The fashion industry heavily relies on leather. All companies usually count on leather to a large extent for their products.  Each kind of leather is different from the other. They differ in terms of quality, finish, durability, consistency, pricing, and flexibility. But, which is the most expensive leather?

Among the several varieties of leather available on the market today, the most expensive one is crocodile leather. The use of this leather can only be seen in luxury brands now.

For any bag business, it is necessary that the raw materials are used from authentic sources and are of good quality. Nevertheless, good leather is one of the critical factors for creating beautiful handbags, purses, etc. So, you must know which leather is budget-friendly and which is the most costly! Hence, to analyse all these facts, please read the entire article.

Which Is The Most Expensive Leather and Why?

Basically, the most expensive leather is crocodile leather. Yes, it literally means leather made out of crocodile skin! Crocodile leather can produce gorgeous handbags! But these are worth a lot!

Leather is already one of the most expensive raw materials for making bags. It is because leather is not initially obtained in its natural form. To get the final results, you need to collect animal hides and process them chemically in tanneries.

So, among the authoritative sources, we have leather from cows, sheep, horses, elephants, hippopotamus, goats, snakes, crocodiles, etc. Now, let's learn about crocodile leather!

Crocodiles are the exclusive species of reptiles that need particular environments to grow. You can't make crocodile farms everywhere. Also, out of 23 species of crocodiles, only one species helps in the production of leather. It contributes to only 1% of the total leather production in the entire world!

You can see high-end brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton making crocodile leather bags. In fact, they already reek of money! Besides, the price of the leather is about 9-10 $ per centimeter. So, the larger the bags become, the more the expense!

Why Is It The Most Costly Leather?

Crocodile leather is unique from all other kinds. In fact, the patterns are so intricate that not all fashion houses are experienced or skilled at working with them. Moreover, there are very few crocodile farms compared to the demand, and not all tanneries are well-equipped with equipment or tools for crocodile skin.

Also, the number of crocodiles is declining every year. As there is a huge deficit, it has become a luxury good. However, there are some other important factors too.

1. Farming

Many fashion brands have their own crocodile farms. But it is not easy to grow one just anywhere. Actually, Australia's Northern and Western parts are more famous for cultivating crocodile farms. They take the eggs from the wild and then grow them. Or simply they buy the eggs from some reliable sources. It is the idea of captive breeding.

Then, the crocodiles are kept to live until they can be slaughtered for the skin. Most handbags require a breadth of 40-50 cm. And for this, you will need about 1 to 1.5-year-old crocodiles and their skin.

Now, the costs take a great upswing from breeding these crocodiles to feeding them, providing for them, providing for the manpower who take care of these species, and labor charges! All these costs add up when you sell a handbag made of crocodile leather.

2. Value Of Skin

Most importantly, the crocodile skin needs to be of very high quality. Maintaining the quality is really tough because the rate falls a bit at each level of processing. That is to say, you can never get the hundred percent of the original product.

Therefore, the value decreases by 25% at each step. However, for a 40-50 cm bag, you need to pay about $400-600 for just the skin. The additional charges are essential too!

3. Preservation

After the collection of skin, it is not used instantly. They are kept for future use by processing them in many ways. Most importantly, the processing must prevent bacterial and fungal overgrowth in them.

Also, to maintain the original texture as much as possible, you need to take care that the skin doesn't crease. Usually, belly-cut surfaces are famous for handbags. They have a smooth finish and have small scales. It makes them easy to handle and quite flexible. But it is not an easy task and requires meticulous preservation work.

4. Comparison With Other Types

Cow leather bags are ubiquitous. And it is very easy to work with cowhide. The vast availability of cows has a significant role too. Usually, 100% original leather bags are expensive; that's a given. But comparatively, cow leather is less costly.

Crocodile leather requires a very high level of craftsmanship. Yes, you can produce master copies. But the genuine crocodile leather bags will look more gorgeous than the replicas, indeed! The skin is so soft that it automatically gives an expensive or sophisticated vibe! A crocodile leather bag with any cool outfit is a perfect go!

However, the fashion brand and the tannery that made the bags also have something to do with their price. If you get it done from extremely high-quality fashion houses, the price will rise. But if you have a start-up, try buying from authentic manufacturers like SLBAG, who can provide you at a cheaper rate.

SLBAG: A Manufacturer You Can Trust

Most bag companies use good-quality leather. Of course, the high-end brands use the best ones on the market. But the small-scale manufacturers also try to use authentic crocodile leather or genuine products made from other types of leather.

Since the main concern is about crocodile leather, let's talk about it first. To identify genuine ones, you need to closely observe the patterns, texture, and quality.

Usually, these are pretty rigid, and the patterns are very compact. The prints will be homogeneous in size and shape and do not change abruptly. The grains are also quite non-uniform. Crocodile leather should feel soft. Also, ask the supplier for authentic documents for its justification.

Crocodile bags SLBAG come at a reasonable price range, and you can even check for yourself how authentic they are. You get to consult with the experts there. Also, you may buy in bulk and then sell wholesale to gain more profit!

They try to use as much high-quality leather as possible. Buying these expensive bags from trusted manufacturers like SLBAG can help you save a great deal of money and time for your bag business! Most importantly, you don't have to roam around looking for the raw materials from one place and then the bags from another!

Conclusion

Crocodile leather is the most expensive type of leather out there. The lack of good tanneries, skilled human resources, the deficit of crocodiles, etc., have led to its vast demands and price! So, for the fashion crazy people out there, crocodile bags are like rare luxury goods! These leather are very high maintenance and need special care.

So, by now, you must have understood which is the most expensive leather and why. Thank you for reading the entire article with patience. And for more bag-related queries, contact SLBAG. They have the solution to all your bag business problems! Have a great day!