Not all leather is created (or grown) equally. In this guide to the factors that create the quality of leather, Jonval Leathers and Furs aims to show you some of the things that affect the quality of leather. 

A lot of this comes down to the cow from which the leather is taken. Believe it or not the breed of the cow and even the region in which it is raised can affect the quality of leather. Who knew? 

When considering the breed of the cow, genetics play a role. For example, different breeds will have different hair patterns and growth. This difference will often be because of the area in which the cow is raise. For example, in warmer climates, cows will not need as much hair and might therefore have thicker skin. In cooler climates, they might have more protection from hair and thus a softer hide. 

Along with the region and climate comes bugs. These bugs can bite and irritate the cows. This can lead to scars. These scars can affect the quality of leather. This is generally a consideration for cows raised in warmer climates, while those in colder climates, with fewer bugs, will be less likely to have these bug bite scars and thus will lend a better quality leather. 

Another factor Jonval Leathers and Furs considers when thinking about the quality of leather is where on the cow the leather comes from. (Again, who knew? Perhaps this like the quality of steak and what part of the cow it comes from.) For example, if the hide is from the lower portion of the cow, the leather will have looser fibers. These looser fibers result in lower quality because the hide can swell when wet. 

As well, hides that come from the lower portion of the cow are more likely to have scars. These are not just from bug bites, but also from every day wear and tear on the hide such as getting stuck by barbed wire fences. Wrinkles are also more common on the lower extremities of the animal. These wrinkles and scars become permanent, just like in humans. This means that they are nearly impossible to remove 
when trying to process the leather. 

Another factor to consider when it comes to the quality of leather is the processor. These are the people who take the raw hide and process it into quality leather for your garments. Indeed, this is a difficult skill to master. One must know how to tan and finish a raw hide expertly. This can take years and years of experience. The better the processor, the better the quality of leather will be. 

Not to worry if this is all new to you. This is generally not something you, as a consumer, need to think about. Instead, it is something that Jonval Leathers and Furs thinks about for you. You can rest assured that when you buy leather from us, you are buying top quality leather that has taken all of these factors into consideration.