C.F. Stead Naked Kudu

The material features a dense fiber structure that provides natural water resistance while maintaining softness and flexibility. At 1.8-2mm thickness, the leather remains lightweight and breathable, with a dual texture showing full-grain leather on one side and soft suede on the reverse. The name "naked" refers to the tanning process where the surface remains untreated after dyeing, preserving the hide's authentic characteristics rather than applying protective coatings.

Naked Kudu leather is sourced from wild Greater Kudu antelope native to Southern Africa. Charles F. Stead established relationships with African communities to obtain hides through annual kudu population management culls necessary for maintaining sustainable population levels. This sourcing arrangement began in the 2000s when the tannery expanded its expertise from traditional suede production to working with antelope family skins.

The hides arrive at the Charles F. Stead facility in Leeds, England, where they undergo processing using the soft waters of Meanwood Beck. Each hide typically yields 12-18 square feet of usable leather, though individual pieces can vary. The harsh African environment where kudu live results in hides marked with scars from thorny bushes and sharp thickets, characteristics that become defining features of the finished leather rather than defects to be concealed.

Naked Kudu exhibits distinctive physical properties resulting from the animal's biology and the tanning process. The leather measures 1.6-2.2mm in thickness, equivalent to 4.5-5.5 ounces in weight, making it suitable for footwear construction while remaining flexible. The Institute for Creative Leather Technologies analyzed the material's structure, noting that the dense fiber arrangement provides exceptional strength while a softer corium layer maintains suppleness.

The surface displays a soft, full-bodied grain with a subtle natural pull-up effect where the leather lightens when flexed. A natural waxy coating enhances the visible grain pattern, and the leather responds well to polishing. The tight fiber structure contributes to natural water resistance, while the lightweight composition and breathability make the leather comfortable despite its substantial thickness. Each hide shows unique scars and marks from the animal's life, ensuring no two pieces are identical. The reverse side features exceptionally soft suede, creating a dual-textured material.

The tanning process follows Charles F. Stead's approach where hides undergo complete tanning and dyeing procedures but receive no surface treatment afterward. This fully aniline finish preserves the leather's natural characteristics rather than concealing them under protective coatings. The process takes place at the historic Sheepscar Tannery in Leeds, utilizing the soft waters of the Meanwood Beck that have supplied the facility since its founding.

The term "naked" in leather terminology indicates that material has completed all relevant tanning and dyeing processes with the surface remaining untreated. This approach highlights natural blemishes, scars, and imperfections that accumulated during the animal's life on the African plains. The resulting leather develops real depth in appearance and coloration, with the natural grain characteristics enhanced rather than diminished by processing.

While Charles F. Stead produces multiple kudu leather variants, the Naked Kudu maintains the hide's natural surface properties. The tannery's alternative Waxy Kudu product uses the Janus tannage process with added wax impregnation, demonstrating different finishing approaches for similar base materials. Both variants retain the inherent suppleness characteristic of kudu leather, with the naked finish specifically chosen to showcase the material's authentic appearance.