How To Spot What’s Missing On Designer Leather Jacket Labels
When it comes to choosing and buying designer leather jackets it isn’t always what you read in the description that matters. It’s often what you don’t read in the description which makes the difference.
Many people approach buying leather jackets by looking at the style and way the jacket looks, and by the price tag. Often it may be hard to understand why two apparently similar jackets have such widely different price tags. Isn’t it always better to go for the cheaper one if they both look much the same? After all, leather is leather – it can’t make that much difference?
In fact if you read the description you’ll discover that both jackets are made from 100% genuine leather, and they may both look very nice. But once you wear them, feel the leather and move around in them you’ll start to notice a real difference.
This is because whilst both leather jackets may have labels stating that they are both leather, the truth is that there are all different kinds of leather, and this makes a huge difference to both the comfort and feel of the jacket as well as the way it looks, hangs, moves and protects.
Most traditional biker jackets are made from cow hide. This leather is thick, tough and highly suited to the task, since the word is protection. Biker jackets are often bought for the visual look and style as much as anything, but the real reason why biker jackets are made from cow hide is because it’s about the toughest leather around, and will offer a great deal of protection if you happen to be riding a motorbike and having to protect yourself should you fall off at high speed onto a rather unforgiving surface.
But if you aren’t planning on wearing your leather jacket on a bike and are instead simply looking for a designer leather jacket which will provide you with comfort and protection whilst looking good and feeling great then cow hide isn’t the answer. Some manufacturers have tried to make cow hide leather jackets thinner and less rigid and heavy by using a laser to slice layers off the leather.
However, all you’re really left with is a thin bit of cow hide – it’s still not exactly supple, lightweight or soft. This is when your attention may turn to the other jacket. Perhaps the price tag is a little more expensive, but one touch demonstrates a real difference.
It doesn’t feel like armour, it feels smooth and supple, folding and hanging in a way that looks and feels much more comfortable, especially if you’re planning on wearing it throughout the summer and autumn. So what’s the real difference?
Some leather jacket labels may say that they’re made of genuine leather, but what you need to notice is the lack of the word ‘nappa’. Because genuine nappa leather is something quite different from cow hide leather. To start with it doesn’t have anything to do with cows.
Instead nappa leather comes from sheepskin, or in some cases goatskin. This is beautifully lightweight, and much, much softer and more supple to the touch. In fact it’s the same kind of leather used in highest quality upholstery, because it is so malleable and flexible. Stiff leather protects, but if what you want is comfort and style then soft leather simple has to be nappa leather.