Return any brand new shoe for any reason for a full refund, even if you customize with your own special colors! Learn more about our shipping options or return policy.
Are you having trouble imagining exactly what our leather colors look like? Now you can have a sample of our swatches mailed directly to you! You can select up to six colors below. Scroll down for descriptions of each leather type.
Are you having trouble imagining exactly what our leather colors look like? Now you can have a sample of our swatches mailed directly to you! You can select up to six colors below. Scroll down for descriptions of each leather type.
Free international shipping when ordered with a shoe. Leather swatches are not returnable or exchangeable.
Nova, Sublime, Plonge... What's the Difference?
You will notice that our smooth, full grain leathers come in a variety of grades and styles. We've found some of these to work well on certain shoes, but not on others. For this reason, when you choose to custom design a shoe with smooth leather you will only see certain types available.
Click below to read a description of each leather type.
A durable leather that is slightly stiffer than our other smooth leather options. Used for shoes that need the extra stiffness for proper support. This includes most of our shoes that are stitched directly to the sole, such as our Classics, Sandals, Ramblers and Merry Janes. Texture appearance looks the same as our Sublime and Vegetable Tanned leathers, though grain size can vary throughout every hide.
A durable smooth leather that is softer than Nova. We use this leather for our "turned" shoes (those that are made inside-out and then turned so the seams are on the inside) because the softer texture wraps around the foot well for a cozy fit. Used for our Roo moccasins, Dash RunAmocs and Primal RunAmocs. Texture appearance looks the same as our Nova and Vegetable Tanned leathers, though grain size can vary throughout every hide.
A very thin fabric lined with cork, sometimes painted in decorative patterns. Due to its thin nature, this material is only available for Dash RunAmoc sides or Ballerine heels.
The only leather we import from Europe, due to it's highly sustainable properties. While all of our leather meets our sustainable standards (all of our leather is tanned without formaldehyde and colored with non-toxic food grade dye), this leather goes a step further with a purely vegetable-based tanning process using only grass-fed cows raised on controlled sustainable pastures in Germany's Bavarian Alps. Preferred by people with extreme chemical sensitivity. Due to it's high cost, there is an extra surcharge for use of vegetable-tanned leather in custom shoes. Texture appearance looks similar to Nova and Sublime leathers, though grain size can vary throughout every hide.
Please note this "naked" leather is likely to show cosmetic flaws and stains easily, even with just water.
Smooth leather dyed with a glossy finish to give a shiny reflective look. Available for most of our custom shoes that are made from either Nova or Sublime leather.
Please note that shiny leather will dull with wear. Here's an example of Shiny Gold toddler moccasins worn for several weeks:
The softest and lightest leather we could find! Since it is so thin and buttery soft, plonge leather works great for our baby Buttercup moccasins and the decorative trim on our adult Ballerine flats and is only used for these two styles.
Leather made from the lower layers of a hide to give a soft cloth-like texture. Available for select shoes, including kids' moccasins, adult Dash RunAmocs and the heels of our Ballerine flats.
A top-grain bovine leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side, or outside, to give a slight nap of short protein fibers for a velvet-like surface. Nubuck is unique because it has the durability of a top-grain leather with a soft touch that feels similar to a suede leather. Used for adult Roo moccasins and select special edition shoes.
A thin smooth leather covered in perforation holes to give shoes extra ventilation. LITE leather is a favorite for runners in hot climates as it helps keep feet cool and dry. Used for our RunAmocs and Ballerines.