Leather is a fabric that has been used by humans to make clothes and accessories, long before the fashion industry as we know it appeared. It has been in all eras, by pretty much every culture and they knew why they were choosing it. Leather is a great material that protects the human body or goods; it is comfortable and long-lasting.
A great leather duffle bag
There are a lot of leather types which can be turned into a very long palette of products and many people occupy their time with manufacturing leather goods, as there’s nothing like a hand-made leather piece. Some people and take their craftsmanship to a different level and turn it into great brands. To give you an example, Waskerd is an American brand that focuses on creating high-quality hand-made leather goods, focusing on wallets and bags, that are hand-sewn from local hides and thread. They can basically make anything for their customers, which reflects their idea of reappropriating the way in which people used to relate to those who created their goods. What’s amazing about Waskerd is they really make personalized products and in terms of style, we think very much of unique goods. Having something made especially for you gives you an amazing feeling and truly reflects our ideology, that the things you wear and use influence your attitude. Just think about the haute couture people who are so amazing because they know that the things they wear were designed for them and are unique. Being unique in a world of mass-produced goods is definitely something great, which is why we love the Waskerd brand.
Using leather goods, as it’s useless to have them if you don’t use them, has a lot of advantages. These are:
- Durability. Leather is an extremely durable material, especially if it is of high quality. Generally, leather manufacturers try to make the best from their leather and to treat it in a way that will make it more resistant and durable. Even though high-quality leather goods might be more expensive, you can almost always be sure that they will last years and look just as good.
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A fantastic leather dopp kit by Waskerd. It’s really impressive how good a hand-made piece can look!
Timelessness. Speaking of durability, we also need to speak about the timeless fabric leather is. Leather goods are always in style and are the mark of a person who is steady and who values strong foundations. This is why you can’t say “there’s no point in leather being extremely durable, if it won’t be fashionable”, because leather has proven itself as a timeless fabric.
- Style. Leather is a very elegant material. In its natural color or dyed, leather will always add a certain degree of quality to any design. Everything looks more powerful in leather: leather wallets look better than plastic wallets, leather pants look more badass than cotton pants. If you’re going to get into a barroom brawl, you better wear a leather jacket. Jokes aside, leather always looks good and is an indicator of quality, appreciation of elegance, strength and naturalness. It’s actually pretty amazing how one can communicate so many things through the fabrics of his clothes and accessories. Genuine leather won’t peel or crack, so your leather goods will always be ready to be used. We need to mention that genuine leather goods, should they be accessories or clothes, have small scratches or signs. Don’t worry; those are an indicator that the leather is of high quality and not man-made and are to be appreciated.
- Naturalness. Leather is a natural fabric and we don’t condone any type of synthetic leather (with a few exceptions, of course). It’s always important to have things that are made from natural fabrics, as, as human beings we need to be in contact with natural objects when it comes to clothes. Synthetic fibers can give you rashes, make your skin itch and even though sometimes you might not feel it or be able to make the connection directly, wearing natural fabrics will make you feel physically and mentally good, as opposed to synthetic fibers which can make you feel bad, as they are foreign elements to your body and are not optimized for human wear.
- Strength. Besides from lasting a long time, leather usually keeps its quality in time as well. Leather is resistant to dry abrasion, can be resistant to fire (if treated for it), and it is partly waterproof. Unlike other materials, leather is also resistant to dust mites and fungal attacks. Leather is also lint and dust-free, which means that it will look and feel just as great even if you don’t treat it in a special way. We would recommend that you get leather travel bags as well, as when you travel you need to have sturdy things in which you place your belongings. The last thing you want is your weekender bag to break when you are running to catch a bus.
The Astoria 3-pocket slim wallet. You should want to keep your money in a great wallet.
- Leather breathes. This might sound like a vague argument, but leather is a fabric that breathes well. Imagine what would happen if you seal a room and leave it like that for a year. You would end up having a room full with fungus, bad, if not unbreathable air, the things in it would get either too moist or too dry and everything would be out of place. However, if you let air go through the room or have wooden window frames, everything will still be in order one year later. The same happens with leather. If you keep your goods in leather bags and wallets or dress up in leather, everything will be balanced and right due to this factor. This is a great unique feature leather has, and you should take advantage of it!
- Flexibility. With all the talk about leather being tough and unbreakable, one might begin to think that leather is similar to rock or wood. But that’s obviously not the case. With time, leather becomes more and more flexible while keeping its shape and strength. This is why you shouldn’t worry if a leather item you purchased seems a little woody in the beginning and then begins to soften, that’s supposed to happen and it’s not a bad thing. Being flexible makes leather only greater, as it molds to its owners lifestyle, shape and way of use.
- Leather doesn’t cost much. When we tell people that leather is inexpensive they generally will say “right” with an ironic tone in their voice. But leather is truly not expensive. It is true that leather products cost more than products made from synthetic leather or other fabrics, but they last so much longer that the cost/wear ratio is extremely small. For example if you buy a leather duffle bag for $900, but you will use it for the next 10 years, it means that it costs you only $90/year. If you use it 150 times in a year, the cost/use is $0.6. From experience, we can tell you that some leather backpacks or other types of bags can very well last more than 10 years.
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The Prince Drew Slim Wallet by Waskerd. Notice the line as a quality indicator!
Leather smells good. As weird as this might sound, leather has a certain smell to it with which you might be familiar. The reason this is important is not only because one can have a nice experience smelling his leather wallet, but for another reason as well. If you have a synthetic wallet or key tag and place it in your bag or briefcase, the bad smell a synthetic product might have can spread all over, giving you and the people around you a big surprise when you open the bag or briefcase. Moreover, since the smell of leather is a natural one, it behaves well when in contact with perfumes, so you won’t have bad experiences that might involve the change of your perfume’s smell.
- It is eco-friendly. Not only is leather natural and therefore no chemicals were used in the making of it, polluting the air, the rivers and the environment in general, but unlike other fabrics, leather is also bio-degradable. In a world where fashion is often accused of not being environmental-friendly, owning leather goods is just a way to be both eco-friendly and stylish.
To conclude, we can say that leather is one of our favorite fabrics, as it is strong, but works with you and your lifestyle, it is inexpensive and natural, it looks amazing and is extremely durable.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. What type of leather goods do you like? Why? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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