Choosing the best wholesale leather requires doing some research, as well as determining your specific needs and uses for the leather you purchase. For example, if you want to purchase wholesale leather to make your own apparel or other accessories, you might want to find a specialty dealer as opposed to a manufacturer or dealer who sells pre-made pieces. Also, consider the type of leather you want, and whether you want to purchase leather made from different animals other than a cow, such as pig or lamb. Finding a reputable wholesale leather dealer is also important.
Buying wholesale leather starts with finding a manufacturer that suits your needs. Wholesale leather is a broad category, so you will need to first determine if you want to buy products already made, such as leather jackets, handbags, belts and luggage. You may instead wish to purchase leather that comes sold by the piece or a specific measurement, so you can make your own products. Some wholesalers have a broad selection of both, but might not have the overall selection a niche seller would.
A variety of warehouse-type stores and online wholesale companies sell leather products. Searching online wholesale directories is a good place to start, as is checking trade magazines that specialize in writing about wholesale companies. The company you purchase wholesale leather from should have a good reputation and be reliable with regards to both delivery and pricing. If you are unsure about a company, checking with monitoring agencies or getting recommendations from friends or other businesses is advisable.
Once you find a wholesale leather dealer, order several samples of the different types of leather you want, so you can check for quality. You might also want to place a small order, so you can see how reliable the delivery process is for an actual order. Once you receive the leather products, ensure they are what you ordered and what they say they are; leather labeled as cowhide should not be from a pig. If the labeling is unclear or you are not sure about the leather, consult a reseller or other leather expert.
Manufacturing leather has a high environmental impact. If this is a concern, find a wholesale leather company that makes ecological processing a priority. Be aware, however, that these types of sellers might not be as numerous or readily available as other sellers, so you might have to compromise in terms of availability of leather goods.