Now, I always dismissed one batch of leather as being pretty much the same as another, until I had call to research saddleback leather on behalf of a friend.  It’s interesting to note that it’s a fabric that actually does as it says, being very suited to saddle manufacture as it can withstand the rigors of horseback riding much more than some of its contemporaries, that is to say ‘other’ leathers.  So, what do you need to look for to ensure you are closest to getting the genuine saddleback leather that you want?

Firstly, it’s possible to buy this genuine quality leather from specific manufacturers, for example it is easy enough to find a saddleback leather company on-line and then, on-line or on premises, genuine saddleback leather manufacturers will guide you to their own outlets or be able to signpost customers to retail outlets that they regularly supply.

Once you are in a leather store (recommended or not) and you are not sure if an item is manufactured from genuine saddleback leather, there are a few tell-tale signifiers that you can look out for.  For instance:

• Saddleback leather has a thicker, fuller ‘grain’ than other leathers.  This means that as saddleback leather ages, it does not weaken, hence its durability in the saddle!

• Saddleback leather prices tend to be higher because you are paying for the durability and the additional expenses incurred in the manufacture of genuine saddleback leather.  For example, a lesser quality leather may be significantly cheaper because it is only partially tanned, whereas saddleback leather is fully tanned so that it will not be prone to cracking or drying out (which can be a problem with only partially tanned leather items).   This is why even smaller items such as backpacks and satchels could be more expensive: because they are made to be long-lasting.

• Look carefully at the seams and bindings of leather items.  Items made from saddleback leather will include industrial-strength sewing (necessary because of the thicker quality of the leather) and will be completed with similarly industrial quality thread, which is should be fray, water and UV resistant.  In this way, you can be sure that your saddleback leather satchel will not fall apart at the seams after the second use!

• Similarly, look closely at finishing pieces or attachments to leather items.   A genuinely handcrafted saddleback leather backpack, for example, should have hidden reinforcement to parts such as straps.  This reinforcement should come from nylon straps which are sewn into the leather straps, because these will be the parts of the leather that are under the most stress.  Nylon is particularly used because it does not stretch itself, so will support the leather, thus reducing its wear and tear through stretching – a common complaint of inferior leather backpacks.

Happily, as we have become more eco-conscious, there is more demand for durability rather than disposability of items and saddleback leather fits this bill entirely!  So if you are shopping around for hardwearing and serviceable leather items, from furnishings to accessories, think about spending a little more to saddle up to a bit of quality!

Dyeing leather isn’t just for the craftsman or professional leatherworker. There are many different reasons to dye leather yourself, but the most common is that the leather is dirty or faded and you want to touch it up. An admirable sentiment, but don’t let it carry you away from the reality of dyeing leather. If your leather is vegetable-tanned (meaning it was tanned using plant extract) this will make it easier to dye, for many types of dyes only work with vegetable-tanned leather. Leather that is dyed correctly makes it much more professional looking and desirable to wear. It’s easy to tell when leather is dyed because of the color sometimes used. Also, use common sense: have you ever seen a yellow cow? Or a green or blue one? That should tell you the leather has been dyed.

Before getting into the process of dyeing leather, let’s establish some basic principles. The majority of leather is the by-product of the meat industry, since the skins and hides have less value compared to the meat inside them. The tanning process used to make the leather will determine what kind of dye will work best with it. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, certain dyes only work with vegetable-tanned leather. Different tanning processes result in different colors, which is how you can tell by what process the leather was tanned. The color of vegetable-tanned leather is a light tan, chromium-tanned leather is a pale blue-grey, and aldehyde-tanned leather produces a very light cream or even white color. There are other tanning methods and other colors produced by those methods, of course, but these three are the most common.

You may ask how is leather able to be dyed with all the chemicals it is treated with to make it leather? Simple. Leather is still skin, albeit chemically-altered and chemically-preserved skin. Like human skin, leather is still susceptible to discoloration and staining. Ink blotches can affect leather just as they can affect human skin, except with leather the blotch is more than likely to become permenant. This is why it is possible for leather to be dyed. Unfortunately, because of the tanning process, even water can permenantly damage and discolor leather. Suede is especially vulnerable to this type of damage, which is why you never wear suede leather in the rain. Of course, to some discolored suede leather is still desirable, but for most water discoloration ruins the leather for good.

To dye leather, gently brush the dye into the leather and rub it in thoroughly. You must allow the coat to dry completely before proceeding. Don’t forget to wipe any excess dye off, and go ahead and apply additional coats as needed. Be sure to wear protective gloves when doing this, because the dye will color your skin just as it will the leather, for the reasons outlined above.

That’s really all there is to it. Don’t forget to let the leather dry overnight before using it again.