Deerskin vs Cowhide Leather: Soft Stretch or Firm Strength?

Deerskin is the softer, stretchier leather, and makers rate it among the toughest for its weight. Cowhide is firmer, heavier and far more common, so it is what most jackets, bags and belts are made from.

Pick deerskin when comfort and a close, flexible fit matter most, as in moccasins, soft apparel and gloves. Pick cowhide when you want structure, weight and a wide choice of products and finishes.

This page compares the two leathers in general. It is part of our leather comparison chart.

Deerskin vs cowhide at a glance

Softness and stretch

Deerskin wins on feel. A work-glove maker calls it ultra-soft, supple and spongy, and says it stretches across its width with little stretch along its length. Another glove maker says it is more flexible than cowhide. That is why it shapes itself to a hand or foot.

Cowhide is firmer. It can feel somewhat stiff when new, though it breaks in easily. On jackets, Leather Collection describes cowhide as the firmer choice that suits biker and cafe racer cuts.

Strength and weight: sources disagree

Both leathers are described as tough, but the sources do not agree on weight:

The gap is partly about the comparison each source makes. The maker that calls deerskin lightweight also calls cowhide one of the heaviest leathers. Wikipedia calls deerskin heavier only next to fine hairsheep. None of these sources gives a lab test. We plan to weigh equal swatches ourselves (S-LG-0582-01).

Grade matters as much as species. Cowhide is thick enough to be split, and grain leather is stronger than the split layers below it. Our split leather vs genuine leather page explains the layers.

Grain and look

Deerskin has a more rugged grain than smooth sheep leathers, which is why it suits casual styles. Cowhide gives a broad range of looks because it can carry aniline, semi-aniline, pigmented or printed finishes.

Ashland Leather Co. lays deerskin, calfskin, horsehide and steerhide side by side and zooms in on each grain. Watch for the presenter's point that a deerskin's softness depends on the tannage: the firmer, waxed deerskin he shows is not glove-soft, and he finds steer hides have the cleanest grain.

Deerskin can also be napped. Splits from thick deer and cow hides are sueded, though they give a shaggier nap than lamb. See leather vs suede for how suede differs from smooth leather.

Water and drying

A glove maker says deerskin can be wet and dried repeatedly and still dry soft. Traditional smoked buckskin, usually made from deer, can shrink a little and stiffen as it dries after wetting. Rubbing it in the hands softens it again.

Cowhide is described as dirt and water resistant. With either leather, dry it flat at room temperature, away from a radiator or hair dryer.

Labels and buying tips

• "Buckskin" is not always deer. Some leather sold as buckskin is chrome-tanned sheepskin dyed to look like it.
• Cowhide is real leather. Cattle hides make up about 65% of leather produced.
• Religious needs. Labeling helps buyers who avoid cattle skin, and that raises demand for neutral leathers such as deer.
• Price. A supplier calls cowhide one of the cheapest leathers, though grade and finish change that. We found no reliable data on deerskin prices, so we do not rank them.

Which should you choose?

Choosing gloves specifically? Read deerskin vs cowhide gloves. Comparing cattle leathers instead? See cowhide vs calfskin or lambskin vs calfskin.

Cowhide jackets at Leather Collection

You will not find deerskin at Leather Collection; a store search for "deerskin" or "deer" returns nothing. Its jackets are hand-stitched to order, and most are cowhide. Cowhide gives the firmer feel suited to biker and cafe racer cuts, while sheepskin and lambskin give a softer drape. Browse Leather Collection men's leather jackets.

FAQ

Is cowhide fake leather?

No. Cowhide is real leather from cattle, which supply about 65% of all leather produced.

What does "cowhide" mean?

In the leather trade it means leather from cattle hide; a supplier describes it as the most common leather on the market. For the age difference between cow and calf leather, see cowhide vs calfskin.

Is goatskin or cowhide better for gloves?

Glove makers describe goatskin as slightly softer and tougher than cow leather, and cowhide as heavier and good against sparks.

Which animal skin leather is best?

None is best for everything. Deerskin suits soft, flexible goods; cowhide suits structured, heavy-use goods. The grade (full-grain, top-grain or split) matters as much as the animal.