A friend of mine has gotten into a new trade recently—leather tanning.
It’s just a hobby at the moment, but he’s hoping to eventually turn it into a full-time trade.
He’s really passionate about it, and it’s easy to see that he loves his work.
He’s usually only worked with cow leather, and as part of his dream of getting a business going, he’s looking to expand the types of leather he uses.
He asked me if I knew anything about goat leather since I’ve always owned goats—particularly he asked me about the flexibility.
So, does goat leather stretch?
Yes, goat leather stretches—indeed, it is widely considered unrivaled in its elasticity. It is incredibly flexible and stretchy, as a result of the fact that it is so much softer than cow leather. Goat leather is not as durable, but it is by far the stretchiest kind.
If goat leather has one thing going for it, it’s the stretchiness of it when compared with other leathers.
The more commonly used cow leather is far, far less stretchy and flexible, and is, therefore, a great deal tougher to work with.
Both have advantages, though, so let’s look further into this.
How stretchy is goat leather?
Understandably, this is quite difficult to quantify.
The best way to do it will be as it compares to other kinds of leather.
Right away, I will say as I have already said, goat leather is widely considered to be the stretchiest of all kinds of leather.
I say considered, because, again, you cannot really put a number value on this.
At least, not one everyone would necessarily agree on.
Starting off with the basics, cows are much bigger animals, with, as a result, much thicker skin.
This gives cow leather some desirable qualities which goat leather may lack, but it also makes it much more rigid and less flexible.
Compared to goat leather, it’s not very stretchy at all.
Oddly enough, kangaroos are actually considered to have the toughest leather, pound for pound.
Kangaroo leather is more flexible than cow, but still pretty rigid as a result of its toughness.
Goat leather is more flexible than kangaroo leather.
The only point of contention would be sheep leather.
Sheep and lamb leather is the only other variety commonly considered to be the most flexible.
It does, however, feel a little heavier on the body compared with goat leather.
In any case, goat leather is very stretchy—how tough is it, though?
How tough is goat leather?
First things first, it is not nearly as strong as cow leather.
This is the main reason cow leather has been favored throughout the world.
It is far stronger and more durable than goat leather, and with the right care, will last much, much longer.
That said, goat leather is still very tough.
Especially when compared with other leathers, and indeed other fabrics.
A properly maintained goat-leather item could be with you for more than a decade.
Where sheep leather may have the edge on flexibility, goat leather is certainly tougher.
So, there is something of a trade-off there.
In any case, looked at in isolation, virtually any kind of leather is going to be a very tough material.
Goat is a strong leather, and as long as its well maintained, will have all the appearance of toughness that cow leather has.
How do you soften goatskin leather?
So, as I’ve been saying, one of the big things with leather and its durability is how well you maintain it. it isn’t like other materials, which you simply throw in the washing machine.
It has to be cared for.
Goat leather, in particular, will begin to dry out and lose its stretch if not properly cared for.
For the most part, it’s as simple as just purchasing a leather conditioner, and applying a full coat to your item.
Let it sit for a few hours after it has been applied.
Then, with a soft piece of cloth, wipe the cream off and let it sit again for a little while.
This will soften and moisturize the leather, and get it back to its old shape.
How stretchy is cow leather vs goat leather?
So, the verdict, as you’ve seen, is that goat or sheep leather is the stretchiest, while cow leather is the most durable.
But how stretchy is cow leather, compared with goat?
Well, the simple answer is basically not at all.
Cow leather has more or less all of its main advantages in its exceptional strength and durability.
Properly cared for, a cow leather garment could last you the rest of your life.
However, as you might expect, this toughness comes from a great deal of extra thickness.
That extra thickness makes the cow leather far, far less stretchy.
If you need a stretchy leather for a project of some kind, then there is no doubt that goat leather is the choice over cow leather.
Cow leather basically has no flexibility.
So, again, there is a considerable trade-off, and it will depend on what you need.
Goat leather is uniquely stretchy, then.
There may be other kinds which are tougher, more durable, able to be used in a wider variety of applications, but we can say with a good degree of certainty that goat leather is the stretchiest of the most commonly available kinds of leather.
If you’re looking for a softer, smoother piece of leather clothing than is offered by cow leather, then a goat leather garment may be the way to go.
Just be aware that, naturally, the durability suffers.