Common & working hides
Cowhide
The default boot leather, full-grain or corrected-grain.
LiveCalf
Young-hide leather, finer grained than cowhide.
LiveBull Shoulder
Thick, heavily grained — tough, working-boot leather.
LiveWater Buffalo
Coarse, budget-friendly alternative to cowhide.
LiveBison / Buffalo
Thick American bison hide, rugged and heavy.
LiveGoat
Light, naturally water-resistant, easy to wear in.
LiveSheepskin
Soft, often used with the wool left on for linings.
LiveDeerskin
The softest common leather, little to no break-in.
LiveHair-on-Hide
Cowhide left with the fur on, for a Western accent.
LiveHorse (Shoulder / Front)
Dense, tight-grained — varies a lot by which part of the hide.
LiveShell Cordovan
A dense membrane from the horse's hindquarters, famously durable.
Exotic & specialty skins
Alligator
American alligator — tiled scales, a recognizable belly scar.
LiveCaiman
The affordable member of the crocodilian family.
LiveCrocodile
Generally the priciest of the three big crocodilian skins.
LiveKangaroo
Featherweight and exceptionally strong for its thickness.
LiveOstrich (or Ostrich Leg)
Famous for its raised quill-bump pattern.
LiveLizard
Small, fine natural scale pattern.
LiveSnake
Distinctive diamond or banded scale patterns.
LiveStingray
Extremely tough, with a pebbled, calloused texture.
LiveShark
Dense, tooth-like dermal denticles under the surface.
LiveEel
Thin, glossy, naturally patterned skin.
LiveFish
An unusual, lightweight novelty exotic.
LiveElephant
Thick, deeply textured — rare and tightly regulated.
LiveHippo
Very thick and dense — one of the rarest exotics in boots.
LiveBeaver
Dense fur-trade leather, uncommon in footwear.
LiveAnteater
A distinctive, unusual-textured specialty skin.
LiveFrog
Small, uniquely patterned novelty exotic.
LiveTurtle
Legal snapping turtle vs. protected sea turtle — the distinction that matters.
Finishes & other materials
Suede
Leather finished from the underside for a napped texture.
LiveDistressed / Sueded
A worn-in, matte finish applied to standard leather.
LivePatent Leather
A glossy lacquer finish over standard leather.
LiveTooled Leather
Not a hide — a hand-carved treatment on cowhide.
LiveFabric
Occasionally used for panels or linings.
LiveDenim
A 1970s staple, and still used by some makers today.
LiveLeather (unspecified)
When the listing doesn't say which kind.