Moore & Giles x Wild Idea: Bison Leather Collection

Each piece of bison leather tells a story. Durable and naturally textured, the hides carry marks from the bison’s life on the open prairie. For the third year, Moore & Giles teamed up with Wild Idea Buffalo Company to transform these unique hides into limited-edition bags and wallets, using traditional vegetable-tanning methods to preserve every detail., we explore the heart of the collaboration, walking through the tanning process and the rich story woven into each hide.

Key Takeaways

Moore & Giles crafted a limited-edition collection of bags and wallets using bison hides sourced from Wild Idea Buffalo Company.
Bison leather is naturally thick, durable, and textured, making it superior to cow leather, with each hide reflecting the animal’s life on open prairie.
Vegetable tanning at Hermann Oak and Pergamena preserves the hide’s character using traditional, chemical-free methods.
The collaboration supports prairie restoration, Indigenous stewardship at the Wolakota Buffalo Range, and circular economy principles.
Each bison leather bag and wallet is one of a kind, shaped by the natural markings of the bison and the small-batch tanning process.

Celebrating Regenerative Bison Leather and Great Plains Conservation

In an industry where waste is commonplace, Moore & Giles has long been committed to a singular mission: to find a purpose and use for every hide. That commitment led us to an extraordinary partnership with Wild Idea Buffalo Company and yielded both inimitable leathers and a unique capsule collection of bags and accessories.

Wild Idea Buffalo Company and Regenerative Bison Leather Practices

Founded in 1997 by conservationist and author Dan O'Brien in South Dakota, Wild Idea Buffalo Company was born from a vision to heal degraded ranchland in the Mountain West by returning bison to their native homeland on the Great Plains. The initial 1,000 restored acres have grown to over 300,000 acres through partnerships with like-minded ranchers, Indigenous communities, and conservation organizations.

Wild Idea's bison are never confined to feedlots and never transported to slaughterhouses. They live their entire lives on open pasture, practicing what the company calls "Respect in Life, Dignity in Death" through humane field harvesting. The bison graze freely across vast landscapes, just as they did for millennia, naturally regenerating the soil and supporting biodiversity.

Wolakota Buffalo Range: Indigenous Stewardship and Bison Leather

A cornerstone of this conservation work involves the Wolakota Buffalo Range, a groundbreaking project with the Sicangu Lakota Oyate (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) in South Dakota. In 2020, the first 100 bison from national parks were released onto nearly 28,000 acres of native grasslands on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, with plans to eventually establish North America's largest tribally managed bison herd of up to 1,500 animals.

The Wolakota Buffalo Project represents the restoration of a sacred bond between buffalo and the Lakota people, where buffalo provided food, shelter, and spiritual nurturance, while humans served as caretakers of the buffalo nation. Last year, Wild Idea conducted the first bison harvest at Wolakota Buffalo Range, marking a significant milestone in their quarter-century partnership with Native Americans to bring back the buffalo. This partnership combines Indigenous stewardship with the sustainable production of bison leather and meat.

Transforming Bison Hides into Durable Leather Goods

While Wild Idea Buffalo Company had built a successful business around regenerative, grass-fed bison meat, they faced a challenge that many sustainable producers encounter: what to do with the byproducts. Wild Idea found themselves with many "second-quality" hides that didn't meet specifications for larger items due to holes from the skinning process, bug bites, and other natural marks from life on the open range.

These imperfections—scrapes, scars, insect bites—are the authentic signatures of bison that lived truly wild lives on the prairie. But finding a tannery willing to work with these characterful hides proved difficult.

Crafting Limited-Edition Bison Leather Bags and Goods

Moore & Giles connected Wild Idea with two domestic tanneries specializing in vegetable tanning.

Hermann Oak Leather, a historic tanner in St. Louis, Missouri, tanned the full-grain bison hides.
Pergamena in the Hudson River Valley tanned the suede for textured bison leather bags and accessories.

Vegetable tanning, using tree-bark tannins instead of chemicals, takes four to six weeks and produces durable bison leather that preserves each hide’s unique story.

Every Hide Has Value: The Philosophy Behind Bison Leather

At Moore & Giles, we've always believed that every hide is valuable and deserves a purpose. As we often remind people, leather starts as a byproduct of the food chain. Hides are a waste material until tanners step in and transform it into functional, lasting luxury. That's particularly true with these bison hides from Wild Idea.

Rather than viewing the natural markings as defects to be hidden, we saw them as stories to be celebrated. Each scrape, scar, and imperfection is a testament to an animal that lived free on the Great Plains, grazing native grasses and helping to regenerate the ecosystem.

Bison vs Cow Leather

Even without the care and story that makes the Wild Idea hides so special, Bison leather is different from traditional cow hides in several key ways. Bison hides are typically thicker, making them more durable over time. Their thickness is in part due to them not being stretched during the tanning process. Without that step, the fibers of the hide stay denser, lending strength without sacrificing much pliability. Without that stretching step, the grain of a bison hide--the pebbly pattern on the surface of the leather--is much more pronounced. Bison hides are significantly more rare than traditional cow hides. How rare? The Wild Idea herd is about 1,500 head strong, from which a small fraction are culled every year. Compare that number to 13 million cows in the United States and our “one of a kind” label could be an undersell.

Crafting With Purpose: Limited Edition Bison Leather Collections

After securing these beautifully imperfect hides from Wild Idea's seasonal harvests and having them vegetable-tanned, Moore & Giles set out to showcase their natural character through limited collections of bags and accessories. Instead of working around the natural marks, we made them central to the design story.

Each piece in our Wild Idea bison leather collection is truly one-of-a-kind. The leather tells a story of:

Regenerative prairie restoration across hundreds of thousands of acres
Indigenous land stewardship and cultural revitalization
Humane animal husbandry that respects bison as wild animals
Zero-waste philosophy that finds purpose for every part of the harvest
Traditional craftsmanship through vegetable tanning

Sustainable Bison Leather Goods for Ethical Luxury

This collaboration embodies Moore & Giles’ commitment to finding a purpose and use for every hide. Bison leather bags and wallets are durable, and ethically produced, supporting:

Prairie ecosystem restoration
Climate action via carbon sequestration
Indigenous economic development
Transparent, ethical supply chains
Circular economy principles

Wild Idea Bison Leather Bags and Wallets

This collaboration extends beyond concept and brings real products into the world. Moore & Giles offers a carefully edited line of bison leather goods made from Wild Idea hides, including:

Limited Collection Bison Benedict Weekend Bag, a spacious travel bag made from full-grain and suede bison leather
Limited Collection Bison Zip Tote, a compact, everyday-use bison leather tote crafted in small batches
Limited Collection Bison Bottle Tote, combining top-grain and suede bison leather for a functional yet elegant carry item
Limited Collection Bison Wallet, a compact top-grain bison leather wallet with natural texture and RFID lining
Smaller leather goods such as the Limited Collection Bison Zip Pouch for everyday essentials

Carrying one of these Wild Idea bison leather pieces such as a weekend bag, zip tote, bottle tote, wallet, or pouch is more than owning a leather product. It is participating in prairie restoration, supporting Indigenous stewardship, and using leather that is ethically and traditionally crafted.

Moore & Giles honors every bison hide, including its natural markings, by creating leather goods built to last and intended to be used.

FAQs

What is bison leather?

Bison leather comes from bison hides and is thicker, more durable, and more textured than traditional cow leather. It carries natural markings from the animal’s life on the prairie, which are celebrated rather than hidden.

Is bison leather durable?

Yes. Bison leather is exceptionally strong due to its thickness and dense fibers, making it ideal for bags, wallets, and other leather goods that last for years.

How does bison leather compare to cow leather?

Bison leather is thicker, more textured, and rare compared to cow leather. Its natural grain is more pronounced, and it is less stretched during tanning, which keeps it strong and long-lasting.

Does bison leather stretch?

Bison leather has some natural flexibility, but it stretches less than cow leather due to the dense fibers and traditional tanning process.

How should I care for my bison leather bag or wallet?

Treat bison leather like any premium natural leather: avoid prolonged exposure to water, clean with a soft cloth, and condition occasionally with leather cream to maintain suppleness and texture.

Are Wild Idea bison leather products ethically sourced?

Yes. The hides come from humanely field-harvested bison raised on regenerative grasslands, supporting prairie restoration and Indigenous stewardship.

What products are available in the Wild Idea bison leather collection?

Moore & Giles offers limited-edition bags, wallets, pouches, and travel items made from Wild Idea bison leather, each showcasing the hide’s unique character.

Experience Wild Idea Bison Leather

Our limited edition collections featuring Wild Idea bison leather are available seasonally, based on the hides available from each year's harvest. Each piece represents our shared commitment to regenerative practices, traditional craftsmanship, and celebrating the inherent beauty of leather that carries the authentic story of the prairie.

To learn more about this ongoing collaboration and explore bison leather pieces, visit our collections or contact our team.

About Moore & Giles: Founded in 1933 in Virginia, Moore & Giles is dedicated to designing and developing the world's most innovative and luxurious natural leathers for high-end hospitality, aviation, residential, and automotive interior design industries. Our commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship extends to our collection of heirloom leather bags and accessories, where we showcase the timeless beauty of natural leather through products designed to last generations.

About Wild Idea Buffalo Company: Founded in 1997 by conservationist Dan O'Brien, Wild Idea Buffalo Company is dedicated to preserving and restoring the Great Plains by returning buffalo to their native homeland. Through partnerships with ranchers, Indigenous communities, and conservation organizations, Wild Idea practices regenerative agriculture, humane field harvesting, and works to impact over 300,000 acres of prairie grasslands.

About Hermann Oak Leather: Operating since 1881 in St. Louis, Missouri, Hermann Oak Leather is one of America's last remaining traditional vegetable tanneries, producing premium leather using time-honored processes passed down through four generations.

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