Different Types of Leather used in Masonic Regalia.

Differences between Cow leather and Sheep/Lamb leather- Lambskin vs Cowhide

 What makes regalia premium? Of course, the producer makes it worth wearing and premium, but what is the one thing in the manufacturing process that makes certain masonic regalia stand out from the rest? It’s the material that the manufacturer selects for producing the regalia. The better the material, the better will be the regalia.

It is worth mentioning that not a lot of people keep up to their promises. A lot of manufacturers still use synthetic/ artificial leather for production. The product is deceptive when it comes to the test of quality. One can not easily tell apart the difference between pure leather and fine synthetic leather. However, as time passes, the regalia (specially aprons) made from artificial leather will start to get rougher or fade in color.

The problem worries the masons when they go to online stores when buying. They can not check the material themselves when they pick the regalia and are often deceived. We at the regalia lodge have prepared a guide to help you pick out the material for your masonic regalia, so that you know what the best for you will be.

Cow Leather:

As the name tells us, cow leather is made from the skin of a cow. The skin is treated in factories before it becomes ready to be made into other things. Cow leather is sturdy. Nature made the skin of a cow to withstand harsh conditions and the leather made from it retains this quality.

Cow leather can retain its shape for a long time. It can be washed without the fear of shrinking. Cow leather can be made into anything that we want. The wallets, hand purses, jackets, and even pants can be made from the cow leather. Cow leather can be refined to be as much as the lambskin leather.

Most people who are in the harsher environmental and daily life conditions prefer this kind of leather because it can withstand and help the wearer protect himself from the harsh conditions.

• How to identify?

Cow leather is mostly rough to touch. Real cow leather is not perfect. You will notice a pattern of imperfections when you touch it. Cow leather has a specific kind of smell. If the cow leather masonic apron that you bought doesn’t have that smell, then it is most likely that you don’t have a genuine product in your hand.

• How is it made?

After a cow is skinned, the skin is cleaned and sent to the factories for refining purposes. It is treated with factory grade chemicals. The hair is usually removed using sodium oxide or it can be done with hand if the client doesn’t want the use of chemicals. The product that is made is sent to the next outlet where it is shaped and shipped off to the client.

Lambskin Leather:

Lambskin leather comes from the skin of a lamb or a sheep. Lambskin leather is perfect for the people who want to wear something comfortable. Lambskin leather might not be as tough as cow leather, but it is better than all the other materials that are used to make regalia. Masons have always preferred the lambskin aprons because they are soft and is of the best quality. The carvings of all the lodges can easily be carved in them.

Aprons made from the lambskin leather are soft. The only drawback here is that the lambskin leather requires a bit more care. Regalia made from them can become saggy if they are not hanged properly. You can not wash the lambskin leather that easily either. We mostly recommend our customers to hand their aprons and other regalia that is made from pure lambskin leather to some dry-cleaning servicemen who offer the cleansing of leather.

• How it is made?

The lambskin leather is made from the skin of a lamb. The skin of a lamb is more difficult to process and clean because it is soft and has a lot more hair than the cow leather. Lambskin leather or sheep leather is also lesser in quantity. Lambskin is smaller than the cow skin, so more lambs are required to make the same number of products. That is why lambskin leather is expensive as compared to the cow leather.

The hair on the lambskin is usually cleaned with hands to use the hair, called the wool, to make products of wool. The rest of the skin is usually soft and does not require that much processing after cleaning it properly. Once properly cleaned, they can be tailored to the shape and size of the client’s will.

• How to identify?

Sheep/Lambskin leather is soft. You will notice that it is warmer and feels a lot more premium than the cow leather. To identify the lamb leather, first look out for the tags that do so. If not, it is most likely that your regalia manufacturer is trying to hide the material from you. Still, you can touch the leather and feel the soft, delicate texture of the lamb leather. In short, look for the comfort. If you think that a leather is comfortable, then your regalia is most probably made from fine quality lamb leather.

 The Regalia Lodge makes sure that its customers get the best aprons that there can be. We acknowledge the arising concern of the masons who have been getting low quality regalia in the past, and we promise to deliver only the best. Our masonic aprons are made from the highest quality lamb leather, and we make sure that we don’t compromise the comfort level of the masonic community. Our products must go through a hard quality-control test before we ship them out to you. We even offer a guarantee. You can check out the quality of our Regalia, and if you don’t like it, you can return it to the people at Regalia Lodge. Now you know what kind of leather people get mixed up in. Carefully pick the type of leather you need for your masonic regalia to look the best in the next meeting at your lodge!