Crocodile leather hides are one of the most sought-after exotic skins in the world, because they are rare, expensive and difficult to get, moreover the natural beauty of the leather veins, and the great pliability and durability make it perfect for manufacturing products such as bags, shoes and belts. Grade 1 Crocodile skins are the most sought after and luxurious of the lot.
Crocodile bags are generally considered to be the king of handbag world, almost every famous brand has released its croc line. These big names include Hermes, Chanel, Balenciaga, Mulberry and more. Crocodile leather is a limited commodity and takes the time of a professional to tan and equal skill to craft. Crocodiles are a common river creature and many species of crocodile hides can be procured legally from Southeast Asia, South Africa and Australia. Each crocodile farm is required to release 10% of crocodile population back into the wild, as the birth rate is much higher in croc farm than in the wild. This way, the species environment has been balanced and we can continue to purchase croc bags.
As a fantastically designed crocodile purse features precious genuine crocodile exotic finished leather, glamorous style and super versatility, it is not only a stylish accessory to boost your personal taste, but also a collectible treasure to invest in that can be passed down through generations.
Hermes is among the global fashion luxury brand leaders who have taken steps in breeding their own alligators and crocodiles. Why did they choose this route? Read below to peruse our opinionated view on their position within this paradigm shift in the genuine exotic leather industry worldwide:
First, it takes four crocodiles to make a bag because there are specific cuts of the crocodile skin used in making bags. You don’t use the entire skin to produce a bag, you use the material that meets the bag’s design.
Second, the bags cost a lot, if demand is high it means they aren’t charging enough. They are a luxury brand, if too many are selling at $50k then they’re too cheap for their market, they should be selling them at $100k instead. They likely will when they can’t keep up with demand. And why not? It’s a luxury market so it’s not about the price.
Chances are they are breeding them because they don’t want to deal with any irresponsible farmers who are producing hides of less quality than they need for their handbags or because their production lines are thinning natural populations which can endanger an ecosystem. That and the industry has grown enough to cut them out and bring another industry in-house (any good crocodile leather importer would do the same as business grows). It takes years for a crocodile or an alligator to grow to a size adequate for leathermaking.
Crocodile Leather again is an investment to be made, with Profits there for the taking, Given sustainability, quality, crafting & sourcing are checked as four main tenets of any Production timeline!