Category Archives: Leather

We at WALLETSPLUS, have been manufacturing and exporting leather products to some of the most reputed brands and labels world-wide, since the last 24 years.

Although leather has timeless qualities that have kept it around for centuries and made it a product of choice, yet there are many misconceptions about it. Here are a few of them. Let us bust these well-known myths associated with leather products.

Weight of Leather

The most common and major conventional myth about leather products is that it is too heavy to carry and travel with. It actually depends on what kind of hide is employed to make your leather goods. In fact, leather with canvas products from WALLETSPLUS are most sought after for design and durability. Cattle hair-on items are also fashionable, lightweight and trendy.

Durability

When it comes to longevity of say – bags, wallets, or accessories – none can match the lifespan of leather. Nowadays, accessories are also manufactured with materials like PU or faux leather, but the real deal of leather can last for a lifetime even with heavy wear and tear. Leather grows in looks with use and vintage leather gears are actually most sought after by aficionados. To understand better, we suggest a visit to your nearby historic museum and witness olden leather items well preserved.

Environmentally Conscious

All leathers used at WALLETSPLUS are selected with great care keeping in mind our duty and responsibility towards our environment. The leathers used to produce our products come from our Indian milking cows, which have lived a free life in nature, not being confined inside a milk production factory. Once the cows have served their main purpose of producing milk and die a natural death, the leather/skin is then separated, allowing manufacturers like us to buy the beautiful and versatile by-product – a product that would otherwise have been destroyed or ended in landfills.

In conclusion, these cows are not bred for leather purposes, they are in fact a by-product of the Indian milk & food industry; a country where millions consume bovine meat as a daily staple food.

At WALLETSPLUS, our SEDEX & ISO 9001, 45001 certified factories prefer to procure our Leathers from LWG Certified tanneries, use 100% Sustainable Chrome-free Vegetable Tanned Leathers with Recycled Zippers, Recycled Linings, Recycled Canvas & Recycled Packaging Materials.

Cleaning Leather Goods is difficult

There is a deep-rooted misapprehension that cleaning leather accessories is a demanding situation. However, the leather goods are much easier to clean; you just need a piece of cotton cloth and lukewarm water. The process is simple but different from washing other fabrics; you just need to soak a cotton piece into lukewarm water and gently rub the stained area. Also, it is recommended not to use any detergents or any cleansing agents; they might degrade the texture of leather bags, or leather accessories.

At Walletsplus we manufacture leather accessories in various kinds of leathers, namely – Cow, Calf, Buff, Lamb, Goat and Sheep. Today, let us discuss the differences between Buffalo Leather and Cowhide Leather.

Buffalo leather and cowhide leather are two of the most popular types of leather used in the fashion and accessories industry. While both types of leather share some similarities, they also have distinct differences that may impact their performance and durability.

Here are some of the key differences between buffalo leather and cowhide leather:

Hide Size & Grain Appearance

Though buffalo are bigger than cows by about half a ton, their hides are smaller because Buffalo hides are not stretched during the tanning process to preserve their wonderful and desirable grain patterning. Buffalo hides grain is also more distinct than cowhide leather grains and gives a finished leather product a more earthy or rustic look. Cowhide leather is smoother and has a more uniform texture and grain pattern.

Strength and Durability

Buffalo leather is generally thicker and stronger than cowhide leather. It is often used to make heavy-duty items like belts, jackets, and boots. Cowhide leather is also very durable, but not as strong as buffalo leather. It is mostly used to manufacture items like wallets, bags, and small leather goods.

Softness

Cowhide leather is generally softer and more pliable than buffalo leather, which can make it more comfortable to carry for premium leather accessories. Buffalo leather, on the other hand, is harder and stiffer and may require more breaking in.

Cost

Buffalo leather is generally more expensive than cowhide leather due to its durability and strength.

Best Leather for Belts are today an essential accessory both for formal and casual outings. This slimmest gear holds the prime position in your presentation – at the very centre of your body! and hence can create a surprisingly head-turning impact on your complete persona. Unfortunately, most men don’t know much about belts, besides the fact that they go around their waist.

How do you define a Belt?

Technically any system that goes around a body using tension to hold up the body against gravity is a belt. Even a humble piece of string can be a belt – even the ones we use in our PJ’s is a belt!

The vast majority of belts (once you’ve moved beyond the simple string) have two parts: the buckle and the strap. Many belts also have a keeper loop and/or an end tip (the end tip is usually metal, or leather on cloth belts). The end tip protects the end of the belt from being damaged/frayed and can make it easier to buckle. After the belt is buckled, the keeper loop stops the free end from flapping around. In some belts, the strap and buckle are permanently joined together; in others, they can be taken apart and the buckle switched out. The part of the buckle that joins it to the strap is called the chape. 

Understanding Leathers for Belts.

Ideally, there are three vital aspects to bear in mind while choosing the leather for a belt. These are – the grade of the leather, the part of the hide the leather comes from, and the thickness of the hide.

• Top Grain Leather

Top grain leather has the finest resilience and is the best quality of all the leather grades. The top grain includes the outer grain of the hide that has more densely packed fibres, making it stronger and durable. Top grain leathers are split into two categories – full grain leather and corrected grain leather. The majority of top grain leathers are made into corrected grain leather. At WALLETSPLUS, we typically use full grain leathers to create high-end products.

• Full Grain Leather

Full Grain Leather comes from the uppermost layer of the hide. After separating the hide hair from the leather, the entire pattern of grains of the hide and all its characteristics become visible. The full grain leather always develops a patina over time with use, thus allowing the natural marbling, texture, and natural colour variations in the hide to come through. It is a very strong and durable leather, and a preferred choice of craftsmen for manufacturing unique leather belts.

• Corrected Grain Leather

The corrected grain leather is the top grain leather that is sanded and embossed to give the finished product a more consistent and smooth appearance. The grain is stamped on to hide imperfections and give it a uniform, natural feeling texture. Some common examples of corrected grain are products with a snakeskin or crocodile texture. Depending on the amount of correction done, this leather is a reasonable quality material to use for belts where full grain leather is not an option.

• Split Grain Leather

Split grain leather, as the name implies, is created when the top grain of the leather hide is splitted or ripped apart by using a leather splitting machine. Such leather is thinner, weaker, and has a looser structure that is not as durable or resilient as top grain leather. It is not recommended for manufacturing belts.

• Bonded Leather

Bonded leather is a namesake and worst quality adulterated leather material. It is not counted as real leather. It is a by-product made of leather dust and scraps that are shredded and bonded together with non-biodegradable polyurethane or latex onto a fibre mesh. The mixture contains from 10% to 30% leather fibres. The bonded leather is guaranteed to crack and split with regular use.

Most appropriate leather cuts for belts.

It is important to keep in mind the type of cuts from where the leather is procured to make a great belt.

• Double Butt Cut

The double butt cut of a bovine hide is from the hind leg portion of the hide, running around the butt and up towards the spine. This is the thickest and firmest part of the hide and yields the most consistent and even material. Double butt cuts are great for making thicker items like belts. At WALLETSPLUS we prefer to use vegetable tanned leather double butt hides for all our belts. 

• Side Leather Cut

A side cut of a hide is half of an entire hide cut lengthwise down the middle. It contains part of the shoulder, butt, and belly of the cow. It is thinner, softer and stretchable leather. It isn’t the first choice of leather for belts.

• Belly Leather Cut

The belly cut of a leather hide is from the left or right edges of the hide and is of more irregular shape than other cuts. The belly cut leathers are not recommended for belts due to their inherent suppleness.

Which belt should I choose?

Well, you don’t choose a belt to wear. Your outfit and the occasion decide for you the best suited belt. Narrowly defined, belts can be categorized as either  formal or casual belts –

The formal belts are smaller, have a sleeker buckle and a thinner strap width. Formal belts are always made of premium leather. They may or may nor sport a brand logo on the buckle. These are mostly worn with official or business outfits and add a Midas touch to one’s persona.

Casual belts are designer gear that sport a  comparatively larger buckle and broader strap width. These are tougher, thicker, stiffer, more rugged, and often sport matte finish. Casual belts are more often worn with jeans for outdoor or everyday activities.

However, just as with men’s jackets and shoes, there’s always an overlap between formal belts and casual belts. Though formal belts are largely for wearing with suits and business attire, they can always be paired with more formal sports jackets/ blazers and trousers. Conversely, casual belts are largely worn with jeans, khakis, and shorts, but can work with nicer chinos and more rugged sports coats.

What are designer belts?

The current generation of haute couture fashionistas emphasise on waist-up dressing. However, the designer belts have made an indelible mark on the fashion circuit and made their way into our everyday wardrobes. The exclusive WALLETSPLUS’ designer belts, whether paired with trousers for a chic return to the office, or cut-off shorts are perfect for weekend escapades, adding a vintage, designer woven leather, or studded belt that help to elevate just about any outfit.

If you’re in need of a fresh and stylish waist belt, you’ll find inspired ways to wear designer belts from our large collection!