Shinki Olive Oiled Horsebutt

Shinki Oiled Horsebutt serves as the parent leather type, with olive being one of several color variations available in the oiled finish. The olive colorway exhibits tonal variation ranging from muted green in shade to brighter olive with yellow undertones in sunlight.

The olive color presents with beautiful tonal highs and lows throughout the leather surface. In shade, the color appears as a muted olive green, while under sunlight it displays olive green tones with lighter undertones including yellow. The color remains pretty consistent throughout individual hides.

The pronounced grain texture contributes to the visual complexity of the olive colorway. Individual panels can differ in color, texture, markings, and grain, creating natural variation that is considered desirable and intentional by manufacturers.

The leather features a glossy finish with incredibly pronounced grain texture. The material feels soft yet plush to the touch, with a slight give when pressed. The leather maintains flexibility while providing structure.

The grain pattern is characteristic of horsebutt leather, displaying the tight, dense fiber structure typical of this portion of the hide. Natural imperfections in the grain and surface are purely aesthetic and do not affect the leather's longevity or wearability.

Horsebutt leather tends to roll rather than crease over time, producing a more subtle and clean aging process compared to cowhide. The leather has pull-up properties, meaning it develops nice colors over time where creases and bends set in.

The oiled finish contributes to the aging characteristics, allowing the leather to mold to the wearer's foot or the shape of leather goods over time. The material is expected to develop patina through use while maintaining its core olive coloration with enhanced depth.

Shinki Hikaku tannery, established in 1951, is the only tannery globally to specialize exclusively in horse leather. The family-run business produces signature oiled horsebutt leather through a tanning process that takes up to four months to complete.

The tannery applies vegetable tanning methods followed by an oil finish. This oiled treatment enhances the leather's durability and contributes to its distinctive handfeel from the start. The processing creates the unique texture and grain patterns characteristic of Shinki horsebutt leather.

The olive oiled horsebutt is used in premium heritage footwear construction. John Lofgren Bootmaker produces M-43 Service Boots using this leather in limited edition releases. Boot applications typically feature unlined construction to showcase the leather's natural characteristics.

Small leather goods manufacturers also utilize olive oiled horsebutt. Guarded Goods produces wallets in this material, with their Ward model priced at $55. Ready-to-ship timeframes for goods in this leather typically run three to four business days.

Olive represents one of several colors available in Shinki Oiled Horsebutt. Other oiled horsebutt colors from Shinki Hikaku include navy and dark brown. The tannery also produces olive in shell cordovan finish, offering makers multiple options for olive-colored horse leather.