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Confused by all the belt lingo…
Never fear, we are here to help you navigate through.
Here is our guide to selecting and wearing a leather belt.
Generally speaking there are two different types of belts, Dress Belts and Casual Belts.
DRESS BELTS
• Worn with suits, slacks or dress shorts,
• 3.0 – 3.5 cm wide,
• Simplistic – no excessive branding or embellishments,
• Colour and material should match your shoes (eg black and shiny or brown and suede),
• Buckle metal should match your watch metal where possible.
“Every Wardrobe Needs: a Black and Brown Dress Belt”.
Reversible Belts and Automatic Buckle Belts.
Reversible Belts:
Pro - Convenient two belts in one,
Con - Both sides wear at the same rate.
Automatic Buckle:
Pro - Less wear and tear on the belt,
Pro - Smaller increment sizing for those in between sizes,
Con - Ratchet can get stuck if pulled too tight.
CASUAL BELTS
• Worn with jeans, chinos, cargos and shorts,
• 3.8 – 4.0 cm wide,
• Colour should match your shoes,
• Generally a matte finish,
• Everyday wear - so don’t skimp on this one. A good quality full grain leather is best.
“Every wardrobe needs: a Black and Brown Full Grain Casual Belt.”
Generally speaking it is our opinion that if the belt is for everyday wear, albeit casual or work, then you should invest in a good quality Full Grain Leather Belt, if possible. But for fashion or occasional wear, then you can absolutely save yourself some $$$ by wearing one of our quality Genuine Leather Belts.
So now you are probably wondering what is this Full Grain leather you speak of…
Let me run you through the different types of leather and leather processes.
GENUINE LEATHER
Is a belt that is made with a softer cut of the hide and is often finished with a plastic coating to give it a specific finish and an improved scratch resistance.
Our genuine leather belts are made with strength and durability in mind. These are not the discount store belts that split in half or mark easily. We pride ourselves on designing belts that ensure we have happy and loyal customers returning.
FULL GRAIN - BEST CUT
This is 100% leather that has been cut from the top piece of hide and contains all the scaring and imperfections from the animal. This is the strongest part of the hide and ages beautifully.
TOP GRAIN
This is 100% leather that has been cut from the top piece of hide however it has been buffed and sanded to remove any imperfections from the hide. These belts are generally more polished and even looking.
All leather belts need to be tanned in order to stabilize the proteins
and ensure that the belt will not rot. There are two types of tanning processes.
CHROME TANNED
Most belts these days are chrome tanned. The process is much quicker and allows for higher volumes of turnover. Unfortunately this does come at a cost to the environment due to the chemicals used.
VEGETABLE TANNED - SUPERIOR QUALITY
This is the old process for tanning leather using natural products like tree bark. The process often takes weeks or months, is better for the environment and is a fine art. These are the kind of belts that last a lifetime and get better with age - given the right care.
Cowhide vs Buffalo Hide
COWHIDE
Majority of our belts are made with cow hide. They offer a strong, natural and breathable product. Cowhides are generally stretched during the tanning process which allow for larger hides and can give it a little more elasticity.
BUFFALO HIDE
It has been our experience that Buffalo Hide is often a little stronger and harder wearing. It can be a bit stiffer to start with. This is due to the fibers being thicker and not having been stretched during the tanning process.. Buffalo Hides are generally tanned using the veg tan process or a combination of chrome and veg tan processes.
