What makes a high-quality Lederhose?

A high-quality Lederhose can be recognised by the careful selection of the leather, its tanning, a well-considered fit and the craftsmanship of its making. The embroidery, the buttons and the inside also reveal how much care has gone into a pair of trousers.

At Gössl, chamois tanning is an indispensable basis of quality. Added to this are selected leather qualities, genuine horn buttons and – depending on the model – elaborate, sculpturally worked embroidery. What matters is the interplay of these characteristics.

Why is the tanning so important for a Lederhose?

Tanning turns a hide into a lastingly usable material. It substantially influences how the leather feels and how it behaves when worn.

For its Lederhosen, Gössl uses exclusively chamois-tanned leather. Chrome-tanned leather is out of the question for our Lederhosen. This decision is part of our understanding of a high-quality, traditional Lederhose.

In chamois tanning, fish oils, known as train oils, are worked into the hide. The result has a velvety hand and a fine, open surface. We tell more about this process in our story about the Gössl Lederhose.

What is special about chamois-tanned leather?

Chamois-tanned leather combines suppleness with a characteristic hand. With frequent wear, the deerskin becomes increasingly yielding and follows the movements of its wearer. This development is part of the particular appeal of a good Lederhose. More about Gössl deerskin

At Gössl we combine the tanning with a careful selection of the hides and a deliberately robust deerskin quality. A Lederhose should convince at the very first touch and develop over the years into a personal companion.

The term "chamois-tanned" is therefore important information when buying. Ask specifically about the tanning process and have the properties of the leather used explained to you.

What does the inside of the Lederhose reveal?

On the chamois-tanned Lederhosen from Gössl, the inside remains undyed. So when trying them on, do turn the trousers inside out once, or ask to be shown the workmanship inside.

The undyed inside is one of the characteristics of our leather quality. On its own, however, it is not yet proof of a particular tanning process. What remains decisive are the details of the manufacture and the verifiable information given by the supplier.

Inside, also look out for carefully executed seams and cleanly fastened buttons. Quality should show itself where it is not visible in wear as well.

Which leather is suited to a high-quality Lederhose?

At Gössl, deerskin is the first choice. We use particularly thick, chamois-tanned leather from hunting. It has that robust and at the same time supple character which we value in a traditional Lederhose.

As a more affordable entry, Gössl offers chamois-tanned goatskin. In its pleasant hand it is in no way inferior to deerskin, though it gives rather more in wear.

The animal species alone is no sufficient proof of quality. A carefully made goatskin Lederhose can be a very good choice. The selected hide, the tanning and the workmanship are equally decisive.

Why is the fit part of the quality?

Even the most beautiful leather gives little pleasure if the trousers do not sit well. A well-considered cut must take the waistband, seat and thighs into account together.

A new Gössl Lederhose should sit close and snug at first, particularly at the thighs. The leather gives with wear. Allowing for generous width at the fitting can therefore lead to the trousers becoming too loose later on.

Walking and sitting down must nevertheless be possible without pain. At the back, the width can be adjusted at the waistband. Should a Gössl Lederhose become too wide overall later on, you can have it taken in by us.

How do you recognise elaborate Lederhose embroidery?

Embroidery can accompany the Lederhose discreetly or decisively determine its design. At Gössl we pay particular attention to its sculptural, three-dimensional effect.

In our relief embroidery worked in this manner, the motif is underlaid with padding. The embroidery thus stands out visibly from the leather surface. Light and shadow make its contours clear and let the drawing emerge.

So look at the embroidery from the side as well, and feel carefully over the surface. The effect arises not from the motif alone, but equally from its depth, the underlay and the precise execution.

Why does a richly embroidered Lederhose cost more?

The more extensive and elaborate the embroidery, the greater the labour involved – and as a rule the price as well. Many motifs, fine details and a sculptural working take more time than a restrained decoration.

The difference is particularly easy to see when comparing several models. A plain Lederhose gives the leather surface plenty of room. A richly embroidered version carries additional craftsmanship visibly to the outside.

An unembroidered Lederhose can nevertheless have the same high leather quality. The extent of the decoration and the quality of the base material should therefore be considered separately.

Which buttons belong on a Gössl Lederhose?

Gössl uses genuine horn buttons in the classic Lederhose button shape. This means the traditional Lederhose button made of horn, not the stag horn button made from antler.

This distinction is important to us: horn buttons and antler buttons described as stag horn are different versions. At Gössl we deliberately choose the classic Lederhose button.

Look out for careful fastening and for buttons and buttonholes that fit one another well. Even a small detail must prove itself in daily use.

The most important quality characteristics at a glance

How can differences in price be assessed?

A comprehensible price can be explained with concrete characteristics: which kind of leather was selected? How was it tanned? How much work has gone into the cut, the making and the embroidery?

Compare models with similar conditions wherever possible. The price difference between a plain goatskin Lederhose and a richly embroidered deerskin Lederhose has several causes at once.

Have these differences shown to you in a consultation. A higher price alone is not yet proof of quality – the work and the fabrics behind it should be apparent.

Frequent questions about the quality of a Lederhose

Are Gössl Lederhosen chrome-tanned?

No. For Gössl Lederhosen we use exclusively chamois-tanned leather. This applies to deerskin just as it does to goatskin.

Is the inside of a Gössl Lederhose dyed?

No. On our chamois-tanned Lederhosen the inside remains undyed. This characteristic should be considered together with the details of the tanning.

Why does the embroidery stand out on some Lederhosen?

On Gössl relief embroidery worked in this manner, the motifs are underlaid with padding. This creates a sculptural surface that lets the pattern emerge clearly.

Is an unembroidered Lederhose of lesser quality?

No. A plain Lederhose can be made just as carefully and have the same leather quality. Extensive embroidery above all increases the additional labour involved.

Does Gössl use stag horn buttons?

For our Lederhosen we use genuine horn buttons in the classic Lederhose button shape, not stag horn buttons made from antler.

Discover quality at Gössl

The hand of the leather, the depth of an embroidery and the careful working of a button are best appreciated close up.

Discover our Lederhosen in the online shop or visit a Gössl store. We will gladly show you what distinguishes the models and what craftsmanship is in your Lederhose.

From those who can, for those who know.