2135 Industrial Park Road
Boone, IA 50036
(515) 433-0176
info@specialtyleather.com

In 1997, Specialty Leather was founded in Boone, Iowa, by Tom Eddy—and we’ve been producing exceptional leather ever since. We earn your business by making high-quality leather in a range of colors at fair prices, with reasonable turnaround times. You won’t find finer leather at a better value anywhere.

We are experts at making chrome-tanned leather from deer, elk, bison, cow, moose, alligator, crocodile, ostrich, elephant, hippo, rhino, cape buffalo, snake, shark, and more. In addition, we can process your deer, elk, bison, cow, and moose hides with the “hair on” or create rawhide from these domestic species.

Our primary business is to produce leather from hides sent to us by taxidermists, outfitters, and individuals, though we also sell finished leather when we are able to acquire quality hides.

We Want to Tan Your Hide . . .

Fine leather starts with hides and skins that have been properly cared for upon harvesting. Hide preservation—including fleshing, salting, drying, and packaging—is critical to the ultimate leather quality. The most meticulously executed tanning process will produce only mediocre leather if the skins were not adequately cared for prior to shipping to our facilities. Read here for details on how to prepare and ship your hide.

. . . Or You Can Buy One of Ours

Don’t worry if you don’t have a hide to send us: We also offer leather for sale! We often have a supply of deer, elk, bison, alligator, and ostrich hides that we have processed and tanned. (Other species may be available, though on a more infrequent basis.) These hides are ready to dye in your choice of any of our 23 standard colors—which means turnaround times are very fast, sometimes as little as a week. Follow the link below to see what’s available, or just give us a call to see what we have on hand.

What Makes Our Leather So Special

Maybe it’s because we make leather in small, custom batches. Or perhaps it’s because our leather is drum-dyed to any of the 23 brilliant colors we offer. Or maybe it’s because we just genuinely love leather! We’re always happy to talk to you about your hide and to make recommendations on how to bring out its best features.

Our photo gallery shows only a small sampling of the leathers we produce. Our leather is finished with a clear polish that will develop a soft shine, enhancing the unique attributes of each leather type. Your finished hide will be suitable for boots, clothing, handbags, upholstery, and more. Naturally, we’re happy to refer you to experts who will work with you on your special projects.

How We Do It

Specialty Leather Productions is one of the few remaining tanneries in the United States that specializes in exotic and safari hides. The process of making leather is complex and fascinating. We invite you to read about it here or, better yet, stop in at the tannery for a tour.