What Is Ostrich Leather? The Quill Pattern and How It Wears

Ostrich leather is leather made from the skin of the ostrich, recognised by raised bumps where the feather quills grew. It is a genuine exotic leather, not a print. This page defines the material and shows how to read the quill pattern. For the wider family, see our guide to leather types, textures and finishes.

The quill pattern

The bumps are vacant quill follicles, forming raised dots across a smooth field in varying densities. A South African ostrich tannery explains they form as follicles close into quills once the feathers are removed.

Where they sit is the useful part. The densest bumps form a diamond-shaped area called the crown, on the back where the neck meets the body, and the skin under the wings is smooth. Sources disagree on coverage: Wikipedia says about a third of the skin has bumps, while the tannery says about 55%, counting crown, neck and belly.

How to tell real ostrich from an imitation

Sellers agree on the idea, and differ on the detail.

• Real quills are unevenly spaced and the grain is irregular; a smooth surface or perfectly uniform bumps suggest it is not genuine.
• Follicles that are too uniform may mean stamped leather, and real ostrich shows natural scars and uneven colour.
• A leathercraft teacher instead calls ostrich recognisable for its evenly distributed follicles.

The sellers use "uniform" and "even" in opposite ways, so no single visual test settles it. Treat the pattern as a hint, and ask the seller to name the animal and the skin area used.

How it wears

Wikipedia calls ostrich leather one of the strongest commercial leathers. It is chrome-tanned in more than 30 stages, and the small skin area helps explain the high price. The tannery says the skin is not split and is full grain. We have no wear test of our own.

Where to learn about the common hides

Ostrich is a specialist hide. The Leather Collection's guide to cowhide, sheepskin and goatskin covers the everyday leathers and does not discuss ostrich. See also what animals leather comes from and crocodile vs alligator leather.

FAQ

How do I identify genuine ostrich leather?

Look for uneven quills in a crown pattern and ask the seller to name the skin.

Is exotic leather real leather?

Yes. Ostrich is among the animals whose skins commonly become leather.