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If you prefer a chrome tanned bison leather finish, there are a handful of tanneries offering this. “Chrome tanned leather has better water resistant properties, but it is produced with more highly pollutant chemicals than vegetable tanned leather.” “Vegetable tanned leathers usually stain easily, especially if you drop water on them,” says Ortiz. While it is strong and durable, it is more susceptible to marks, and is especially sensitive to cleaners. However, bison leather and other vegetable tanned leathers are not waterproof. Although this is a more expensive and time consuming process than the more modern and commercialised methods of chrome tanning for cow leather, according to Ortiz, “the result is a more natural look that develops a nice leather patina over time.” Most bison leathers (but not all) are processed by vegetable tanning, an old-school technique that uses organic vegetable-based compounds such as bark, leaves and oil from trees. Some bison loafers from John Doe Shoes How Bison Leather is Processed If you are looking specifically for buffalo leather, make sure you take note of where it comes from. comes from the North American bison but if you see a leather product called buffalo, it might come from the Asian Water Buffalo or the African Cape Buffalo.” “ Most bison and buffalo leather in the U.S.
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Especially for Americans, we often call the north American bison a buffalo. “Many Americans think buffalo and bison are the same, but they are not,” he explains. The first thing Batson wants you to know is that even though buffalo and bison are often used interchangeably, when it comes to leather they are indeed two separate animals. Is Bison Leather Better Than Cow Leather?īison vs Buffalo – What’s the Difference?.Bison vs Buffalo – What’s the Difference?.
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