest and most useful discoveries, and history supplies recognition to the ancient Greeks for developing a subversive tanning formula utilizing water-soaked leaves and reliable tree skin to retain leather. This process, namely vegetable tanning, for the usage of tannins further gets its name tanning. However, much later the industrial revolution equipped with the new flood of machinery brought in a huge alteration in the production and consumption of leather.

The confluence of new demands and new technology led to the formulation of chromium tanning (or “mineral tanning”), which irrevocably changed the craftsmanship of tanning leather. Mineral tanning uses chromium sulfate, is quicker than vegetable tanning, and brings out a more flexible, elastic leather. Today, most of the widely manufactured leather merchandise are chromium tanned and produced in India or China. This fastest method of tanning is accomplished in a matter of days.

This method, however, utilizes toxic chemicals and is detrimental to the environment. Vegetable tanning, however, remains the process of preference for smaller scale producers of handcrafted leather goods. In spite of the industrial changes introduced along the way, the endeavor of proficient artisans, in the heritage of centuries past, persists.

Sam's Buffalo leather products are produced using a completely chrome free technique which undergoes four weeks to complete and is much more eco-friendly.

How does Buffalo Leather age?

With proper care, buffalo leather will persist a lifetime, producing, over time, a rich patina which enriches the beauty of the leather.

How strong is Buffalo Leather?

Buffalo leather has an epidermal membrane up to three times denser than cowhide which means that it is extremely tough and long-lasting. The buffalo hides are not stretched out while undergoing the tanning process, unlike cowhide, and therefore they are thicker and more resistant to wear and tear.

Is Buffalo Leather good quality?

Buffalo leather is flaccid and flexible and yet robust and perdurable. Full grain buffalo leather is exquisite in visual aspect and durable enough to stand firm against an eternity of use, it is top quality leather.