Conceria Cloe Superlux Horsebutt Overdyed Black

The leather has been adopted by heritage footwear manufacturers including Meermin and Sagara for premium boot construction, particularly in service boots and work boot styles where the combination of durability and aesthetic evolution through wear appeals to collectors and enthusiasts.

Conceria Cloe Superlux horsebutt exhibits distinctive physical properties resulting from both the horsebutt cut and the Superlux finishing process. The leather is extremely flexible and resistant despite its density, with a very soft temper that contrasts with the firm nature typical of horsebutt from other tanneries. The grain pattern shows natural variation across different areas of each hide, with subtle surface characteristics enhanced by the finishing process.

The material features high oil content that promotes patina susceptibility, while the Superlux finish creates a distinctive sheen and transparency on the leather surface. Initial stiffness requires a break-in period, though the leather's inherent flexibility reduces this compared to other premium horsehide leathers. The texture is described as soft, gummy, and stretchy, with the dense fiber construction providing structural integrity without excessive rigidity.

The leather undergoes full vegetable tanning in Tuscany, Italy, using traditional pit tanning methods that can extend up to six months. The horsebutt is sourced from the hind section of horse hides where skin density reaches its highest point, positioned directly above the shell cordovan layer in the hide structure. Hand dying follows the tanning process, with the overdyed black finish applied as a surface treatment over the naturally brown vegetable-tanned leather base.

The Superlux finishing process involves hand glazing that gives the surface its characteristic deep, shiny appearance while preserving the natural grain texture. The term "overdyed" describes the technique where black dye or pigment is added to already-finished brown leather, creating the teacore effect where the brown foundation remains intact beneath the black surface layer. This differs from drum-dyeing where color penetrates throughout the leather thickness.

The teacore construction produces dramatic visual transformation through regular use and wear. Brown undertones begin appearing where leather experiences stretching during the boot lasting process, with initial color changes typically visible within weeks to months of regular wear. Areas of higher flexion and contact gradually reveal more of the brown base beneath the black surface, with stress points, fold lines, and high-wear zones showing the most pronounced effect.

The transformation can be substantial, with heavily worn examples displaying more brown than black coloration after extended use. The natural horsebutt shows through particularly in high-stress areas such as the inner toe bend and toe cap, where friction and flexing occur most frequently. The leather develops a lustrous patina with an almost metallic sheen as the oils in the leather migrate to the surface and the grain pattern becomes more pronounced. Full development of the aged appearance can take years of regular use, though the pace varies based on wearing frequency and environmental conditions.

Meermin incorporates Conceria Cloe Superlux horsebutt in service boots featuring 270-degree hand-sewn chained Norvegese construction with naildown backing. These boots utilize the HOK last and are fully hand-lasted with city lug soles. Sagara employs the leather in their Legatant and Imperial IV models, both built using handwelted construction methods emphasizing traditional bootmaking techniques.

The leather's dramatic aging characteristics make it particularly suited for high-end heritage boot applications where visual evolution through wear represents a key appeal factor for enthusiasts and collectors. The combination of structural durability from the horsebutt cut and aesthetic interest from the teacore finishing addresses both functional requirements and collector interest in patina development.