Rugged nubuck jacket, made here at our London atelier for 007 Pierce Brosnan’s Die Another Day film.
Nubuck can sometimes be the under-appreciated relative of suede and leather, but at Cromford Leather we love quality nubuck skins or hides which lend themselves particularly well to rugged garments such as shooting vests or jackets.
Nubuck leather is made using the tougher, more resilient top grain layer of the skin or hide (unlike the layer beneath which is less strong and used to make suede). Being the top, outermost layer, nubuck can be very marked and have numerous defects showing so the top grain leather goes through a sanding and buffing process which produces a more consistent finish on the nubuck.
It’s this sanding process which leaves the short nap of protein fibres, giving the nubuck leather a beautiful velvet-like finish. Nubuck can then be dyed or stained just like traditional leather or suede and stroking a quality nubuck garment will see the colour change shade as the nap moves from one direction to the other!
With wear, nubuck will develop a beautiful patina, possibly looking like a well-worn blacksmith’s apron after a few years. With extended use, marks and signs of ageing will appear which should be embraced as part of the character and history of the garment.
We have nubuck garments available in our Ready To Wear collection – the Jackman gilet and the Cooper jacket. Additionally, if you have a bespoke garment you would like us to make for you, we can source the most amazing velvety nubuck for you in a variety of shades so please send us an enquiry for more details or to receive some nubuck swatches.
