S.B. Foot Featherstone

The leather is produced in four primary color variations: Black Cherry, Cigar, Chestnut, and Teak. Red Wing Heritage has used Featherstone extensively in premium dress footwear collections, particularly the Beckman and Williston lines, though several Beckman models featuring this leather have been discontinued.

Featherstone exhibits a semi-aniline finish with medium to bright luster, creating a smooth surface that feels slightly waxy to the touch. The leather weighs between 5.5 and 6 ounces, placing it in the medium-weight category for footwear applications. The polished surface enhances the natural grain patterns while providing a refined, sophisticated appearance suited to dress footwear.

The leather requires more care and attention compared to other Red Wing leather types due to its smooth finish. Unlike roughout or heavily oil-tanned leathers that naturally conceal minor surface marks, Featherstone's polished surface shows scuffs and scratches more readily, necessitating regular maintenance to preserve its appearance. The smooth finish allows for conditioning and polishing treatments that can restore the leather's original luster.

S.B. Foot Tanning Company produces Featherstone using hides that arrive in a stage called "Wet Blue," referring to animal hides cured in chromium salts. This chrome tanning process produces stable leather with enhanced durability and flexibility. The company sources hides from feedlot cattle raised on ranches in Nebraska and Texas, with primary processing occurring at facilities in Minnesota and Iowa before arriving at the Red Wing tannery.

The manufacturing process focuses on the grain side of the hide rather than the flesh side used in roughout leathers. Through specialized finishing techniques developed by S.B. Foot over 150 years of operation, the grain surface is processed and polished to achieve the characteristic smooth, lustrous appearance. The semi-aniline finishing allows some natural grain characteristics to remain visible while providing a uniform surface suitable for dress footwear applications.

Featherstone leather maintenance follows Red Wing's smooth-finished leather care protocol. Initial cleaning involves removing surface dirt with a stiff bristle brush, followed by thorough cleaning using Red Wing Leather Cleaner applied with a soft cloth. After cleaning, boots must dry naturally in a cool, dry place, as high heat can remove essential oils from the leather.

Conditioning requires Red Wing Shoe Creme or Boot Cream formulated specifically for Featherstone leather. The cream should be applied gently with a clean, soft cloth, and the boot should be brushed to achieve a shine before the cream fully dries. For protection against environmental elements, Red Wing Leather Protector spray provides a barrier against mud, dirt, water, and oil without significantly altering the leather's appearance.

The leather's smooth finish demands regular attention to maintain its polished aesthetic. Scuffs and scratches can often be addressed through proper conditioning and polishing, though deep marks may become permanent features of the leather's patina development.

Featherstone is produced in four documented color variations, each used in specific Red Wing Heritage models. Cigar Featherstone presents a medium brown tone and was featured in the Beckman 9016. Black Cherry Featherstone offers a rich burgundy-brown color used in the Beckman 9011. Chestnut Featherstone provides a lighter brown shade. Teak Featherstone delivers a golden-tan color currently used in the Williston 9435 and 9437 models.

Each color variation maintains the same semi-aniline finish and smooth surface characteristics, with differences appearing only in the dye application during the tanning process. The color penetrates throughout the leather's thickness, ensuring that minor surface wear does not expose dramatically different underlying colors.

Red Wing Heritage has incorporated Featherstone leather into several premium dress boot collections. The Beckman line featured three Featherstone variants: the 9016 with Cigar Featherstone in a 6-inch round toe design, the 9011 with Black Cherry Featherstone, and the 9014 with Black Featherstone. All Beckman models utilized Goodyear welt construction with Roccia combination leather and rubber soles, waxed cotton laces, and metal eyelets. These models have been discontinued and are no longer in production.

The Williston collection represents current applications of Featherstone leather. The Williston 9435 is a 6-inch lace-up boot in Teak Featherstone built on the No. 220 last with a Gro-Cord outsole, full leather lining, and cushioned heel pad. The Williston 9437 Chelsea boot uses Teak Featherstone in a pull-on design built on the No. 210 postman last, featuring three-quarter Goodyear welt with Puritan triple-stitch construction and a Gro-Cord outsole.

Red Wing Heritage has positioned Featherstone as a premium dress leather within its product line, marketed as the company's highest quality leather for formal and business-casual footwear applications. The leather's smooth finish and polished aesthetic distinguish it from the work boot-oriented roughout and heavily oil-tanned leathers that comprise the majority of Red Wing's Heritage offerings.