Ostrich leather, like alligator, snakeskin, crocodile, and stingray leather, is an exotic form of leather that attracts a lot of interest from exotic leather collectors. It has several very distinct characteristics that make it both appealing and desirable, but it can also be rather costly.
Characteristics of ostrich leather
- Durable: Many people like ostrich leather because of its durability, as well as the fact that the leather is so soft. Ostrich leather also breathes very well and contains natural oils that help it resist cracking or drying. Pigmented leather is the most durable with a consistent surface appearance, while aniline leather is more natural looking, but less resistant to soiling. The third type, semi-aniline leather, is somewhere between on both counts. Among real leathers, full grain leather is by far the best in terms of quality. Unlike the other grains, full grain has not been separated from the top grain or split layers, and is therefore the strongest and most dependable type of leather.
- Comfortable to wear: Ostrich leather is famous not only because of its durability but also its feeling. It has come out as the most comfortable boot leather due to its softness. Moreover, one of the most notable features of this leather is its breathability
- Unique and beautiful: Ostrich skin also has multifaceted and non-overlapping skin texture, making fashionable products. Moreover, the leather can be dyed in hundreds of shades and given several different finishes. Dying ostrich leather is not an exact science, since each skin will react differently to dye.
Classification of ostrich leather straps
Ostrich body skin
The skin of the ostrich body is characterized by the bumps of the quill follicle. The portion with these bumps is called the “crown”. During the process of tanning and dyeing, the spots become slightly darker than the flat skin, which creates the beauty and uniqueness of ostrich skin.
When touching ostrich body skin, we will feel the roughness of the pores, but it is quite soft, not causing discomfort to our hands. These pores also feature to differentiate genuine ostrich with imitation products.
On the entire body of an ostrich, only 1/3 of the skin has pores. They are concentrated on the neck, back and thighs, so not all ostrich skin has bumps. Since the crown is the most sought-after portion and since it constitutes such a small area of the skin, “full quill” ostrich products are considerably more expensive when compared to bovine leather. This, along with the fact that it is one of the strongest commercial leathers, leads ostrich leather to be seen as a luxury item.
Ostrich leg scales and skin
The skin of the ostrich leg is scaly in appearance, with many small scales on either side of the leg and a series of large, semi-rectangular shapes going down the front of the leg in the center.
This skin is characterized by a layered scaly structure. The scales are shiny and relatively hard, with gaps between the scales. The layers of scales are arranged parallel to each other and run in a straight line.
We can also see these things with the naked eye, or we can feel the layers and hardness of the scales with our hands.
The joints between the scales are soft and supple, which make ostrich skin flexible when we try bending the product.
4 types of ostrich leather
Like alligator skin, ostrich skin is classified according to location, size and aesthetics on the surface of the skin.
Defects such as holes, scratches, scuffs, skin wounds or bacterial lesions that can affect the value of the leather sheet.
- Type 1: There are no defects on the scale of the skin. If there is a defect on the surface of the leather, the defect must not be long more than 30 mm and outside the scaly area of the skin
- Type 2: The pelt has the same size with type 1 but has the following additional flaws:
- One defect not exceeding 30mm in length is allowed on zones 2 and 3 but zone 1 must be completely free of any defects.
- Or: One defect not exceeding 30mm is allowed on zone 1 (at the edge of the skin) but zones 2 and 3 must be completely free of defects
- Type 3: The pelt has the same size with type 1 but has the following additional flaws:
- One defect not exceeding 30 mm in length is allowed on the scale row of the pelt
- Or A maximum of 2 defects not exceeding 30 mm in length are allowed on zone 1 of the pelt but zones 2 and 3 must be completely free of any defects
- Type 4: The pelt has the same size with type 1 but has the following additional flaws:
- There are 3-5 defects not exceeding 30mm in length on the scale row of the pelt and the remainder of the pelt is free from defects.
- There are 4-6 defects not exceeding 30 mm in length on the remainder of the pelt and the scaly portion of the pelt is free of defects.
- The skin has a row of scales that are too small or deformed
- Type 5: Leather that do not meet the Type 4 standard
How to take care of Ostrich watch strap
Leather is durable, resilient and a sophisticated classic when it comes to watch straps. Naturally, your watch strap will experience some wear and tear over time, whether from dirt, sweat, humidity, or sunlight, therefore it’s important to look after your leather watch strap to keep it looking timeless.
As always – keep your ostrich leather straps in a cool place far from any heat sources. Firstly, you will need to remove the watch strap from the watch face as this will protect the dial from the cleaning process. If wet – dab the strap up with a soft dry cloth. For stains do the same thing but use a damp cloth. After removing stain, wipe the rest of the strap with a damp cloth for the leather to dry evenly.
If the straps ever get stained with oil or grease just put some talcum powder over the stain and leave it for about an hour – the stain should be gone. Simply brush the powder away with a dry cloth.
Once your leather watch strap is completely dry grab another microfibre cloth and apply a few drops of your favorite leather conditioner. Similarly to cleaning the watch strap with soap, use gentle, circular movements to buff in the conditioner, and these products will create a protective layer from sunlight, dirt and water.
We should repeat these steps every other week if you are wearing your leather watch strap consistently, you will not need to use the leather conditioner for every clean.
Popular ostrich watch straps at B.A Handmade
Ostrich watch straps at B.A Handmade are made from genuine leather with a variety of colors and designs, handcrafted by skilled workers with many years of experience. We don’t sell synthetic leather watch straps and almost all of our products are made from full-grain leather – the best sort of leather available nowadays. Owning and wearing a genuine leather watch will help you show your sophisticated, selective fashion sense and express your own personality.
If you are looking for luxury and genuine cowhide watch bands, please don’t hesitate to see more HERE or contact us to request your own customized leather strap.
