Kangaroos are unique mammals in that they are classified as marsupials – that is they carry their undeveloped young inside a pouch on their abdomen until they are mature enough to fend for themselves. 70% of all marsupials on Earth are found on the Australian continent. This unique environment/ climate and thousands of years of evolution has resulted in Kangaroo leather that has superior qualities compared to other types of leather.
Benefits of Kangaroo leather:
- Unique hide composition/ characteristics
- High Tensile Strength
- Weight/Thickness
- Can be used to make many products
- Resistant to tearing
- Quality
- Resistant to drying out
- Will stretch
- Does not crack
- Sustainable product
- Variety of types
Kangaroo leather is vastly different to other leather in that its fibre composition is unique. Kangaroo or K-leather is considered an exotic leather in most parts of the world, except in Australia, where Kangaroos are found in abundance. Farmers consider them pests and complain that kangaroos eat their livestock feed, but they are amazing mammals which can survive in a harsh conditions, and are a valuable resource as they also provide meat, leather and help boost the tourism of Australia. Let’s take a look at what makes this creatures and its leather so special.
Unique hide composition & characteristics.
Kangaroo or K-leather as its also referred too, has very unique properties. Its collagen fibres are arranged in rows parallel to the skin surface. It has no sweat glands or erector pili muscles. Most importantly, elastin is spread evenly throughout the surface or thickness of the hide. This unique combination and arrangement of fibres all help to increase k-leathers tensile strength.
So what exactly does this mean and how is it different compared to cowhide?
The collagen fibres of cowhide are arranged in a cross web weaved pattern. This means that if the hide is cut many of these overlapping cross weaved fibres will be broken resulting in weak points where the hide can tear.
The elastin in cowhide is found mainly in the upper surface and reduces throughout its thickness. This results in an overall weaker hide as elastin gives leather its stretch and strength.
Cowhide contains sweat glands and erector pili which further reduces its tensile strength.
Strength of K-Leather compared to other hides.
K-leather is the strongest leather per thickness/ weight due to its unique hide composition. K-leather is up to ten times stronger than cowhide.
When K-leather is split into thinner pieces it retains much of its tensile strength. If split to 20% of its original thickness it retains 30-60% of its original strength. Compare this to calf skin which when split to 20% of its original thickness only retains 1-4% of its original strength. This gives Kangaroo a huge advantage over other leather and clearly demonstrates its superior strength.
If you would like to read up a bit more on the strength of K-leather please check out my post on what is the strongest leather.
Weight/ Thickness of Kangaroo leather.
The average thickness of Kangaroo leather is about 1mm (under 3 oz.) compared to cowhide which is 1.2mm – 1.4mm (3-4 oz.) thick. This makes Kangaroo leather much lighter as there is less leather used in shoes, boots, jackets, gloves etc. Combine this lightweight leather with its amazing tensile strength and it has a distinct advantage over other leather. This combination makes it perfect for use in a wide variety of products.
What products are made with Kangaroo
Due to its amazing strength and weight K-leather is used to make a variety of everyday products as well as more specialized hi-tech products. Here are some examples:
Football cleats: Adidas Copa, Nike Tiempo Legend, Puma King Pro all use K-leather in their football boots (cleats) due to its lightweight and overall strength and durability. As the leather is thinner than other hides it gives the user more “feel” and control on the ball than thicker leather. As it’s lightweight, this also helps with speed when kicking and running. Due to pressure from various environmental groups Nike, Puma and Adidas are gradually phasing out the use of Kangaroo in their sporting equipment.
Motorcycle racing suits: Kangaroo leather has been widely used to make racing suits. It makes sense to use in racing due to its weight, where every kilogram/ pound counts in an extra split second gained on the track in time. Due to its unique fibre arrangement K-leather has a high abrasion resistance and provides great protection to a falling rider.
Whips: Because of its elastic nature and high tensile strength it makes for an ideal whip. When cut into narrow strips it can be easily woven or braided.
Work boots and shoes: K-leather is regularly used for shoes and work boots as the make thinner, stronger, lightweight, supple and comfy boots that shape to the users foot.
Kangaroo or K-leather can also be used to make wallets, gloves, jackets, hats and bags and other sporting products such as baseball mits, boxing bags and gloves.
Why is K-leather resistant to tearing?
K-leather is resistant to tearing because of its genetic makeup and unique arrangement of fibres. As mentioned, although it’s quite thin, it has a high tensile strength compared to other thicker leathers and manages to retain its strength even when its thickness is reduced.
Further to this, the arrangement of collagen fibres, which run mostly parallel to each other help maintain its strength, even when the hide is cut or thinned. This is because only a small amount of fibres will be cut as they are arranged parallel to each other and are not in a cross weave pattern like cowhide.
The even distribution of elastin throughout the thickness of the hide gives it the ability to stretch without tearing. Obviously if enough tensile force is applied it will eventually break, but with K-leather this point is far higher than any other leather of the same weight/ thickness.
Is Kangaroo good quality leather.
K-leather is a high quality leather because it has a number of qualities that aren’t found in many leathers:
- It’s a strong and durable leather.
- It has high tensile strength and can be thinned while retaining its strength.
- It has a high resistance to abrasion.
- It is thinner than most leathers and therefore lightweight.
- Can be used to make a variety of products.
- It darkens or develops a patina much quicker than other leather.
- It can stretch easily but will not crack.
- Production of K-leather is limited or strictly controlled and is considered a sustainable resource.
- Because of the factors above it can be more expensive than other leathers.
Kangaroo hide has a matte texture compared to cowhide. It will also darken quite quickly compared to other leathers. Kangaroo, as with other hides will normally have a few marks & scratches, which only adds to the character of the hide. The early forming patina also adds its overall beauty.
Is K- leather resistant to drying out?
K-leather is considered more of a dry leather compared to cowhide but is more resistant to drying out than calf skin. This is due to its low fat content. It is also not waterproof so please take care when used in the rain.
Like any leather, K-leather needs to be cleaned, cared for and well maintained to prevent it from drying out and eventually cracking. If you get your boots or jacket wet, they will need to be wiped down and cleaned. Any dirt needs to be removed by cleaning them with a mild soapy solution and will then need to be left to dry naturally out of direct sun and in a ventilated room/ area.
Can K-leather Stretch?
Yes, it will stretch quite easily due to the thin hide and the even spread of elastin within the hide. K-leather is very supple and very comfortable and doesn’t take very long to wear in for a new boot or shoe.
Will Kangaroo hide crack easily?
K-leather doesn’t crack easily due to its supple skin which is high in elastin which is evenly distributed throughout the hide. The collagen fibres also play a role in preventing cracking. K-leather can crease easily but this is due to its thinness rather than poor quality. Cracking in leather is usually caused by a loss of moisture in the hide. K-leather still needs to be looked after or maintained but is generally far better equipped to resist cracking.
Is Kangaroo leather a sustainable resource?
Yes, it is as the kangaroo population in Australia is carefully controlled as a permit is needed to hunt them. Only a certain number of hunting permits are issued each year. There are many different species of kangaroos but most of them are protected and only a few species are allowed to be hunted. Kangaroos are not culled specifically for their leather but rather for their meat which is widely exported throughout the world. The leather is just an extra benefit that is too valuable to waste.
Is Kangaroo leather legal in USA
K-leather is legal in all 50 states in the US, except for California which banned its use in 1971 when it was believed they were near extinction by then President Ronald Reagan. This banning still stands today even though the Kangaroo population is carefully monitored and controlled and nowhere near extinction.
You can obviously purchase Kangaroo leather in Australia but there are also stores and farms that stock it in the USA.
Price of Kangaroo leather
Kangaroo hide is more expensive than cowhide. The price per hide varies but it can be as little as $70 or as much as $130 per hide. The restriction in the amount of Kangaroos that can be culled each year varies, and this limited supply does drive up the price. The higher price is certainly worth paying for when you look at the benefits. Here is a link to the Montana Leather company to get a better idea of pricing.
How to care/ maintain Kangaroo leather
It needs to be cleaned regularly and wiped of any excess dirt. If necessary, wipe with a semi dry soapy solution on a cloth and then let it dry naturally.
Conclusion
There you have it, Kangaroo is an all round top performing leather that has many uses and is incredibly tough and versatile. Although slightly pricey, it’s definitely worth the extra expense as the advantages clearly outweigh the negatives. As an exotic leather it definitely ranks as one of my favourites to use.