Gift ideas

14
December
2021

backpack and bags

Backpack or bag? Two accessories with different functions, choose which one you prefer

 

Men and women of different ages need accessories such as bags or backpacks for everyday life. They can be useful for many reasons: to bring the most important things, to go to work and carry computers and documents, to take a trip. An accessory like this is used all the time, so it’s more likely to get damaged or broken. If after our purchase we spend a few days and there is already something wrong, maybe the product was not of good quality.

To have a long-lasting, solid, and well-made product it is better to buy a backpack or a handmade bag made in Italy. This will make us spend a bit more at the beginning but will guarantee us a high-quality product, which we will not have to change from year to year. Buying handicrafts is always a good idea.

Why choose an artisanal leather accessory

A handmade accessory ensures a high quality since it is produced by hand and with excellent materials. Leather in Italy is worked with care and always guarantees durability. A belt, a wallet or a leather briefcase can last many years, even the whole life. The seams are resistant, the material is solid and hardly ruins. Compared to fast fashion products we will spend more, but we will have a top-quality product in our hands. By buying Italian handicrafts we make a sustainable choice, against too much waste of the market. Buying less but more quality products, in fact, is good for the planet, in addition to the fact that we support artisanal activities in place of large chains.

Choosing to buy a handmade leather accessory therefore has its great advantages: lasts longer over time, supports small and medium-sized realities, is a sustainable and ethical choice. In addition to this, these are objects that are very beautiful, designed and made with great care to never be trivial.

There are many leather accessories, the most used are backpacks and bags, but what is the difference between the two? And which is better for us? Let’s see what the main features of backpacks and bags are, and which is the right one for us.

backpacks

leather backpack

A leather backpack is an almost indestructible accessory. We can put it where we want and always take it with us, it will hardly get ruined! You can use it for work, but also for a trip, and it can contain many useful things. Having always on the shoulders does not encumber us, indeed it will be very comfortable. There are backpacks of many colors and sizes, both for women and men, so there is an embarrassment of choice. Some models are more elegant, others more casual.

Everyone must have at least one backpack, because it is one of those convenient and useful accessories that can save us on many occasions. The backpacks can be adjusted and adapted to each person, even with different physicality.

Leather bag

A leather bag is a jewel that can last for years without ever showing a scratch. It can be small or very large, the important thing is that it contains everything we need. The bag is first a useful accessory for everyday life, but it can also be beautiful to show off with different outfits. Leather is a durable and elegant material, so we can wear a handmade bag for different occasions.

A leather bag can be a very special and beautiful gift to give to friends, colleagues, and relatives. Being a particular and very useful accessory will always be appreciated.

Where to buy leather accessories

Leather is a material that needs to be very worked before it can be used to create accessories. There are many steps to make it perfect and only those who are in the business know all the techniques. Its cost also depends on this, it is not a simple material like others, but must be treated and need the right skills to do so. The price is therefore justified, because we will have a product complete and well done, that with the passage of time will always remain the same.

In Italy we have a good market for leather goods, the important thing is to contact the right store. Florence Leather Market is a leader in leather goods and accessories, all its creations come from laboratories in the heart of Tuscany and are handmade by skilled and qualified artisans. From these products you recognize the real ones made in Italy and we will have with us an accessory that will last a long time.

Now that we have seen all the features of these accessories, we can evaluate whether to buy a backpack or a leather bag. It may be a good idea for both us and to give a gift to one of our loved ones.

7
December
2021

Market of San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo market

 

The leather market of San Lorenzo is the most important in the city of Florence: it is set up every day, except on Sundays and Mondays, from Piazza San Lorenzo to Via dell’Ariento and around the Church of San Lorenzo, in the historic center of Florence. It is an ancient market that, even today, is among the favorite stops of Florentines and tourists who are in the city. In addition to the souvenirs, in the San Lorenzo market you will find clothes and a wide range of leather accessories, such as wallets, bags and belts.

The history of the San Lorenzo leather market

The Central Market of San Lorenzo was born on the appointment of Florence as Capital of the Kingdom of Italy; with the arrival of the institutions, around 1865, the city of Florence thought to completely renew the historic center, inspired by the style of the largest European capitals, especially Paris. With the growth of the city and, consequently, of the population, the old market, Il Mercato della Paglia, was no longer able to provide the necessary supply to all the inhabitants, so it was decided to give life, in some of the most dilapidated neighborhoods, The Herb Market in Sant’Ambrogio and the Market of San Frediano, now no longer present.
The idea was immediately successful but the space in San Lorenzo was still insufficient to extend the area dedicated to the market, so a labyrinth of small alleys was created between the city walls that surrounded the historic center of Florence and between some of the poorest and most battered neighborhoods.

For the improvement of the area and for the creation of a sort of large stand under which to enclose the market, the city of Florence, taking advantage of the flourishing period it was going through, hired the architect Giuseppe Mengoni, one of the most sought after in Italy at the end of 1800. The new building, with a clear Florentine appeal given by the base with Renaissance features, was inaugurated, in 1874, with the International Horticulture Exhibition, while the market, in a structure far from what we know today, only took over the following year.

In the last years of 1800 the merchants decreased drastically and the internal arrangement of the market became what we know today: around the Central Market Square, shops and stalls offer visitors goods of all kinds: from food to leather accessories, while the typical local carts offer the opportunity to stop and enjoy the authentic local delicacies.
Still today, as it happened in the previous two centuries, the city life develops around the market, between social and cultural relations, always respecting the ancient Florentine traditions.

san Lorenzo Market

The Florentine leather goods

Among the highlights of the San Lorenzo market in Florence there are all the items produced by Florentine leather goods: every day tourists and curious take assault the stalls eager to buy elegant accessories, born from the hands and passion of the best Florentine craftsmen.
Florence, on the other hand, is one of the main European cities with regard to the production of leather and the creation of clothes and accessories sought after, by virtue of their history and their style, all over the world.

As you approach the San Lorenzo market, you can feel the scent of freshly worked leather in the air: don’t stop, however, at the first stand! We advise you to breathe the atmosphere of the Florentine market, immersing yourself between people and typical objects and doing, in this way, a jump back in time. Among the most sought after goods there are, without doubt, the bags, the result of the wonderful Tuscan leather goods: from those with classic and elegant lines to the most modern ones, from small clutches to large bags, from the most elegant bags to those suitable for everyday life, to the ball market of San Lorenzo every woman can find the bag that suits her style and needs.
A similar argument applies to accessories: between wallets and belts, passing through leather nails, every curious will find a garment that will not be able to resist. All the products born from the hands and knowledge of the artisans of Florence Leather Market, a leading company in the leather goods and accessories sector, are Made in Italy: the local manufactory gives daily life to accessories that express, in every inch, the excellent quality of Made in Italy. These are mainly bags, briefcases, wallets and accessories that over time do not get ruined but, on the contrary, earn a value that has no price: with use, the accessories acquire a vintage and unique look, impossible to recreate in any way.

The leather of the Tuscan district is among the best in the world: after a long and accurate treatment process inside the Florentine tanneries, after 13 phases, the leather becomes a real luxury product, with immense value. Buying these products in the streets of the leather market of San Lorenzo means going back in time and being full of beauty and tradition, culture and authentic values.

14
October
2021

Inseme di pellami colorati con tonalità diverse

Everything you need to know about the world of leather goods

What are the most valuable leathers and how to recognize them

 

There are different types of leather. The natural product differs depending on the animal, the intended use, the tanning or the type of coloring. It is a fascinating product that has accompanied us, protected us and kept us warm since ancient times. Used in numerous sectors; from design to the automotive industry passing through clothing, leather represents a true art that has been handed down for centuries.  

Why go for leather?

Leather is a noble and natural raw material, mainly used in the production of shoes, furniture, car interiors, clothes and bags. Approximately 500,000 tons of leather are produced each year, the equivalent of about 1.5 billion m².

This material has a technical advantage over alternative materials: one gram of leather has an internal surface area of up to 300 m², its fibers are rich in collagen. 

artigiano che lavora la pelle

Therefore, leather has great resistance to tearing, stretching and bending, is reluctant to age and can absorb up to 30% water without “wetting”.
Can absorb moisture from the inside and direct it to the outside. Insulates against cold and heat. No substitute, no synthetic leather has so many advantages. Especially when it comes to shoes, jackets or gloves, leather clearly offers an unparalleled advantage and comfort.

The variations in leather are amazing, depending on how the dermis is processed we have a different texture and value: Nubuck, velvet, aniline, semi-aniline, pigmented leather, oily leather, suede and more.


Animals


Before talking about the characteristics of the different leathers, let’s review the various types of leather starting from the animal of origin:– Lamb: This is a thin but very resistant leather, protective and insulating, suitable for winter jackets. Loved for its delicacy, given by a smooth and silky surface. Its name is synonymous with quality.

– Sheepskin: Sheepskin has similar characteristics to calfskin but is less noble. The advantage of mutton lies in the fact that its thick wool, gives the leather even more resistance and makes it even warmer. It is therefore ideal for the creation of clothes.

– Cowhide: smooth and thick, cowhide is generally not a leather used for its nobility, we prefer it on rough and masculine jackets, which should naturally improve over time.

Buffalo: a more noble natural grain material than its friend above, buffalo remains relatively expensive and can take many forms. Solid or flexible, depending on its intended use and the treatment used. 

– Crocodile – Aligator: these are undoubtedly the most famous exotic skins. They are expensive, rare and highly sought after by the large clothing industries for making shoes and accessories. 


Le diverse varietà di pelle


– Crust: the crust is a very particular type of leather, as it is not very worked. The tannery does not apply any primer on the leather, in order to reduce chemical treatment to a minimum. This type of leather easily absorbs any type of processing and color, and is particularly used in the clothing and accessories sector.

– Vegetable leather: Today, classic leather is tanned with chrome in particular – the rest of the products is a recipe generally kept secret by the tanneries. However, it is also possible to tan it using natural materials (it is more time-consuming, more expensive and more complicated, but it is possible), so we talk about vegetable tanning. Vegetable tanning is the oldest and most ecological method of treating leather, used for several centuries.– Full-grain leather: Full-grain leather is the most valuable and durable layer of animal skin. This material is the most natural in its class and is unrivaled in quality.

– Sawn grain leather: it is the dermis that has been treated to improve its quality. The benefits are its resistance, nobility and naturalness. Having a product so raw and of such high quality is a guarantee of exceptionality and durability.

 – Nubuck: This is a type of top-grain leather treated in such a way as to give a smooth and velvety feel.

– Suede: A popular type of leather that can be identified by its fuzzy surfaces, suede is commonly made from split leather.

 – Leather split: is the lower part of the leather, the least noble part and the cheapest. It is often used for entry level products of excellent quality.

Now you have all the information you need to improve the quality of your purchases.

Knowing these indications from now on will allow you to distinguish a quality product from one that is defined as such but that is not at all. 

We have always been of the opinion that quality is better than quantity.

7
June
2021

Birth, characteristics and origin of the belt.

The origins of the belt: from the Stone Age to the Roman era

Each of us has worn and knows what a belt is for, what many do not know is the story of this extraordinary product symbol of Made in Italy.

The first, primitive, belt forms have their roots many years ago, more precisely than the Neolithic. Born as an accessory to tighten the life, the belt is one of the first garments with a value not only practical, but also social and religious. In the civilizations preceding the Roman era this accessory is in fact established as a garment with a function of definition of classes and social classes. On it could be applied accessories or tools useful to their craft, sword if you were soldiers or tools if you were craftsmen.

The quality of the material and the workmanship of the buckle, instead, reflected the wealth and well-being of the wearer.

This way of understanding the belt is affirmed in Roman culture, in fact during this historical period this chief takes different names according to the social value. Cingulum was the name for the belt used by civilians, while balteus was the name reserved for that of soldiers. The total absence of this accessory indicated the status of slaves.Usually the buckles were richly decorated and recalled subjects of mythology and religion.

Even today religion and belts have a very strong bond. All religions, keep traces of belts or at least cords, used in sacred ceremonies and in the embellishment of the priest’s clothing. Even today the girdle is an integral part of the clothing of the Catholic priest. Even the friars still use a cord to tie at the waist, so as to tighten the habit. Although since the fifteenth century the belt is stripped of its religious significance some of these habits have not been completely dispersed, many primitive peoples still use belts to try to prevent and cure diseases.

The history of this garment is therefore more ancient and important than you think, as an important element of ancient cultures such as Egyptian, Greek, Jewish and Roman.

Medieval and Renaissance: belt also for women

During the Middle Ages the belt lost its social connotation, but maintained its role as an accessory that still continues to distinguish the richness of the wearer. In this period, in Florence, many leather workshops were engaged in the production of belts, starting a legendary tradition that is still the flagship of the Tuscan capital.

The main novelty of the Middle Ages, however, is that this garment, once reserved only to a strictly male audience, begins to be worn by the ladies of the time. The fashion of wearing corsets and bodices leaves room for large tunics more comfortable, requiring precisely a belt able to gird the waist. This garment therefore becomes a symbol of sophistication for women, as can be seen from numerous canvases of the time where frequently the belt stands out to the eye more than the rest of clothing. 

This innovation kept however practical elements typical of the past, the buckle in fact soon became more and more widespread, because of its practicality. The women who used the belt used to direct the buckle to the left, while the men carried it to the right. Even this latter custom has its roots in the past, as it was a practical solution for soldiers, usually right-handed, so that in combat they could easily extract the sword, which usually hung from the left side.

From the eighteenth century to today: the belt becomes an iconic garment

In the following years the belt returns to its ancient purpose: to distinguish the military from the civilians. The former wear functional belts and tightly tied to their uniform, while the latter carry this accessory freely, to different heights and why not attached to the straps, making it the garment symbol of style and elegance that is now.

Nowadays this item of clothing has been definitively consecrated as an essential accessory for feminine and masculine looks, both elegant and casual, since now available in many variations and styles.

When choosing to buy such a product, however, account must be taken of the manufacture of the product and, without doubt if you choose to buy a high quality belt the first choice would definitely be a leather belt made in Italy.

The leading company in the sector is Florence leather market, an e-commerce purchasing platform where you can find the best leather products such as: suitcases, bags, shoulder bags, wallets and of course belts.

By registering on this site you can access the exclusive promotions and buy the products you want, being sure to buy leather treated by the best Florentine artisans.

 

16
May
2018

The beauties of the San Lorenzo market

It is difficult to think of describing the many beauties of the San Lorenzo market in an article of a few lines but we try, because this exhibition space deserves at least one visit, if you are in Florence, and is one of the most particular and typical places where you can meet flavors and genuinely Tuscan perfumes, shopping and having an exceptional setting for your last selfie!

The two sections of the market

The San Lorenzo Market is exactly divided into two parts: one inside, known as the Central Market and dedicated mainly to food, shops, restaurants and fast food, and the other outdoor section, organized around to the Central Market building, a glass and cast-iron structure built towards the end of the 19th century by Giuseppe Mengoni, the architect of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan.

A taste experience

Fruits and vegetables, bread and pastry, chocolate and honey, fresh fish, fried meatballs, meat and sausages, cheese, pizza and fresh pasta, wine shop, lampredotto, sorbets and ice creams … All the activities of the Central Market are conducted by artisanal traders that have in common the passion for their profession. Going from here is a real dip in tradition, in good Tuscan and Italian cuisine, with its quality ingredients, a place for gourmets who want to experience a unique, tasteful experience.

It can be a good idea, between a museum and a church, to put on your march the visit to the San Lorenzo Market, perhaps at lunchtime or even for dinner, so as to taste the delicacies of Tuscan cuisine (they are about 500 seats available inside) and let yourself be tempted by the various tastes.

The paradise of the skin

Outside, among the streets that wind around the covered market, you can indulge in admiring leather objects, mostly ceramic artifacts and other local products, clothes, scarves, small ornaments, stationery objects, magnets and all kinds of cadeau to take home as a souvenir of your tour in Florence. But do not forget that at the San Lorenzo Market you can find many leather goods to complete your favorite look: bags, clutch bags, belts, wallets, jackets and jackets. The local craftsmanship here is really on display, it does not seem a gamble to call it “the leather’s paradise”.

You just have to choose

Allow us a tip: if you are willing to make serious purchases, first make a list of what you are looking for, if you need to give gifts, and allow yourself enough time to take a look at the various stalls before deciding what to buy, and plan a “extra budget” for a last deal, just for you!

There are so many options to choose from and without spending too much money, you will certainly find very tasty souvenirs for you and your friends. This part of the San Lorenzo Market is open every day, from Tuesday to Saturday. Enjoy your visit!