The water buffalo is mainly bred in the Middle and Far East. Its unmistakable grain makes it an inimitable natural product and it is generally tanned and marketed with as little processing as possible. At the same time this raw material provides a cheap base leather for heavily finished goods. The quantities are limited compared to cow hide. In some countries quantities are in significant decline because of advances in industrialisation and decline in use as a domestic animal. The hide size is much smaller, at 3-4 m2, than cow hides, at 4-5 m2. Primary use:

• As a thick leather for belts and skirting leather
• Finished or natural for furnishing or car leather
• Buffalo calfskin as an upper and lining leather
• Thick leather as a shoe upper leather for trekking, safety, military
• Split finished or sueded as an upper or for footbeds
• Untreated or finished for bags and leather goods