Yes, the original Doc Martens shoes are made of pure leather. They basically use bovine leather collected from animal hides and are popularly known for unparalleled durability.
However, some of their models are made from faux leather as well. Besides, they use vegan leather in manufacturing some boots and bags.
Hey, don’t fret. If it’s not made of real leather, it will be mentioned. So, as long as they claim their shoes to be pure leather, you can trust them completely.
Wish to know more about these classic leather boots? Keep reading!
What Are Doc Martens Made of?
These iconic British boots are majorly made of 100% leather. Some of their selected models use suede, canvas, or synthetic materials.
But mostly, you will find Docs in pure leather, which makes them extraordinarily comfortable. Their utterly cushioned outsole and warm fuzzy feeling are what you pay for.
Apart from natural leather, if you go for their synthetic shoes, most of them are made of PVC.
Besides, they introduced a vegan lineup of shoes and boots from an animal welfare point of view.
These products are made of 100% non-animal materials. If you are an animal lover, you can choose the vegan Docs.
Are Doc Martens Real Leather or Synthetic?
Doc Martens shoes are manufactured from genuine leather sourced from reputable tanneries, according to Dr. Martens. Mostly, they use bovine leather, a high-quality material with a longer lifespan. And they are made of animal hides.
However, Dr. Marten works with a wide variety of leather. Two of the most common types are sourced from cowhide and non-mulesed sheep.
Whatever the leather type is, all of them are authentic. And they are sustainably sourced to excel in ease, alleviation, and endurance.
What Kind of Leather Does Doc Marten Use?
The famous Docs are usually formed using the following seven kinds of leather-
1. Greasy Leather
Are Doc martens greasy leather? That’s the question pops on you mind, right?
Yeah, Dr. Martens are greasy leather. Now come to the point, greasy leather is soft leather and lightweight as well. It’s coated with oil and grease which tremendously helps the leather to be protected. That’s why greasy leather is the most prominent and fashionable leather to users.
Also, softness is a crucial factor in picking a pair of shoes to wear. This greasy is soft too as your desire. So, It’s better than any other doc martens leather for go ahead with keeping steps.
2. Smooth Leather
Arguably, smooth leather is the most popular leather variant of Dr. Marten’s lineup.
Being corrected and continually sanded, this grained leather provides a uniform finish with a subtle shine.
As this leather is repeatedly buffed, you see your shoes in pristine condition.
Aside from the durability, smooth leather also makes your footwear comfy and cushioned.
3. Virginia Leather
Talking about comfort, we cannot but agree that Virginia leather is the most comfortable collection by Dr. Marten.
As a fine-grain leather, it’s soft, shiny, and supple.
The out-of-the-box flexibility makes this fancy leather incomparable.
Get a pair made of Virginia leather and wear them from day one. They don’t need any break-in period.
4. Patent Leather
Again, it’s fine-grain leather with a sparkling finish. Although you need to be careful enough to maintain the shine.
Occasionally, this leather should be treated to sustain its gleam. Being sourced from chrome-tanned animal skin, patent leather lets you see your reflection on the Docs.
Sounds unimaginable? Why not try a pair then?
5. Nappa Leather
Nappa is a heavyweight leather, to be honest. Resultantly, it’s hard-wearing too.
Usually, goats, calves, and sheep with mild hides are the primary source of this soft full-grain leather.
After a unique tanning process, the leather becomes softer, shinier, and smoother.
Honestly, it’s softer than other Doc Martens leather.
And yes, even such heavyweight leather needs enough care to maintain its luster.
That’s totally okay, though! After all, it makes your docs extremely durable by holding the shape for a long time.
6. Crazy Horse Leather
With crazy horse leather, you can either keep your shoes clean or treat them mean.
Regardless of your rough use, the shoes will be sustainable to environmental elements.
Similar to Nappa leather, it’s also heavyweight full-grain leather with a robust exterior.
Most interestingly, you see a variation in color upon stretching or rubbing the leather-made shoes.
With the well-worn distressed outlook, crazy horse leather makes the Docs appear even more authentic.
7. Quilon Leather
If we talk about one of the most aristocratic leather lineups, Quilon has to be the name. It’s a top-graded heritage-inspired leather form with a smooth texture.
The textured finish of this luxurious leather is known as a hair cell. It’s available in two colors- black and oxblood.
Additionally, the unique smooth grain pattern of Quilon-made Docs lets you make your own marks.
Nevertheless, it’s more on the stiffer side when you start wearing a pair. So, you have to allow a certain break-in period.
8. Vegan Felix Rub Off Leather
If you don’t want to harm the animals but still long for the classic leather-like finish, the famous Dr. Martens won’t disappoint you.
You can try their vegan lineup which makes shoes and bags with synthetic materials.
In terms of synthetic shoes, Black Felix Rub Off is the go-to material for Docs.
No worries, you get the same flexible feel and premium matte finish from the vegan variant as well.
Yes, they are less durable than the authentic leather lineup. But they make it up with extremely easy-to-clean architecture.
Is Doc Martens Leather Ethical?
It’s hard to decide but yes, Docs don’t use fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin and hair. Furthermore, they follow a formal animal welfare policy and track down some of the animal products at the primary stage of manufacturing. From an animal welfare point of view, it’s pretty commendable.
However, they only label their products as non-leather. But they aren’t fully transparent about how the animal products are sourced.
Are Doc Martens Vegan Leather?
Yes, they do have a vegan lineup that uses 100% non-animal materials. And the vegan shoes are marked with a yellow vegan heel loop.
Nonetheless, the vegan range is similarly rough, tough, and durable to the original Docs.
Being designed with the same spirit and attitude, Vegan docs feature high-quality synthetic materials with an utterly animal-friendly architecture.
They have the same hard-wearing soles accompanied by Doc’s signature yellow stitching.
Whether it’s Felix Rub Off, Oxford, Gloss Pull-Up, or Oxford Brush, all the vegan elements of Dr. Martens refuse to compromise in comfort and class.
Why Are Doc Martens So Comfortable?
Docs are uncompromisingly comfortable, thanks to their air-cushioned bouncy soles. Moreover, these soles are engineered with supreme shock-absorbing properties.
Best of all, Docs uses genuine high-quality leather which makes them smoother than ever.
Final Thoughts
As a Doc user for years, I am more than pleased to see how these iconic shoes are kicking it across the youth subcultures around the world.
But are Doc Martens real leather or synthetic? Do their materials really deserve the premium price tag?
Absolutely, yes. They do provide great value for the price which you are paying through the nose. Being made of 100% real leather, they are going to last forever.
Moreover, nothing comes closer to their unmatched comfort level.
So, it goes without saying that the leather lineup from Dr. Martens is one of a kind and you definitely get what you pay for.
