When it comes to giving gifts to loved ones, the task can either be incredibly easy or incredibly difficult. Some people know exactly what they want, down to the brand and model. Of course, this can take some thought out of the gift — but it does make your job easier, even if you find yourself spending more money than you expected on the gift in question. Some people aren’t sure about what they want; and for that matter, there are those who aren’t going to make it easy for you, and would prefer to be surprised. Giving a surprise gift should involve ingenuity and creativity. The more thought you put into it, the more you can show off how well you know the recipient, and how much you care. Of course, there are some things that people always love. One of those things is leather. Leather products have long been popular in the fashion world, and in fact are staples of many people’s wardrobes. It’s believed that the average consumer is wearing four different leather products at any given time. Leather looks good and feels good. It has a sense of luxury, and you can find a variety of different leather pieces on the market. There are the classics like mens leather belts and leather briefcases; and then there are more creative pieces, like mens leather backpacks and leather keychains. Let’s look into a brief history of leather products, why they’re popular today, and what you can choose from.

Fine Leather Goods: A Brief History

There are so many different types of leather goods to choose from. The use of leather goods began thousands of years ago. The Roman Empire used leather sails on boats. Ancient Egypt got a little bit more sophisticated with leather, using it for household items like furniture, tents, weapons, and body armor. About 1000 years later, fashionable women began wearing leather, and of course it would stick around for centuries to follow. The leather aviator jacket used by General Patton in World War II and the black leather jacket popularized by James Dean in the 1950s would create amazing trends throughout the fashion world — and yes, perhaps they prefaced mens leather backpacks. In the 1980s, European fashion houses like Claude Montana, Versace, Armani, Ungaro, Fendi, Gucci, Alaia, and more would take the lead in making leather into wearable apparel. As recently as this year, young actress Chloe Moretz modeled leather goods for Coach, proving that leather remains as popular as ever.

Leather Goods: Choosing Your Gift

Obviously, there are many different leather goods to choose from. Leather jackets remain classic, as do leather goods. With that being said, many designers have gotten more creative than ever with leather goods. Mens leather backpacks are unique in several regards. Mens leather backpacks combine the practicality of a backpack with the style of leather, and are popular among young men in particular. Older generations may want to stay a bit more classic. Don’t forget women! Women love leather bags and purses, and are eager to hop onto the leather trend every fall and winter. Of course, you shouldn’t just think about the product you’re giving, but its quality.

Quality: Choosing Good Leather

It’s easy to fall for a scam when it comes to leather. There are many untrustworthy people selling fake leather out there, and you shouldn’t forget that at any point in time. Of all leathers, cowhide is the thickest, ranging between one ounce and 12 ounce varieties. Overall, the weight of leather is measured in ounces per square foot — for example, if a foot of leather weighed three ounces, it would be called three ounce leather, and would be about 1/8 inch thick. In total, the leather manufacturing process involves three steps: preparatory stages, tanning, and crusting. Keep these things in mind when shopping for leather, and if anything seems amiss, don’t buy. A good leather product is a gift that will last forever — and that means a lot on its own.