Buckskin or smoke tanned leather, is one of the, if not the oldest textile known. It was commonly used by North American indigenous first nations, but also by Europeans, Africans, Egyptians, Nordic, Mongolians & Japanese.

It’s the softest kind of suede you can get your hands on, sometimes being referred to as an ultra-suede. The grain is removed, the hide is softened by hand, it is then sewn into a bag so that smoke can be trapped inside of it. This is how the dark, golden color is achieved. It’s not just for aesthetics, but it also makes it water resistant. Not water proof, but it makes it go back to being soft if it were to ever get wet.

The buckskin you see on my website is produced by me & within New Zealand. I use Red deer & Fallow deer to produce my buckskin, generally. I soften by hand or with staking tools whilst the hide is strung up on a frame. I smoke with punk wood I harvest locally, either using brain matter or lecithin/olive oil to get the hide soft.

Buckskin is great for a multitude of things. Jackets, bags, dresses, vests, shirts, pants, quivers, gloves, wallets, hats, moccasins. You name it, the list goes on.