Most of today’s leather comes from cows but there are plenty of other sources for quality leather.

Cow leather is the most form of leather today. Any item marked as “leather” without any further specifications is most likely leather from a cow. Depending on the tanning process, cow leather can be very stiff to fairly flexible.

Deer leather is usually considered one of the softest leathers available. It is very thin and flexible and feels nice on the skin. It however lacks the strength of other forms of leather. It is strong enough for collars or clothing but will not withstand heavy use like in suspension bondage.

Kangaroo leather is almost as soft as deer but much much stronger. It is highly abrasion resistant and works well for any use. If you can find and afford it, that is.

Snake and crocodile skins can made into leather but are usually not very soft or flexible. That together with the price and size of pieces available makes it unsuitable for bondage for another other than decoration. You can however find animal masks or outfits using this type of leather.

Rabbit leather, or rabbit fur, is different from the other leathers in that the skin is tanned with the hair attached. This makes for a very soft, durable fur that works well for padding cuffs or bondage furniture.

When purchasing leather toys or accessories, it is often hard to judge the material the item is made of. Grain corrected leather is the most common - Items made from full grain materials are usually marked as such.

Natural, or full, grain leather is the best and most durable type of leather. Other than the removal of hair, the surface has not been worked. This preserves the natural grain of the leather resulting in beautiful and stretchable leather. Full grain leather does age well and resists tearing very well.

Grain corrected, or artificial grain, leather is made of lower quality materials than full grain leather. When the natural grain of the leather is not properly formed or has been damaged (scaring during the life of the animal or when removing the hide), the grain is removed by sanding. The smooth side is then imprinted with an artificial grain and usually heavily colored to mask the sanding. This results in leather that feels softer and has a very even texture. Unfortunately, with wear the texture tends to fade. The sanding process also reduces the strength of the material. Using grain corrected leather for bondage is very common, however the items will wear quicker.

Suede is leather made from the interior parts of the hide. It is fuzzy on both sides and does not have a natural grain. It also does not have the strength of top-grain leather.

Bonded leather is also known as engineered or reconstituted leather. As the name implies it is not actually leather but consists of a high percentage of natural leather fibres that are bonded with glue. Many cheap paddles are made of bonded leather, however the low durability makes it a bad fit.

Leather care is very important as most damage to leather is irreversible. Especially red rot will ruin most toys.
After use it is important to clean the leather from any bodily fluids. This is best done with a damp sponge. No cleaning products should be needed.
After the leather has been cleaned. There are two different schools for conditioning. The first is based on the fact that if you are careful and never damage the leather does not need conditioning. Leather like this usually stays in shape very well until a certain point. Then it suddenly starts deteriorating very quickly. The second idea is constant conditioning. Before the first use a conditioner is applied to keep any dirt or sweat from entering the leather. This means that the leather needs to be conditioned after each use.
After it is clean and conditioning, it needs to be stored in warm, dry places. Do not put leather in plastic bags as it needs to breath. Do not allow the leather to get wet not store it in very dry places (<40% humidity) as that will dry out the leather. Never allow leather to freeze.