Why Are Crocodile & Alligator Leather Goods So Expensive?

Video Description

We explore why leathers made from crocodile and alligator skins command such high prices: https://gentl.mn/crocodile-alligator-leather-goods #alligator #leather #notsponsored SHOP THE VIDEO: → Two-Tone Knit Tie in Navy & Light Blue Changeant Silk: https://gentl.mn/knit-tie-light-navy-changeant → Pale Green Rabbits on Mid Blue Silk Wool Pocket Square: https://gentl.mn/blue-pocket-square-green-rabbits GUIDES YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS: → Bond's Best Looks: https://gentl.mn/favorite-james-bond-looks → Business Card Cases Definitive Guide: https://gentl.mn/business-card-case-guide-1 → Chromed Tanned vs Vegetable Tanned Leather: https://gentl.mn/chrome-vs-vegetable-tanned1 VIDEO CREDITS: → Script: E.J. Daniels & Sven Raphael Schneider → Camera: Chris Dummer → Editing: Lukas Mooney → Visual Supervisor: Preston Schlueter → EON Productions → History → Sony Pictures → Deermeatfordinner IMAGE CREDITS: → State Archive of Florida Want to see more videos? Subscribe to our channel! → https://gentl.mn/youtube Become a part of the Gentleman's Gazette community - support us on Patreon! https://gentl.mn/patron ________________________________________________________________________ Gentleman's Gazette https://gentl.mn/home-site-gg-1 https://gentl.mn/fortbelvedere-shop-5 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gentlemansgazette Gentleman's Quiz: https://gentl.mn/entlemans-gazette-quiz-1 00:00 Crocodile & Alligator Leather Goods Introduction Among all exotic leathers, crocodile and particularly alligator are some of the most well-known skins. They're also very well liked but also one of the most expensive options you can get out there. There are many reasons why alligator and crocodile leather goods are a lot expensive than let's say, calf or bull hide leather goods. 01:03 Terminology & Background The order crocodilia includes several genuses such as alligators, caimans, crocodiles, gharials and false gharials. All are crocodilians but not all are crocodiles. All these animal skins can produce leather. 02:59 History of Croc & Gator Leather Harvesting 05:35 Breeding Methods Today 08:29 How to Tell the Difference 10:46 Alligator and Crocodile Skin Harvesting 12:30 Grading & Measuring Skins 15:26 Pricing Guide 16:54 The Tanning Process 18:34 The Finishing Process 19:35 Making Products After an alligator or crocodile has been harvested, they are skinned. Farmed animals are generally fatter, which means wider in the belly, than wild skins, which are longer. Hide split is from skin with one of two cuts. Incision along belly produces Hornback Leather. Incision along back produces Belly Leather. The skins are then divided into the primary area, sometimes called Pattern Area which includes main torso and portion of head and upper tail, and Secondary Area which includes snout, feet, end of tail. The tanning of alligator is also very time consuming and therefore expensive. At tannery, hides are descaled and softened. Hides submerged in processing solutions and can take up to two weeks. 21:46 Why Alligator Products Are So Expensive? * Expensive raw material * Grading - alligator and crocodile hides held to exacting standards * Tanning - extremely time, labor intensive, products can be easily ruined at any point and require specialized facilities, machines, training * Manufacturing - requires special care and attention, additional hand-detailing Alligator should always be more expensive than crocodile because it is more desirable in terms of smoothness, the scales, the softness, and it doesn’t have bony plates. 22:34 Outfit Rundown