Full-Grain, Vegetable Tanned Leather

All of the leather that I use is full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather. So what does that mean exactly?

In terms of quality, full-grain leather is the highest quality you can get. It has the full grain still intact, meaning only the hair has been removed. This means the leather is very durable and will outlast any other kind of leather.

Often, natural markings, such as scarring, stretch marks, or branding, are still visible in full-grain leather. These are the signs that the leather is of the highest, most natural quality.

Full-grain leather also breathes, meaning it will absorb moisture and oils as it is handled, creating a beautiful patina over time.

All animal hides must go through the tanning process to become leather. The most common tanning methods are vegetable-tanned and chrome-tanned.

The process of chrome tanning involves the use of chromium sulphates to speed up the process of tanning leather. This method is quite a bit cheaper, but the use of chemicals has a harmful environmental impact, and any unused chrome-tanned leather has to go through special processes to remove the chrome in order to be recycled. Chrome-tanned leather is fairly resistant to water and takes a very long time to develop a patina. A vast majority of the leather used in the world today is chrome-tanned.

Vegetable tanning, on the other hand, is a much healthier, more natural method of tanning leather, and is one of the oldest methods of tanning leather. The process involves soaking animal hides in a solution made of vegetable tannins. There is quite a bit more time and skill involved in vegetable tanning, but it's worth it. Vegetable-tanned leather is extremely durable, and if cared for properly, can last a lifetime. It develops a beautiful patina over time and it smells AMAZING. This is why all of the leather I use is vegetable-tanned.

Pueblo and Minerva leathers are both vegetable-tanned leathers that come from the Badalassi Carlo tannery in Tuscany Italy. They have been tanning leather for over 50 years and are one of 19 members of the Pelle Vegetale Consortium. The Pelle Vegetale Consortium is an organization that ensures the leather produced by its member tanneries is sourced and tanned in strict compliance with the traditional vegetable tanning methods.

Pueblo and Minerva leathers are both made from cow hides. They are both Vachetta leathers, meaning they have a high fat content and a very natural finish. This creates an amazingly soft, buttery-like finish.

Pueblo leather is more rustic, with more texture than Minerva, which is very smooth. Both leathers come in a variety of beautiful colors. Take a look at the color options on all of the product listings!