Peccary Leather: Definition, Uses, Care and Maintenance

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Peccary Leather: Definition, Uses, Care and Maintenance

Definition

A peccary is a small, nearly pig-like hoofed mammal. Often known as a javelin or a skunk pig, they come from the Tayassuidae animal tribe. They are located all over Central and South America and in North America’s southwestern region. A peccary is very close to the animals of the capybara species.

Peccary hides are very luxurious and Peru manufacturers consider them as the highest quality hides for sale. These leather hides are not very large. To begin with, a peccary is just around 35 – 52 inches in height. Therefore, these hides are not like an average cowhide, as you would expect, so they are used for the fashion industries.

There are many types of peccary leather. To name a few types, there are pigmented, chrome tanned, veg tanned, and crust finishes. Some peccary leather material even has hair, while the others are even and smooth. Artisans and manufacturers rely on the size of the animal’s hide and natural scars. Depending on these factors, they decide whether to tan or dye certain hides of peccary. However, almost all hides nowadays go through treatments to have a more interesting or peculiar finish.

The durability, flexibility and versatility of peccary leather are recognized and valued. This sort of leather is hard-wearing. For instance, peccary gloves may last a lifetime if handled with proper care. Since the material is quite durable and resistant, the daily usage is unlikely to damage peccary gloves.

As for the natural appearance, peccary leather has a smooth, grainy texture and can be recognized in groups of three by clear hair pores. Few farmers only choose to treat the peccary leather pieces taken from the back of the animal. This results in all the follicles being horizontal, providing a distinctive appearance and interesting texture. The leather also gets a glossy finish without any treatments in this case.

This natural leather also has scratches and other flaws, suggesting that this hide is authentic peccary leather since peccaries are feral animals living a rough existence. For a more realistic appearance, the peccary leather sold online is typically chrome-tanned and dyed in many colors. Though, if you stick to eco-friendly materials, use the peccary leather with vegetable tanning.

A peccary is an animal of medium size belonging to the species of wild pigs, slightly resembling the wild boar or warthog. As well as Central and South America, the Peccaries can be found in the southwestern regions of North America. They are feral creatures, but they are killed for their skins, not raised on special farms. The finest hides come from Peru’s wild peccaries.

That is why the legal shooting of peccaries is strictly regulated by the CITES Guidelines to ensure that peccaries are not slaughtered. According to these regulations, the national and international organizations make sure natural peccary hides are sustainable and their use would not affect the ecosystem. This regulation also implies that the availability of peccary hides as well as their prices.

Peccary Leather vs. Other Natural Leather Materials

If you don’t have a chance to find peccary leather, you may try to replace it with such materials:

  • Carpincho;
  • Deerskin;
  • Elk leather;
  • Reindeer;

The most related leather material is Carpincho, a form of big semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, which is derived from the Capybara’s species. Its leather texture is almost identical to suede. It is distinguished by its distinctive pore shape. Carpincho, like peccary, is well-known in the leather manufacture industry for its durability, softness and functionality. It is, however, less expensive than natural peccary leather since it is perceived to be lower inconsistency.

Deerskin, since it has tremendous strength and elasticity, is quite comparable to peccary leather. As it seems to get softer and more supple with time and use, deerskin is also a common material for gloves. It is also a little sensitive since the grain is brittle, but it often has a gritty look with a more grainy texture.

Peccary leather has several little bristles that are very characteristic and you won’t notice them in any other leather, unlike Nappa leather or kidskin (goatskin). It may be mistaken for hog skin or pigskin by certain persons, but peccary is more expensive. Also, it is smoother and very robust at the same time. Due to such reasons, it is called the finest glove leather you can buy today on the market.

Uses

Peccary leather is picked by DIY craftsmen and the most prestigious manufacturers. Typically, peccary gloves are the most favorite products made with this material. However, some manufacturers use it for making purses and wallets. You may create all sorts of fashion pieces from natural peccary leather pieces.

The limited uses are easy to explain. A peccary hide can only be cut properly by exceptionally skilled master glove cutters, resulting in a remarkably well-fitting piece. All premium peccary gloves must be hand sewn owing to the condition of the material.

For footwear, coats and belts this material is also picked. These products are aimed at the premium and luxury market, as predicted by such high-quality content.

One of the world’s most expensive and softest styles of peccary leather. Also, this leather material is commonly used for making luxury products such as wallets and keychains, shoes and dresses all over Europe and the United States.

Benefits of peccary leather:

  • Supple;
  • Incredibly soft;
  • Fabulous patina;
  • Unique fit;
  • Comfort;
  • Exotic;
  • Luxurious;

At first, peccary leather is called a luxury and very trendy material for a number of reasons. Secondly, real peccary goods are long-lasting and the additional price you spend on them would be worth it. Because you won’t have to purchase another pair of gloves to replace a damaged pair that turned out to be prone to wear. Thirdly, this peccary leather is also comfortable and smooth – the longer you wear it, the better it feels.

As for the drawbacks of peccary leather, the items made of this material need certain care in order to keep them looking nice and preserve their fit. Compared with other widely used natural leather materials, it is still very pricey but also has a very unique appearance. It is acceptable for gloves, but not for furniture and other applications where the thicker leather material is required.

Care and Maintenance

You can maintain peccary leather by following certain basic guidelines in order to guarantee that your peccary gloves manage to provide you outstanding service for several years. Do not lubricate gloves except on the thumb area. Because this is where the signs of lubrication may appear in a few years.

Try not to make such gloves muddy, as the peccary’s grainy texture is moisture sensitive. Place the gloves on a towel in case they are wet and let them dry naturally without any heating source nearby. Another bit of advice is to strive to quit a day before wearing wet gloves.

It is quite difficult to clean peccary leather. Most experts recommend using only Marseille soap, you can wash them and dry them away from any heat source. To regain the original look of peccary leather gloves, then try them on daily.

Here is how you should clean peccary leather gloves:

  • Very muddy leather gloves should be placed under running lukewarm warm;
  • Please be cautious not to dry out the leather surface – use a gentle natural fat-free soap;
  • Rub the soap onto your gloves and scrub it out under running water to ensure that the soap residue is gone;
  • Now, gently pull them off;
  • Squeeze out the excessive water softly after they are washed. Do not twist the gloves since it may damage them;
  • Let them dry out now, ideally at room temperature, on a flat surface, without any heating sources nearby;
  • After drying try to reshape them a little bit to bring the initial fit back;

Keep in mind that it may take your gloves several hours to dry and make sure to put them on a number of times during this process to reshape them on your hands after they are completely dry.

If the stain or dirt is mild, consider skipping getting them wet. On the contrary, gently brush on a talcum powder if a deeper color tends to be wet, and the stain would more certainly disappear.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to durability, flexibility and interesting texture, peccary leather is a trendy, luxurious material picked by leather clothes and footwear makers. You can’t go wrong with peccary if you’re searching for high-end leather materials that should last for a lifetime. Though, make sure you purchase from a trustworthy vendor who can guarantee that you will receive natural peccary leather.