5 Reasons Why I Use Bridle Leather On My Waxed Canvas Bags

Hi Everyone. I hope you had a nice weekend. It was raining with some sunny periods this weekend in Vancouver. My family and I mostly stayed indoors, so I don’t have any exciting places that we went to to share with you.

I got back into the studio this morning and what a happy Monday it is! (I bet you don’t hear that often). The European bridle leather I ordered was delivered to me this morning. I ordered it over a month ago and it’s finally here. I have tried other leathers, but I keep coming back to this one even though it is a much more expensive option to use for my bags.

I asked the supplier to cut up the leather into 2″ wide pieces, so it makes it easier to transport (see image 1 above). When I work with it, I hand-cut the leather to the required widths, depending on which bag it is going on. In image 4, you can see that I just went crazy and cut enough leather for 40 medium zipper totes.

To begin, I should discuss what bridle leather is and why I like to use it so much. Bridle leather is a piece of cowhide where both sides of the leather are stuffed with greases and finished with wax. It’s labour intensive and that’s why it’s expensive.  Only the best leathers are treated like this.

Here are the 5 reasons why I love this stuff: 

1. Beauty.When you look at bridle leather, you immediately see the richness of the colour and that it is a high quality leather.

2. It ages well. I use a 9-10 oz. leather. It is thick and durable. With use, this leather softens up a little, while remaining really strong and still looking beautiful.

3. It is comfortable to wear. I use this leather for the straps on my bags, so it has to sit comfortably on the shoulders and feel good when carried. This kind of leather is actually meant to be used in bridles, so it has to be comfortable for horses to wear next to their skin.

4. Strong and durable. Bridle leather is subjected to heavy loads and so is made to last. When I use it on my bags, I’m confident that it won’t break easily over time.

5. Nothing compares to it. I have tried different grades of leather for my bags, but I keep coming back to bridle leather. It is expensive, but it is also the best. I believe in making something of quality which will last, so this is the best choice for myself and my customers.

 

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