The Leather

The kangaroo leather range, known internationally as K-Leather, is by far the most popular choice for manufacturers looking for high-performance technical leather with superior qualities.

INFORMATION ON AUSTRALIAN KANGAROOS

There are estimated to be over 55 million kangaroos in Australia and only about 3.5 million of these are harvested every year. Kangaroos are one of the most populated wild animals in the world. It is a known fact that after years of severe drought kangaroos can increase their population by over 100% within 12months.

All our kangaroo skins are harvested sustainably and there will not ever be a threat to the species due to the large areas of National Parks and Reserves that act as a safety refuge for kangaroos.

KANGAROO LEATHER

Kangaroo leather boasts the following performance properties:

● High strength                 ● Light weight                   ● Durability

Kangaroo leather is highly organised by main fibre bundle structures, which has a secondary fibre mesh in support of the bundles. It is this, combined with the low angle of weave, low fat content and a grain:corium ratio, that provides superior strength compared to leathers from such raw materials as cabretta. For these reasons, K-leather is the preferred choice for leather products that require lightweight, yet strong designs.

Angle of weave: The kangaroo fibre structure is aligned almost in parallel to the surface of the leather and is formed from very long threadlike molecules of proteinous collagen twisted together. Given this, it offers exceptional strength.

Low fat content: Kangaroo diets are generally quite poor and combined with the extreme heat in which they live, thus results in virtually no fat within the fibre structure.  Cabretta, goat or bovine leather is much more variable, fat takes up space in the cross section of the skin and when it is removed during tanning “voids” are left, which can cause a reduction in strength per unit thickness.

Grain – Corium Ratio: The majority of strength comes from the corium, where the fibre bundles are much more dense.  K-leather has a very think grain layer and its thickness can easily be reduced without detriment to the strength of the final leather, owing to the fact that the natural thickness of a kangaroo skin is mainly found to be in the range of 1.0 to 1.2mm.