What is Crazy Horse Leather?

what is crazy horse leather

Crazy horse leather is one of the best decisions you can take nowadays (and we weigh our words!) if you're looking for a long-lasting leather item with a vintage and premium look, just go for it.

Whether in the leather sector or more broadly in the textile/fashion sector, we are often faced with a lot of choices when it comes to leather and very limited information about the different available materials (which probably explains your presence here, doesn't it?).

Indeed, there are two main families of leather: real leather and artificial leather. These two large entities have several sub-families. For example we find in the family of real leather:

  • full grain leather
  • crazy horse leather
  • top grain leather
  • genuine leather
  • corrected grain leather
difference between real leather and pu leather

With the price war, the consumer society and the expansion of ethical considerations, faux leathers, seen as alternatives, have also exploded in terms of diversity, so that today there is a multitude of them:

  • PU leather
  • Bicast leather
  • Split leather
  • Bonded leather
  • Jacron leather
  • Pinatex leather

Through this brief but concise article, we give you all the keys to find your way around the Crazy horse leather world. Let's dive into it!

Crazy horse leather is a first-class material, now booming as it is increasingly gaining popularity among stylists and designers from around the world.

Indeed, while the vintage and retro trends are at their maximum, this type of leather perfectly meets the main requirements of this trend: it improves with time and it is an extremely robust and durable material. 

But what crazy horse leather is exactly? 

crazy horse leather backpack

Why is it called Crazy Horse Leather ?

A Name that Draws its Origins from its History

This material is not quite new. Actually, leather is known and used for centuries and in several civilizations. Leather has long been a material appreciated for its characteristics and its resistance to time and wear. It must be said that this resource was "easily" attainable, being a byproduct of hunting and diets of the time

But one might say that it's only for several years that the attention of the world for this unique material grew back again.

That's not really true in fact. The retro and vintage trend, although different over the years has always existed. It touches an essential part of our psychology: the nostalgia of past times. Leather materializes this trend because it is literally timeless, fits with everything and goes everywhere.

But where does it name come from? 

While one might think that the Crazy horse leather is made from the horse's skin, this is entirely false. In fact, this denomination has caused and still causes (with regard to the questions we receive about our products) a lot of confusion in the minds of consumers.

Crazy horse leather, also known as saddle leather, is a cow leather type and only draws its name from its own history.

Indeed, this type of leather was, and still is, highly esteemed by the various saddleries, which valued the natural patina and the solidity that the leather took over time and uses.

It gives a "country cowboy style" to every finished product made of crazy horse leather. This is why the crazy horse leather was named after this fashion"trend".

Let's try to put it simple shall we ?

Crazy horse leather is a type of full grain leather, which is the best quality leather. Here is the list of genuine leathers, classified from the highest quality leather to the lowest quality leather: 

  1. Full Grain Leather (Crazy Horse Leather if oil immersed)
  2. Top Grain Leather
  3. Genuine Leather
  4. Corrected Grain Leather

Crazy horse leather backpacks and related products can last decades with good care, whereas genuine leather items will last only a few years.

The robustness and the quality of this type of leather is due to the high density of granularity of the upper part of the skin.

On the picture below, you can find the different types of leather available on the market. You can see that the crazy horse leather (the full grain leather variant), is made of the grain,  the upper and strongest part of the cow's skin. 

types of leather

What is Crazy Horse Leather Made Of?

A Traditional and Artisanal Manufacturing Process

Why is this leather so special?

First, because it comes from one of the strongest, the most tender and noble parts of the skin.

This premium part of the skin is also called "full-grain leather" because of its appearance that displays grain patterns. It is definitely the strongest type of leather and it will evolve over time, developing a unique and antique type of polish.

This fine-grained skin is then smoothed out of these different imperfections before being applied to different layers of oil or wax.

Indeed the natural process of soaking the leather into oil or wax transform the upper layer of the skin to form a sumptuous protective film with a unique vintage aspect.

The leather will evolve over time and will undoubtedly react to scratches and marks, giving the leather that unique and worn appearance that is so characteristic of this type of leather.

The wax being a completely natural substance, it does not impact negatively the quality or the resistance of the leather. In fact, it's the complete opposite.

Unlike treated leather, which does not change over time, crazy horse leather lives and reacts to time and use, revealing variations in colour, giving the material an exceptional natural patina.

This process, which requires very few products, greatly enhances the aesthetics of the final item, which will only become more attractive over the years, providing the final product with real retro touch.

Each piece is therefore guaranteed to be different and unique because they will evolve differently, depending on each user, retracing their saga! So you are sure to have a bag that will look like no one else but you.



What are the benefits of Crazy Horse Leather?

A Top Quality Leather Product with Several Benefits

  • Crazy horse leather is extremely durable because it comes from a noble part of the animal and has a long lifespan, the leather becoming more appealing with the passage of time.
  • The application of the oil makes the leather completely resistant to water and other liquids. When applied to leather, it optimally protects its fibres. Being a natural product, it does not damage the final product under any circumstances
  • Wax allows crazy horse leather to withstand most of the other leather types. Such as liquid, food, fungus, sunshine, insects, and even some types of leather processing.
  • This material makes each piece unique (which is an important feature in our world). A single scratch will turn the fibre to another shade, a small bend will also modify its look. The wax rests only on the surface of the leather skin so the colouration might change but the quality of the inner fibre will remain!


Wrapping Up

Crazy horse leather is an excellent quality material with many advantages. It evolves with time, gives a vintage look to your product and resists well to use and wear.

In the beginning, we advise you not to put leather in contact with light colored clothes. Indeed, the leather takes time to absorb the oil, which can cause slight color transfer on light colored clothes. If this is the case, a simple wash is sufficient to remove these traces, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

If this material appeals to you and you are looking for a crazy horse leather bag, do not hesitate to visit our different collections:


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