Tobacco (reddish-brown) colored vegetable tanned cowhide that we hand cut and hand dye in house. Each baseball is sewn by hand using waxed Irish linen thread in a golden tan color. It's tough to top a vegetable tanned tooling leather in the looks/feel/smell department. Being the history fans that we are, this ball is a tip of the cap to many different eras, from the 19th-century-era leather choice, to the modern core, and a few styling nods in between. Treat it as you would any fine leather good, with wax, polish.... or spit. The Tobacco Veg Tan Baseball will burnish to a unique patina with age and use. Go have a catch.