The History of Leather

The history of leather is a long and lengthy one. You will find leather artifacts in museums that date back around twelve thousand years. The working of leather is one of the oldest crafts known to mankind and is traced back to the Stone Age. A good example of this type of work was determined to have originated about 3,500 years ago in ancient Egypt which was in the form of a Gazelle skin, cut in a criss- cross pattern and produced a lattice like effect. At first hard leather was thought to be unworkable until later on when it was found to be pliable when soaked in water. This allowed the leather to be molded into buckets, bottles, boxes, drinking vessels, quivers and armor. In turn they were decorated by embossing a design onto them while the leather was wet. Another way of decorating leather was to "tool" the skin which was achieved by drawing a pattern onto the surface of the leather, then impressing it with a heated brass tool.

Over the years leather products have always been thought of as being of high value. In ancient Rome for instance, leather sandals were worn by the upper classes and leather was so highly prized that Caesar decreed that coins were to be made of leather. In China, in the second century B.C., it was common to find a widespread use of leather currency. Not only was it common during medieval times to see the use of leather as the basis for currency, but even during WWI, leather coins were used in Germany and Austria.

At first leather objects were mainly functional, but soon people learned the decorative potential of leather. The Romans’ sexual free nature soon realized that the essence of leather was in its erotic attributes and therefore played a big part in their exotic escapades. Thanks to its supple nature, products made from leather comprise function with remarkable beauty and sensuality. The timeless desire of leather is due to its warm color, luxurious texture, aroma, and durability. Interestingly enough, no two skins of leather are ever exactly alike. This is mainly because the grain, texture, and color, of leather are so different by nature. The world has a love affair for leather. Fine leather continues to be influenced by its appeal as a status symbol as well as its value.

As we move into the new millennium, leather has transcended all boundaries from mainstream appeal to hardcore fetish.

Cowhide Leather vs. Lambskin

Cowhide Leather vs. Lambskin

At Clothing Gossip we insist on using the top quality leather for our garments. We have been asked several times why we do not use lamb skin. The answer is very simple. Lamb is wonderful to the touch however it is NOT durable to use on most of the leather lingerie items we carry especially corsets. One wear and your items will be out of shape. Yes it is cheaper to use lambskin however at Clothing Gossip we will not compromise our quality.

Here is just a small comparison between Cowhide and lambskin:

COWHIDE:

Excellent tough Leather, a long time consumer market favorite. Top Grain or Genuine Cowhide has been around for decades and many products are made from it. Because of its toughness and strength it has been used in the past for American pilots, the U.S. Defense Department today ONLY use Cowhide for flight jackets. Genuine Cowhide with modern technology is now being processed into a very supple feel to the touch, at times even rival lambskin in its suppleness. Some Manufacturers use Split Cowhide or Buff Cowhide, or the weaker layers of a hide to make products. Recognized brand name products such as Allure Leather only use top quality Cowhide. Always buy Top Grain or Genuine Leather Products. Unfortunately, some Split Leather products are sometimes labeled as being ‘Genuine Leather’.

LAMBSKIN:

Wonderful soft leather. However, it can be easily damaged if not cared for properly. It is weak in nature, it stretches if it is not used properly. Excellent quality Lambskin can demand a high price tag. Two of the best current market examples are USA Lambskin and New Zealand Lambskin. Two of the worst quality lambskins are India lambskin and Pakistan lambskin. Because lambskin's supple nature, it is considered ‘Luxury Leather’. Women Consumers seem to love the feel of the Lambskin more than Men. It is recommended that lambskin items are lined with fabric in order to maintain the shape of the garment, otherwise garments will usually bend out of shape or rip easily.