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ABOUT OUR SKINS

Like other exotic skins, ostrich is a small-area skin compared to bovine and horse hides and is ranked by the follicles per area since they thin out further away from the neck. It is processed consequently in a more particular way to preserve the largest possible space for processing and treatments and is put through more than 30 stages related to this. Per unit, it is comparable to goat and sheep skins, and the range of equipment used is about the same. For this reason, the smaller groups, smaller batches, subsequent longer tanning times and skills, increase the cost, elevating it to a luxury product.

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Ostrich leather is distinct in its appearance and is characterized by raised points that are localized to the center of the hide. The portion with these bumps is called the "crown". It's actually the back of the ostrich where the animal's neck meets its body. The bumps are quill follicles where a feather used to reside. On the left and right side of the diamond shaped crown, the skin is quite smooth. In fact, only about 1/3 of the whole skin has quill 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 dearer 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

Chemical measurements must be precise to avoid mistakes and waste to produce a beautiful, finished skin. Skins are tagged, production takes time, and quality standards are high. Lime is added, removed and redone after days of processing, and expert clipping prevents skins from tangling with each other. Pigmentation cleans out of the surface, tanning with first stage dye prevention along the way. A well-finished hide necessarily receives high-quality natural colors and well-finishing dyes to industry and market standards.

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