Looking to purchase a leather jacket, vest, chaps, or perhaps a wristband? Whatever you're looking for from purses to bustiers can be found on eBay - but before you agree to make that purchase, make sure you know what to look for when buying leather goods. This guide to types of leather should help you determine the right product for your needs, and ensure that you don't purchase a leather product that "looked great in the picture," but turns out to be a major disappointment. (This is especially lame when the item description is "technically" accurate, but not honest enough to prepare you for what you'll see when you open the box.)

TYPES OF LEATHER:

Pigskin - Thin leather, generally .8-1.0 mm thick. Economical leather; noticeable hair follicle pattern.

Pig suede - Very soft, thin suede; generally .8-1.0 mm thick. Economical suede; noticeable hair follicle pattern.

Cowhide - Thickness and "feel" vary greatly from .8 mm thick to 1/8" thick, and from a very smooth to pebble-grain (and even simulated alligator hide grain). Highly valued for texture and appearance, top grain finish, extreme durability, firm yet easy to break in, and highly comfortable. Typically, less expensive grains will have a spider-web-type grain pattern. Cowhide is the generally favored type of leather for motorcycle leathers - especially jackets - where protection from injury and/or road debris is needed.

Cow suede - Thickness varies from .8 mm thick to1/8" thick. Most durable type of suede; comfortable, comes in a variety of softness, thickness, and colors.

Goatskin - Typically only available in weights of .9 to 1.1 mm thick. This economical leather is more durable than pigskin but with a courser tiny pebble grain finish.

Horse hide - Thicknesses from 1.0 to 1/8" thick. Can be expensive but has recently been priced competitively to cowhide (it's also harder to work with, stiffer, stronger, and requires a longer break-in). Ideal for bag and cases or heavy biker garments. Difficult to find these days.

Split Leather - Thickness from .8 mm thick to 1/8" thick. Economical leather that can mimic a top grain finish or a rustic cracked finish leather. Strong and durable.

Calfskin - Thickness ranges from .8 mm to 2.0 mm. Rare in comparison to other leathers; baby cow skin is more durable than cowhide, as well as softer and more lightweight. Calfskin is supple to the touch and highly desirable in a durable garment.

Buffalo - Value priced, heavy duty leather, hair follicles and grain often evident, durable and generally found in thickness from .9 mm to 3.0 mm thick.

Steer hide - A hide of a male cow or buffalo which generally has the same properties of each, but tougher than female hides.

Sheepskin / Lambskin - Extremely soft, comfortable, pliable but can stretch and excessively distort the shape of the garment after excessive use, some tanning can be expensive, softer and plumper is more expensive, less expensive skins have a tight small pebble grain and the cheapest skins will be course in it's feel. Highly desirable in fashion jackets and apparel, but NOT RECOMMENDED FOR MOTORCYCLE LEATHERS. Lambskin is neither strong nor durable enough to serve as a protective garment.

Deerskin/Buckskin - Thicknesses between 1.0 and 3.0 mm thick. Best value in softness versus durability; extremely soft and extremely durable, generally very expensive. Pebble grain is common. Soft touch and somewhat spongy feeling to the touch.

Chamois - Thicknesses from .8 to 1.2 mm thick. Chamois is baby lambskin; absorbent and naturally yellowish in color. This is the split section of the hide. It can be used in washable garments but stains easily. Extremely soft to the touch but may dry stiff unless hung carefully until fully dry.

Naked - Any skin can be naked, but most commonly, naked leathers are cowhide - with all its durability and qualities. Generally a more expensive skin because it requires the use of choice skins (without markings and scars) for the leather to be used in manufacturing without waste. Some consideration should be given when purchasing naked leather apparel as the tanned surface will be in direct contact with skin or clothing, and usually leaves some staining - especially from gloves and vests.

Distressed - A term used commonly these days to describe an uneven, weathered- or aged-looking rustic finish. Most common in light brown naked buffalo leather (where each panel on a garment is rarely a perfect match due to the unique qualities of each and every skin). From the 50's though the 80's, distressed leathers were described as appearing as if some or much of the original finish had been rubbed off from use. Some people still use words like "rub off" or "pull up" (pull up has extra oils in it for a similar effect). Distressed leather can come in a variety of thicknesses, textures, skins and even colors. It is a beautiful alternative to flat, solid colors.

Patch Leather - Commonly used to create garment weights of .9 to 1.0 mm thick. Scraps of leather are sewn together and then pressed to make one large, flat length of leather "fabric" for garments and purses. Any type of leather may be incorporated into the leather fabric; similar weights and thicknesses of different types of leather (pigskins, lambskins, goatskins, sheepskins and even cowhide) are combined. This is the least expensive type of leather and is prone to defect and coming apart at the patch seams. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR MOTORCYCLE LEATHERS. High winds tend to penetrate seams and can lead to severe wind damage / tearing / tattering of garment.

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