Is English Leather Better?

[jessjc]

Hello,

Just a quick question: Who thinks English Leather Saddlery is better? Why? Do people think it's worth the extra money? Is design more important than quality? What about the safety aspects?

It'd be great to hear your opinions!

 

[Capriole]

Good quality English leather has always been excellent stuff. No doubt theres cr@p English leather out there as well. Some of the continental leather is also brilliant stuff.

The problem with some foreign cured leathers is its just not very well done or very good quality source material.

I like to buy tack made from good quality, well tanned English leather, but Id also buy good quality well tanned leather goods from elsewhere.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Good quality English 5mm bridle butt will have the average strength of 5,000lbs per square inch, alot more than foreign leather.

 

[Capriole]

All foreign leather?

What about english hides tanned in Germany or Italy or somewhere? Or foreign hides if theyre tanned here?

I find all this very interesting

 

[bubbilygum]

Personally I always buy English leather products, I find the quality better and the smell of cheap leather (which is nearly always foreign) makes me feel sick! However that's only my experience so far, I don't think I would be put off foreign leather products if I found some which had a similar level of quality to English leather products - so far I haven't done!

I've made myself look like a leather racist now haven't I... Oh dear!

 

[orionstar]

It depends on whether you want your tack to stay the same colour as you bought it, or if you really fancy stirrup leathers that are a foot longer after riding in them a month!

 

[C&C]

I think English leather is by far the best quality but there are some good foreign leathers out there now to, the German leather is pretty good.

I have a Kincade bridle and although i love the design it is quite stiff, i have oiled it twice but the oil just doesnt sink in, it kinda stays on the top where the leather has been dyed (im not sure where the leather comes from, but it is imported). When i oil my other bridle (which is english) it soaks straight in and is so supple and soft.

 

[jessjc]

English leather certainly has a good reputation for being high quality, and French and German saddlemakers too are highly regarded. I think the imported cheap stuff which we're talking about nearly always comes from India. I was just trying to collect up some information on what people thought as well as what the facts are as I'm writing an article on it to go on the website of my saddlery which is all English Leather (and very good quality!). Sadly, English leather/made products are very expensive to produce, due to the lack of cheap labour and more expensive treatment techniques for the leather and so the cost price and therefore the retail price has to be high. However, I have a job to convince customers that English Leather really is better, and have lots of people telling me that their "...£10 bridle from eBay has lasted 4 years with good care..".

Great to hear it when so many people are supportive of English leather produce and industry though - thank you!

 

[soulfull]

Good quality English 5mm bridle butt will have the average strength of 5,000lbs per square inch, alot more than foreign leather.

this is the main problem!!! a friend had a cheap leather bridle and while it looked in very good condition the cheek piece suddenly snapped and she fell of badly fracturing her shoulder
looking at where the leather snapped you really could not see why it had happened only that inside it looked like compressed cardboard