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Lotz of Africa offers a wide variety of African wildlife skins that are aesthetically pleasing, unique, and extremely durable. Our collection includes some of the finest wildlife skins available on the market today.

zebra

ostrich

anthelope

nguni cow

how to take care of genuine exotic leather products?

To keep your fine leather product looking new and lustrous, it must be given proper care. A regular cleaning with a soft brush or dry cloth is essential for preserving the life of your leather goods. After considerable use or if the item has gotten muddy or extremely dirty, it should be thoroughly cleaned down to its pores. It should then be conditioned to replenish the lost emollients. There are many products available that will do this but their basic premise is the same: the addition of moisture to leather will seal it and prevent drying. Always keep your leather in a clean dry place and it will continue to look new and give you many years of enjoyment.

zebra

Lotz of Africa Imports only uses legally imported Burchell's zebra, which is not endangered and quite common in the woodlands and open plains of Africa. The Zebra hides that we import come from government-sponsored culls, with the purpose of maintaining the herds to prevent over population, which is very similar to the control of the deer population in North America.

The zebras distinguishing marks are the unique black stripes, which are akin to the fingerprints on humans. A completely blemish free Zebra hide is virtually unknown. Most imperfections are due to naturally occurring scratches and scrapes to the animal.  These blemishes add to the natural character of the piece and make each one unique.

We offer our zebra skins based on a three point grading scale:

Super - minor imperfections – dark chocolate on off white background

Grade I - larger imperfections – dark chocolate on off white background

Grade III - repaired imperfections caused from predators attack – medium chestnut on off which background

All of our zebra hides are carefully selected for color, size and grade. Our rugs are backed with black felt, which not only protects, but also gives a more finished look. The backing also helps the rug to lay flat and prevents it from curling. Non-felted rugs are also available upon special request.

Our custom furniture, which is made in Saskatchewan, uses the Zebra hide imported from South Africa as well as Canadian leather for finishing.

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ostrich

Leather

Ostrich leather is often described as the finest quality leather in the world. Ostrich leather is suitable for articles where durability is an important element. It is one of the toughest and most pliable skins available on the market today. The ostrich hide is full of natural oils, which makes it resistant to stiffening, drying or cracking.

No other leather can compete with the unique quill pattern the ostrich leather bears. A simple way to identify genuine ostrich leather is to gently drag your fingertips across the surface of the quill holes. There should be a bumpy feel to it as the markings are slightly raised; something that cannot be reproduced by man or machinery. This in itself makes it one of the most expensive leathers in the world today, a symbol of classic distinction and unsurpassed elegance.

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Grading

Grading depends upon the number of quarters in which defects can be found within the central "diamond" area (see below). Divide the knob area of an ostrich skin into quarters, e.g. the line from the neck to the tail and from one leg to the other.

Quill Areas

Q (1) to Q (4) = Central Diamond Area

N = Neck

S (1), S (2) = Upper Belly Flap

S (3), S (4) = Lower Belly Flap

A defect can be a hole, scratch, loose scab, a healed wound or bacterial damage but must be less than 40 mm x 40 mm in size.

Grade I - defects permitted in 1 quarter of the skin only
Grade II - defects in 2 quarters of the skin only
Grade II - defects in 3 quarters of the skin only
Grade IV - defects in 4 quarters of the skin only

Ostrich Leather comes in many beautiful colors please refer to color chart when ordering. (Color chart).

Feathers

The ostrich is the largest living bird in the world. Its feathers are an easily identifiable feature. Ostrich feathers or plumes have few, if any peers. The ostrich at 10-14 months has about two to four pounds of feathers, which range in size from 6 to 23 inches. The feathers can of course be dyed, but in their natural state, the male ostrich has black feathers on its body, with large white feathers, or plumes, on its small wings and tail. The female's body, tail and wings are a grey brown. Because of these unique characteristics, mankind with all its technology has never been able to simulate the natural flowing beauty of ostrich wing plumes.

Ostrich feathers have a wide range of applications, ranging from feather dusters to fashion accessories. The feathers are soft, durable, flexible, and leave no dust and eliminate static electricity. Ostrich feathers are the most sought after material for the production of domestic and industrial dusters. They are also used in the fashion industry for boas, ruching, fringing and handbags as well as in interior design.

Ostrich feathers are offered to our buyers in 38 brilliant colors. (Color chart).

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antelope

Our line of antelope products will surely satisfy your taste for the exotic. Our springbok collection boasts some of the most distinctive, elegant, and exotic pieces available on the market today.

The springbok is the national symbol of South Africa. The springbok is a small brown and white antelope. Its hide is unique and extremely durable. The springbok hide is primarily used to make products that require such durability like handbags, carpets, and furniture. Clour Chart

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cow hide

Lotz of Africa offers cow hide products with the wonderful traditional colors of the very popular African Nguni cow. The skin color of the Nguni cove can vary within hundreds of different shades of red, brown, black and white spots and stripes. The cow skin is used primarily in floor coverings, ottomans, chairs, cushions as well as many other items including handbags and wallets.

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