Smells, stiff, needs constant care, (comparatively) complex to repair, it just has virtually no upsides. It doesn't even last long unless you're comparing really high-quality leather to really low-quality cotton or something like that.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Ive been using a $10 leather belt every day for over 20 years now, zero maintenance or anything done to it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I own a leather motorcycle jacket I've abused for 20+ years that is none of those things, and it wasn't particularly expensive. I've repaired some loose stitches and rub some leather balm into it twice a year.

Yes: garbage quality leather is crap, and most of the "fast fashion" items on the market use trash leather. But decent quality leather will last for decades if you put a minimal amount of care into it. It's relatively easy to maintain and repair too.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

It's very, very good as a product, when you're using it in the areas where it's best used. Take, for instance, work gloves. When I'm cutting, splitting, and stacking wood, a pair of very cheap, badly made, stiff, pig skin gloves from Harbor Freight will last me a few weeks before the finger tips wear through. Cotton gloves will last less than a day. Synthetic work gloves with reinforced fingers typically last about a week. Nice goatskin work gloves last about as long as the pigskin gloves, but are more comfortable and cost more.

My "motorcycle" jeans--reinforced with para-aramid fabric--are completely shot, and useless for riding. My RevIt! leather riding jacket and pants--which I've crashed in four times now--are still in fantastic shape, and are the same age as the jeans.

[–] SkippingRelax 1 points 9 months ago

And that's why it has had no use throughout human history whatsoever. /s

Do you also have an opinion on timber smelling bad and be completely useless with no upsides?