Our Leather and Material Selection
With so many different materials on offer, we know it can get a little confusing to know which one to choose. We hope that this page will help to educate about the different materials we use, and help you choose the materials that are most suitable for your watch and lifestyle.
Comparing the materials across a few key characteristics, here's how they stack up on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least, and 5 being the most.
Note: There is no "ideal" material as it depends very much on the look and feel that you are going for in a strap, and it is not always true that 5 is the most preferred across all characteristics. For example, some people might prefer a leather that is more flexible (5 on the Pliability scale), while others might like it to be stiff.
Alcantara
It is extremely soft to the touch, and provides a very luxurious feel when made into a strap.
Babele
Having a distinctive cloth-like appearance, Babele leather is produced by the Tempesti tannery in Italy
Baranil
The buttery-smooth calfskin has a mellow and plush feel, with just the right amount of rigidity and flex.
Crazy Horse
Velvety soft and yet able to take a beating, these straps will develop a patina with rugged charm.
Epsom
A firm leather with a hatch grain embossed pattern, Epsom is well-known for its quality, durability, and wide range of colours.
Lizard
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Nubuck
Nubuck has a softer hand feel with a short and even nap. Crafted from the outer layers of cowhide.
Ostrich Leg
Ostrich Leg leather from South Africa is not often used for leather goods due to its small size, but is perfect for watch straps.
Pueblo
The strong personality of this tannery is visible in the vibrant and instantly recognisable leathers that have made waves in the footwear and bagmaking world.
Rubberised Leather
Our Rubberised Leather is available in two textures: Smooth and Togo, where the pattern is embossed onto the Rubberised Leather material.
Saffiano
The pattern is created by embossing a cross-hatch pattern on wax laying with the surface of the calfskin, granting it high levels of scratch and water resistance.
Sailcloth
We’ve seamlessly blended the classic, rugged aesthetic of Sailcloth with the modern advantages of FKM rubber.
Shell Cordovan
Dubbed the diamond of leathers, shell cordovan is made from the muscle around the horse's rump which forms a "shell".
Waxy
Waxy is Badalassi Carlo's interpretation of the 'pull-up leather'. Offering a streaky distressed look.
Refers to whether the leather is vegetable-tanned (or veg-tan), chrome-tanned, a combination of both, or made of a synthetic material.
Vegetable tanning is a natural process, relying on tree tannins and water, while chrome tanning relies on chromium salts and tanning liquors. While veg-tan leather is typically seen as "higher quality" and more natural, chrome-tan leather are generally more pliable, with greater water-resistance and scratch-resistance properties.
Refers to the texture of the leather surface, either smooth, pebbled (naturally occurring due to the tanning process), embossed (pattern is stamped onto the leather), sand (leather with the top surface sanded or marked), or scales (for exotic leather).
Refers to the change in colour of the leather as the leather is stretched. This is due to the movement of the oil and wax inside the leather. Not all leather has a pull-up effect as it depends on the tanning method.
Refers to the level of reflectivity (how much it reflects light) of the leather. For veg-tan leather, it generally starts off with a matte/dull finish, but becomes shinier with use due to patina. See the section on "Patina Potential".
Refers to the flexibility of the leather, and how easy it is to bend. While a leather might be highly pliable, the pliability of the final leather product will depend on a number of factors such as the thickness, construction method etc. For example, a flexible leather can be made less pliable as a strap by adding a stiffener layer, while a stiff leather can be made more pliable by reducing the thickness.
Refers to the durability of the leather in terms of withstanding scratches and marks
Refers to the ability of the material to repel water. No leather is 100% waterproof, and submerging a leather that is highly water-resistant for prolonged period will still alter the characteristics of the leather.
Some material, like our Sailcloth-textured FKM rubber, are waterproof. Nonetheless, a handcrafted strap made of a waterproof material is still not 100% waterproof as the construction is susceptible to water damage over time.
Refers to the ability of the leather to patina, or the natural-look of the leather as it ages. Patina is a soft glow on the leather that develops through friction and wear. Patina is often said to enhance a product (gets better with age) as the leather product develops a character that is an amalgamation of all the conditions that it's exposed to. In general, veg-tan leather develops a patina while chrome-tan leather does not.
Note: These are characteristics we think are most crucial when comparing across leather / material types, but is not an exhaustive list of all leather characteristics. Also, this is an oversimplification of the characteristics. If the topic interests you, feel free to Google or get on Youtube for more detailed explanation from the true experts!
![Anthracite Hook Strap [kollokium x Delugs] - Image 2](http://delugs.com/cdn/shop/files/20250919-A7405309_298x298_crop_center.jpg?v=1761299094)
![Delugs Anthracite Hook Strap [kollokium x Delugs] Fabric Watch Strap](http://delugs.com/cdn/shop/files/Kollokium_straps_Anthracite_1_298x298_crop_center.jpg?v=1761299094)
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