Crocodile skin handbags from Bangkok Bootery are hand-crafted mainly from hides from crocodiles reared in Thailand. This is because our home country is now widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best quality crocodile skin providers. Here’s why:
- Thailand has the largest crocodile farming industry in the world and many of the famous international fashion brands source their exotic skins from the Kingdom. Around 700,000 crocodiles are raised in 22 farms registered with the Fisheries Department.
- These farms are licensed care takers and breeders of crocodiles, authorized by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). and the Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA). Many are members of the Crocodile Management Association of Thailand (CMAT) and are in partnership with the Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG). Collectively, they have halted the decline in numbers of the Siamese Crocodile, previously threatened by intensive illegal poaching.
- Natural breeding grounds have been created in Thailand for crocodiles, identical to their native habitat, where there is adequate living space, and where the environment is serene, peaceful and free from human disturbance. The crocodiles are fed regularly and prevented from fighting with each other to keep their skins free from scratches. Special care must be given in the first couple of years, as the young tend to die easily.
- There are two breeds of crocodiles in Thailand, Crocodylus Siamensis and Crocodylus Porosus, which is indigenous to Southeast Asia. They have the highest quality skin in the world with the most beautiful pattern. The most sought after crocodile skin is the abdomen of the Crocodylus Porosus which is used by Bangkok Bootery to make their designer handbags, particularly those with the matte finishes for which Thailand is best known.