Buff is a soft thick un-dyed leather from the skins of buffalo or oxen and its color is light yellow, shading toward pink, gray or brown. These are finished with a soft, velvet nap and is an oil-tanned leather. Buff leather laces are widely used in costume making as well as are also great for braiding projects, shoe strings, ties and wrapping.

Buff leather laces are found in three forms. Natural or buff laces; this is when no whiteners are added to change the color during the tanning process, resulting in a more pleasant color to the leather. Whitened buff laces; buff leather with whiteners added in order to give a much lighter color and blackened buff; this buff leather dyed black and also stained in order to give it a yellow color.