When it comes to heavy-duty work gloves, leather gloves have reigned supreme in the minds of hardworking hands. Natural hide has a high tensile strength; it becomes softer and more pliable with use, is resistant to heat, tearing, and punctures while staying warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If you work with your hands, chances are you’ve worked with a set of leather gloves. Heck, you might have a set you consider to be a relic.

Now, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of leather, because not all leather is created equal (we are talking about nature here). Before diving into leather DNA, it’s important to recognize the three main categories of leather and their characteristics. To make things simple, we built this sweet infographic.