The story of the use of leather starts with our distant ancestors who protected themselves from the elements by covering their bodies and feet in animal skin. This practice is still the basis for leather crafting which today encompasses shoes, clothing, bags, furniture and other products.
Leather is a natural, durable and beautiful material that has stood the test of time. It is resistant to abrasion and wind which made it ideal for the rugged occupations of hunters and trappers and even for modern riders such as motorcycle and airplane pilots. Its suppleness also makes it an excellent material for sports equipment such as baseball gloves and balls. For your own Mens Handmade Leather Belts, go to a site like www.hipandwaisted.com/handmade/mens-leather-belts
As early cave pictographs show, untreated hides quickly putrefy and it was therefore necessary to find ways to preserve the skins for longer periods of time so that they could be worn and used for clothing, shelter and tools. By trial and error, man figured out how to stretch the skins, rub them with animal brains and even smoke them to make them last longer. It was not until the ancient Greeks developed tanning formulas from tree barks and leaves that tanned leather became a widespread industry in Europe and Asia.
In the 11th century, leather craft took a major leap forward with the development of specialised metal tools for working with leather. By the middle ages, we see artisans embellishing their works with leather stamps to create patterns on the surface of the leather. The Moors of Spain took this art to an unprecedented level with intricately tooled leather saddles.
