If you've heard that cordovan is one of the best leathers, especially for shoes, and you're still wondering why a pair of shoes made from it may cost $500 or more, it's because of its rarity and quality. As soon as you lay eyes on a piece of cordovan, you can tell it is different from regular leather. It has a deep, luxurious hue and a silky, reflective surface.
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Is this the sole reason for cordovan's exorbitant costs, or does it also have other special qualities that distinguish it different from regular cowhide? To begin answering these questions, it will be necessary to first describe what leather is, where it comes from, and the benefits and drawbacks of using it. Cordovan leather is a sort of leather made from the backs of horses and is also known as "shell cordovan" due to another traditional moniker for it. The term "cordovan" comes from the Spanish city of Córdoba and means "from Córdoba," while the term "shell" refers to a specific piece of the hide after it has been split horizontally to remove the grain. Both definitions apply within the context of this article.
Cordovan is obtained from a membrane between the two epidermal layers in the horse's hind quarters, as opposed to the outer hide, which is used for most other types of leather. The actual useful size is determined by the skin's total dimensions, as is the case with other natural leather goods. That's cordovan leather, but we still haven't really explained why it's so pricey, seeing as how it looks largely the same to other sorts of leather. Cordovan leather takes over six months and over a hundred procedures to tan, making it a tremendously difficult and labor-intensive material to produce. Tanning has two primary purposes: first, it halts the leather's natural breakdown process; and second, it enhances the leather's desired qualities. The hides went through extensive pressing and polishing, but that's not the only reason they shine so brightly. Cordovan leather's substantially smaller and more tightly packed pores are another contributing factor. Cordovan is noticeably higher in quality than calf leather, which is an easy distinction to make. Cordovan leather is completely smooth and shiny, in contrast to the somewhat grainy appearance of calf skin. To achieve that mirrorlike shine on a pair of calfskin shoes, numerous coats of polish are necessary. With repeated polishing, the larger holes in the calfskin are gradually filled, leaving a smoother, shinier surface. However, cordovan leather already has a smoother texture due to the small number of its pores, so it takes less effort to keep that shining finish looking good. However, cordovan leather's sheen isn't its sole perk.
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Water repellency in cordovan leathers is a natural result of the tanning process. However, the operative word is "resistant," as no leather is genuinely waterproof unless it has been treated to be so. Cordovan leather, however, is the most water-resistant of the available options and is the closest to being really waterproof. In addition to being more resistant to wear and tear, cordovan is also more expensive than calfskin. Creasing is an inevitable part of owning leather shoes, as anyone with even a single pair of shoes will attest. Since leather is actually a skin, it must be flexible enough to conform. to the wearer's every move. Shoes that don't bend would serve little purpose. However, leather that has become creased runs the risk of cracking. In high-flexion locations, like the vamp of the shoe, a crease in calfskin shoes actually forms from many miniature hairline wrinkles. This is a normal and inevitable process that can be mitigated by using shoe trees and protecting the leather with cream polishes. But if the leather isn't kept moist, folds will form. It's only a matter of time before they develop into full-blown fissures. By the way, this is a problem that looks bad regardless of how well or poorly it is covered, is costly to remedy regardless of how well or poorly it is covered, and cannot be fixed entirely. Cordovan leather, on the other hand, forms ripples rather than creases as time passes.
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Even after extensive wear, cordovan shoes seldom show significant signs of creasing. Since cordovan leather is less likely to crack than calfskin, shoes made from it tend to last longer. Because the natural tannins impart distinctive colors during the tanning process. Cordovan leather has the unique ability to age gracefully and create a stunning patina over time. Cordovan leather, unlike other types of skins, does not receive colorful dyes very well, hence the most common coloration of this material is brown, as this is the result of the natural tanning process being the most successful. Of course, black may be colored into almost every hue imaginable. However, the distinctive cordovan color—also known simply as "cordovan"—is probably the reason for the material's widespread recognition. We've been contrasting shell cordovan with calfskin, which is the most common type of leather, in order to better understand shell cordovan. On the other hand, there are numerous important differences between the two. Cordovan leather isn't a perfect product by any stretch of the imagination, despite the fact that it might have a few benefits. If you choose a more durable material, it goes to reason that you will have to put in more work to "break it in." We are unable to state with absolute certainty whether or not Wolverine's first pair of work boots were crafted from. buckskin soft leather; but, we do know from personal experience that current cordovan leather items can be a little bit of a challenge to break in, both figuratively and literally. Obviously, the quantity and purpose of the leather items are major factors here, as a cordovan leather watch band, for example, will require much less breaking in time.
However, given that cordovan is typically used for footwear, you will definitely notice the difference in the form of a longer break-in period there. In addition, cordovan leather isn't as breathable as other materials because of its tighter pore structure. This makes sense, though, because if it's good at keeping water out, it's probably also good at keeping moisture in. While it's true that the temperature has an effect on everyone's feet, those who tend to run hot may find cordovan leather to be a less than ideal material for their footwear. One negative aspect is that it can be challenging to keep up. Cordovan takes a different approach to shoe care than calfskin leather, which is what most people think of when they think about leather maintenance. Standard shoe polish typically contains a sizable amount of solvents specifically designed to make calfskin shine. However, excessive use of these solvents can compromise the cordovan leather's structure. In conclusion, cordovan does have many wonderful features; however, it is important to keep in mind that this material is not a one-size-fits-all answer for each and every pair of shoes that you have in your closet. After investigating all of these unique aspects of cordovan leather, we now turn our attention to the most important topic of the day, which is: why exactly is it so expensive? In a nutshell, the lengthy and intricate tanning process, along with the low overall supply and high overall demand for horse hides, are the primary contributors to the high price of cordovan. In addition, the overall demand for horse hides is rather high.