Crafting an exotic skin bag vs. a regular leather bag.

So I get asked the question all the time… what makes an alligator or an ostrich bag so different than a leather bag in terms of how they are made?

Aside from the cost of the materials affecting the price of the bag, the other huge difference between leather bags and exotics is the skilled labor involved in making the bag. Exotic skins such as ostrich and alligator have textural qualities that vary throughout the skin. They have a ‘grain’ much like a piece of wood. The usual varieties of leather used for ‘leather handbags’ are lambskin and calfskin/cowhides. These skins do not have a grain and can be cut from any direction and can create panels and folds in any manner the manufacturer desires.

 Ostrich hides have a central region where the plumes of the ostrich once removed have a follicle shaft that results in the beautifully prominent bumps that are so desirable. This is called the ‘full quill’ region with the smooth under part being the belly. See below and also note how little of it actually has the prized region of bumps.

Let’s now look at alligator  where the scales, known as ‘tiles’ vary in size and placement throughout the body of the skin. These tiles also tend to vary in thickness especially where they meet where suddenly the hide becomes thin and fragile if not handled properly.The alligator hide have five main regions of textural variability…the belly being the most prized and desirable is the more ‘squared’ region of tiles.

 The main body of handbags is usually made from the belly. The tail has more of an oblong shape to the tiles and will usually end up becoming the gussets of a bag, piping, the bottom panel, or what belts are made of. The flanks (sides of the alligator belly), the arms, and head of the alligator have three slightly variant oval-ish shaped tiles from one another. A trained eye can identify the difference between all three immediately when looking at the skin on a crafted item. These are used traditionally for contrast in the form of smaller panels, trim, handles, zipper collar (the trim around zippers), etc. No parts go wasted as every centimeter is accounted for. I say centimeter because the skin is so precious and rare that it is actually sold by the centimeter!

Alligator Belly Region above, Tail shown below

Extra care must be taken when sewing these skins because sewing machine needles that are calibrated for leather can still misbehave when going over a region where the bump of the ostrich quill is or the varying thickness of the alligator tile is. Due to the nature of the grain of these skins, the patterns of that particular handbag, wallet, etc., must be laid out with precision. Panels must be cut symmetrically and per the designers design criteria. The craftsman working on the bag must have a critical artisan eye. Occasionally a mar or scar exists on the skin which means a whole new strategy is employed to cut around that scar and still not compromise the designer’s vision. The pattern simply can’t be turned perpendicular to the grain or diagonal just for ease of cutting. The entire bag must be carefully mapped out before a single cut is made because there is no room for error. If more than one skin is being used for a particular bag design, the placement of pattern pieces must correlate from one skin to another as well.

The preparation of the panels for sewing edges involves more techniques to allow the tough hide to fold, bend, and stay in place for sewing. If needed, the factory will employ a technique of ‘splitting’ the skin which uses a specially calibrated machine to shave off a fine layer of the skin from the underside or if thickness is to be diminished on the edges, they are placed through a skive to shave a beveled thin layer off to allow for greater flexibility.

The layering and inner workings of an exotic skin bag also need specialized cardboard and interfacing for structured bags or just interfacing that will allow flexibility in softer designs. These are attached and assembled with more care than leather bags. The threads used in stitching are stronger and any glues and resins used must be designed not to affect the desired suppleness of the exotics.

It also takes years before an already experienced leather craftsman can build up the skill set before becoming an intern in the field of exotics. From there, it could take the intern anywhere from five to ten years before becoming a self-sufficient exotic skin bag maker. We’re looking at a craftsman who has spent decades of commitment to developing his trade to the level of artisanal work. A typical leather bag can take a few hours to cut and assemble from start to finish whereas an exotic skin bag can take two to five days to create depending on the complexity of the design. The most challenging of designs can require the collaboration of two individuals working on the same bag and allocating component creation according to their strengths. Ie, one may be better at creating a handle whereas the other may be more adept to creating the piping trim. The end result is a material that is tough and difficult to handle being worked into a design that pays respect and showcases the natural beauty and features of that particular skin.