FIND OUT WHAT WE’RE MADE OF
At Dr. Martens, we like to think we know our leathers. But from a quick glance, it can be tough to tell them apart — or which is the right leather for you. We’ve gathered our expert knowledge to help you decide.
DR MARTENS LEATHER: TYPES OF LEATHER EXPLAINED TO YOU
DISCOVER THE DETAIL
Smooth, soft, shiny — and some that aren’t leather at all. Find out more about each of our top leathers — so you can go and show the world what you’re made of.
AMBASSADOR LEATHER
WE'VE GONE SOFT
A leather that feels soft and well-worn from day one. Ambassador is a heavyweight leather with a rich, oiled finish. It’s been tumbled to create a pebbled texture with loads of character.
Keep your Ambassador leather’s oiled finish topped up with regular doses of our Wonder Balsam or buff it to a healthy shine with our nourishing Shoe Polish Cream in the corresponding colour or neutral shade.
SMOOTH LEATHER
HARDWEARING AND FAMOUSLY TOUGH
Where else could we start but with our Smooth leather? One of our most famous materials, known for its durability — and the infamous DM’s break-in.
Smooth is corrected grain leather, which means it’s sanded and continually buffed to leave it with a uniform finish. This process reduces waste and ensures your finished boot is in pristine condition. What you do with it after that is up to you.
The repeated buffing is what leaves Smooth leather famously stiff to start with — but give it a couple of weeks of gentle wear and tender care with our Wonder Balsam, and your boots or shoes will mould to your feet in no time.
AMBASSADOR LEATHER
WE'VE GONE SOFT
A leather that feels soft and well-worn from day one. Ambassador is a heavyweight leather with a rich, oiled finish. It’s been tumbled to create a pebbled texture with loads of character.
Keep your Ambassador leather’s oiled finish topped up with regular doses of our Wonder Balsam or buff it to a healthy shine with our nourishing Shoe Polish Cream in the corresponding colour or neutral shade.
SMOOTH LEATHER
HARDWEARING AND FAMOUSLY TOUGH
Where else could we start but with our Smooth leather? One of our most famous materials, known for its durability — and the infamous DM’s break-in.
Smooth is corrected grain leather, which means it’s sanded and continually buffed to leave it with a uniform finish. This process reduces waste and ensures your finished boot is in pristine condition. What you do with it after that is up to you.
The repeated buffing is what leaves Smooth leather famously stiff to start with — but give it a couple of weeks of gentle wear and tender care with our Wonder Balsam, and your boots or shoes will mould to your feet in no time.
VIRGINIA LEATHER
WORN IN FROM THE FIRST STEP
One of our most comfortable leathers. Because we know not everyone wears the break-in process as a badge of honour. Virginia is soft, fine grain leather, which is treated to feel smooth and supple with a lightly pebbled finish.
Boots and shoes built from Virginia leather feel worn in from day one. And since Virginia leather is easy to dye, you can choose from a variety of bold colours — and wear them all straight out of the box.
With leather as soft as Virginia, you can wait a few weeks before dipping your sponge into the Wonder Balsam.
CRAZY HORSE LEATHER
READY FOR THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE
Heavyweight, with a worn-in, distressed appearance straight out of the box. Our Crazy Horse leather means business. Or pleasure. Treat it mean or keep it clean. It’s up to you.
For DM’s, Crazy Horse leather originates in the 70s and 80s, and it oozes decades of character. Sometimes referred to as saddle leather, it’s full-grain and treated with wax layers that cause natural variations in colour when scratched or rubbed.
Show off every squeeze, scuff and scrape — or wipe them away with a scoop of Dubbin or Wonder Balsam and start over again.
NAPPA LEATHER
A HEAVYWEIGHT SOFT OPTION
Our Nappa leather generally has a smoother finish than pebbled Virginia leather. It’s just as soft, pliable and easy to wear — and durable enough to hold its shape when put through its paces.
You can look after your Nappa leather with a combination of Wonder Balsam and Dr. Martens Shoe Polish— because even the heavyweight leathers deserve a bit of care.
QUILON LEATHER
INFUSED WITH HERITAGE
A pillar of our Made in England collection. Quilon is a premium, heritage-inspired leather — dyed black or oxblood, with a buttery tan base colour that gives it a two-tone appearance.
Quilon leather has a textured finish called hair-cell, which gives it a vintage, character-rich finish that’s still clean and ready for you to make your own marks.
Quilon is still relatively stiff to start — so keep the Wonder Balsam handy for the first few weeks. And any other time your boots and shoes need a quick refresh.
PATENT LEATHER
A SIGNATURE SHINE
Want to see your reflection in your DM’s? Look no further than our Patent Lamper leather. It’s PU-coated on a suede base for enhanced durability.
With an unmistakable finish, Patent Lamper is more robust and resilient than traditional Patent leathers — so you can put your Docs through their paces and keep shining.
Prolong your spotlight-stealing shimmer with a splash of our Patent Cleaner. and start over again.
FELIX RUB OFF
OUR VEGAN ALTERNATIVE
Lose the leather. Keep the attitude. Black Felix Rub Off is our go-to synthetic material. Soft and supple, Felix Rub Off has a pliable, premium feel and a matte finish.
Shoe Care has never been easier — just give your footwear a quick wipe with a damp cloth and finish off with a spritz of Dr. Martens Ultra Protector Spray.
Virginia leather
WORN IN FROM THE FIRST STEP
One of our most comfortable leathers. Because we know not everyone wears the break-in process as a badge of honour. Virginia is soft, fine grain leather, which is treated to feel smooth and supple with a lightly pebbled finish.
Boots and shoes built from Virginia leather feel worn in from day one. And since Virginia leather is easy to dye, you can choose from a variety of bold colours — and wear them all straight out of the box.
With leather as soft as Virginia, you can wait a few weeks before dipping your sponge into the Wonder Balsam.
CRAZY HORSE LEATHER
READY FOR THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE
Heavyweight, with a worn-in, distressed appearance straight out of the box. Our Crazy Horse leather means business. Or pleasure. Treat it mean or keep it clean. It’s up to you.
For DM’s, Crazy Horse leather originates in the 70s and 80s, and it oozes decades of character. Sometimes referred to as saddle leather, it’s full-grain and treated with wax layers that cause natural variations in colour when scratched or rubbed.
Show off every squeeze, scuff and scrape — or wipe them away with a scoop of Dubbin or Wonder Balsam and start over again.
NAPPA LEATHER
A HEAVYWEIGHT SOFT OPTION
Our Nappa leather generally has a smoother finish than pebbled Virginia leather. It’s just as soft, pliable and easy to wear — and durable enough to hold its shape when put through its paces.
You can look after your Nappa leather with a combination of Wonder Balsam and Dr. Martens Shoe Polish— because even the heavyweight leathers deserve a bit of care.
QUILON LEATHER
INFUSED WITH HERITAGE
A pillar of our Made in England collection. Quilon is a premium, heritage-inspired leather — dyed black or oxblood, with a buttery tan base colour that gives it a two-tone appearance.
Quilon leather has a textured finish called hair-cell, which gives it a vintage, character-rich finish that’s still clean and ready for you to make your own marks.
Quilon is still relatively stiff to start — so keep the Wonder Balsam handy for the first few weeks. And any other time your boots and shoes need a quick refresh.
PATENT LEATHER
A SIGNATURE SHINE
Want to see your reflection in your DM’s? Look no further than our Patent Lamper leather. It’s PU-coated on a suede base for enhanced durability.
With an unmistakable finish, Patent Lamper is more robust and resilient than traditional Patent leathers — so you can put your Docs through their paces and keep shining.
Prolong your spotlight-stealing shimmer with a splash of our Patent Cleaner. and start over again.
FELIX RUB OFF
OUR VEGAN ALTERNATIVE
Lose the leather. Keep the attitude. Black Felix Rub Off is our go-to synthetic material. Soft and supple, Felix Rub Off has a pliable, premium feel and a matte finish.
Shoe Care has never been easier — just give your footwear a quick wipe with a damp cloth and finish off with a spritz of Dr. Martens Ultra Protector Spray.
WITH A BIT OF CARE, THEY'LL LAST EVEN LONGER