THE BENEFITS AND BADIES OF HAND-MADE VS. MASS-PRODUCED LEATHER BELT
Have you ever purchased a leather belt believing it to be authentic only to have it flake off after a few months? That belt wasn't created with genuine leather, I can tell you of that.
The best leather is used to create handmade leather belts, resulting in aesthetically beautiful, long-lasting objects with a delicate texture and natural scent.
Although mass-produced leather belts are inexpensive and appear glitzy and brilliant on the outside, their endurance cannot be guaranteed.
I have a few questions for you regarding your belts.
·Are their natural markings uneven, or does the pattern remain the same?
·Did each of your belts smell like plastic or organic when you first purchased them?
·Was the cost of the "genuine leather" belt too exorbitant or suspiciously low?
·Do your belts last long enough to develop a lovely dark tone, or do they become worn out sooner?
You'll learn the answers to these queries as we examine the advantages and disadvantages of each type, and perhaps you'll be able to distinguish between the two belt types going forward.
1 – MADE BY HAND LEATHER BELTS.
Belts made of leather have a natural appearance. They are constructed of real leather, which has the scars, stretch marks, and flaws that are characteristic of high-quality leather.
The holy grail of leather accessories, leather belts can be considered, and if you're seeking for quality and sturdiness, I suggest handcrafted belts. However, there are a few drawbacks to them.
Let's examine both their positive and negative attributes.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HAND-MADE LEATHER BELTS
Superior Quality and Durability
Due to the excellent quality leather used, hand-made leather belts are of a higher caliber and, with proper care, can last for more than ten years.
There are three categories for grading leather based on the area of the animal's skin that it comes from:
·Full grain leather is the best and is used to produce expensive leather goods since it contains natural marks and flaws.
·Split grain, sometimes known as "genuine leather," is mostly utilized to produce footwear and upholstery since it lacks natural marks.
·Bonded leather is the lowest quality available from leftover leather scraps and is used to create budget-friendly bags, books, and office supplies.
Our premium hand-crafted leather belts are handcrafted at HimHer Leather using full-grain Horween leather.
The edges of our belts are burnished (rubbed to make them smoother) and then polished to give them a traditional appearance and boost their tensile strength.
We also utilize solid brass buckles, which increase the belts' overall durability because brass is difficult to break.
A trait that is difficult to find in synthetic leather belts that crack over time is the ability to manipulate handmade belts without damaging them.
This may have happened to you when tying your belt. When you pulled on it a little too hard, it broke. When using genuine leather belts, that doesn't occur.
Their flexibility can be attributed to the tanning procedure, which softens rawhide by adding enzymes, creating a warm, supple material.
Genuine leather may have a rough appearance and appear stiff, but it is actually soft and malleable like skin. It is skin after all—animal skin.
Over Time, Real Leather Will Patina.
Over time, genuine leather turns a darker color. Patina is the term for this aging, which deepens and intensifies over time.
Transfer of sweat, oil, or filth from the hands
Body heat, solar heat, and other types of heat
natural degradation brought on by friction
interaction with water or spilt beverages
Patinas can only be created on full-grain leather. The lack of pores in other leather grades prevents them from being able to absorb substances that would cause them to change color.
Genuine leather enthusiasts understand what it's like to possess vintage leather products with deep patina. It's a sentiment that is indescribable in words.
Natural Pleasant Smell
I can't ignore this issue because those who actually adore leather goods take smell into account.
The next time you go belt shopping, you may put the scent test to the test. Some people find the smell of real leather to be pleasant.
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Did You Know This About Leather's Smell? During the tanning process, leather gets its distinctive fragrance. Tree barks, leaves, and other natural materials are used in the conventional tanning process, also referred to as "vegetable tanning." Long after the rawhide transforms into leather, the aroma of these substances is still present in the hide. Because of this, it has a smell when leather goods are finished. |
Some people's recollections of their childhood huts in the country are brought back by the smell. Others conjure up images of rocky landscapes, wide-open spaces, and exhilarating adventures that uplift them.
The aroma, according to these leather fans, is "leathery," "woody," or "oaky." No matter how they try to reproduce it on imitation leather, the smell is always organic.
Genuine leather has a wonderful aroma, and HimH Leather belts also do.
BENEFITS OF HAND-MADE LEATHER BELTS
Expensive Because of the Expensive Process Involved
Due to the labor-intensive steps taken during the tanning and belt-making processes, handmade leather belts are pricey.
Vegetable tanning is a common way of tanning, however it can be fairly expensive and take months to complete all the steps.
The table below provides more information on the various tanning stages.
| Stage | Procedure | Objective |
| Curing | Soaking the hides in water concentrated with salt | To prevent bacterial and fungal growth |
| Liming | Soaking the hides in milk of lime | To remove grease and fats |
| Fleshing | Passing the hides through rotating scraping rolls | To remove meat residue and connective tissue |
| Dehairing | Applying sodium hydroxide and calcium hydrosulfide | To remove hair |
| De-liming | Adding acids to the hides | To reduce alkalinity and shrink the fibers |
| Pickling | Treatment with enzymes | To soften the hides |
Handcrafting leather belts starts after the leather is ready.
You will spend more to wear a sought-after handcrafted leather belt around your waist because of that time-consuming process.
2 - LEATHER BELTS MADE IN MASS
Since I've been working with leather for more than six years, I can confirm that mass-produced leather belts are missing one essential component: personality.
They lack the organic flaws and scars that give genuine leather its personality. They either feature a machine-embossed surface that mimics the texture of real leather, or a shiny plain surface that is prone to flaking.
Bonded leather
Alligator print genuine leather
Because they contain chemicals like polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), these fake leather goods smell like plastic.
Despite this, mass-produced leather belts offer benefits as well, which we will contrast with their drawbacks.
MASS-PRODUCTION LEATHER BELTS' ADVANTAGE
Low Cost and Availability
You won't spend more for a leather belt that is mass-produced because it isn't made of genuine leather, saving you money.
The process of mass production is easy. To give it a vintage appearance, leftover leather is shred and glued with polyurethane before the mixture is put over fiber and sprayed with a glossy finish.
Since the procedure is quick, imitation leather belts can be produced in great quantities and are thus widely accessible.
ADVANTAGE OF LARGE-SCALE LEATHER BELTS
Low Quality and Durability
The low-quality components used in mass-produced leather belts contribute to their poor quality. These fake leather items go by names like:
synthetic leather
Pleather
artificial leather
Adhesive leather
For instance, leftover leather is combined with polyurethane and placed onto a piece of fabric to create bonded leather, which is then completed with a glossy spray.
