When we talk about leather we have to talk about the tanning process and Italy is the world leader in vegetable tanning. Have you ever wondered what vegetable tanning is, what are the differences between the various tanning processes and why we hear so much about vegetable tanning? In this article I will briefly explain the world of vegetable tanning.

What does tanning mean?

Tanning is the treatment to which hides and skins are subjected in order to preserve and work them. Its purpose is to transform the animal’s putrescible skin into a product that is rot-proof, hygienic, breathable and resistant. The chrome tanning process is the most common process today as it is faster and less expensive but has a serious environmental impact. For this reason it is not part of the policy of Florence Leather Market. This is the reason why in our opinion vegetable tanning is the best process.

Vegetable tanning

Vegetable tanning is done through the use of tannins. Tannins used in the vegetable tanning process are natural substances extracted using eco-sustainable methods: for Tara tannin it is sufficient to grind the pods to a powder, while for chestnut or quebracho tannin the wood is chopped into chips which, in contact with hot water, releases the tannin in solution, as if it were an infusion.

Is the vegetable tanning process dangerous for the environment?

The vegetable tanning process is absolutely the most eco-sustainable tanning method.Tannins are vegetable substances, safe for man and the environment; did you know that the waste mud resulting from the tanning process can be easily recovered and transformed into material for the creation of bricks for the building industry. Also objects created from vegetable-tanned leather can last for generations and once their cycle of use is over, they can be easily disposed of and transformed into fertilizers for agriculture.

How can vegetable-tanned leather be distinguished from other materials?

Unfortunately, it is difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish vegetable tanned leather from the chrome one. We suggest using your nose: tanning with tannin permeates the leather with an intense perfume, the unmistakable “smell of leather” that a plastic material certainly does not have and that is scarcely present in other tanning methods.The same difference is also evident in terms of softness and pleasantness to the touch.

With global warming just around the corner, the sustainability of companies is fundamental for the healthy development of the planet and this is why the entire line of Florence Leather Market reflects these parameters. Take a look at our website and be won over by the quality of our products.

Working with leather is one of the oldest crafts in the world that Tuscan artisans manage to make more alive and relevant than ever with their own hands. In our workshop, designers make custom leather goods and give new life to antique pieces, with the aim of enhancing the quality of the raw material and finishing it with a handcrafted touch. In this article, I’ll briefly explain what they teach in leather goods schools by revealing the secrets of leather and its workmanship.

Here are some fundamentals in the art of leather goods

The raw material

In any self-respecting course you cannot fail to dedicate the right amount of importance to leather. How the leather passes from the raw material to the final product, the differences between the various leathers and how to distinguish the good from the bad. The first phase of tanning consists in detaching the hide from the animal carcass, mechanically or manually. The skin then undergoes salting and drying, to preserve it from external bacteria. This is followed by the actual tanning process to transform the leather into hide.It is essential to know how to recognize a real product from a fake one and we at Florence Leather Market have an article  dedicated to that too.

The craftsman’s tools

There are many tools to use in the field of leather goods, but we can divide them according to their functionality; we have tools dedicated to modelling, cutting and preparation, assembly and packaging, shaping, colouring and fastening and finally equipment dedicated to quality control. In the search towards the art of leather goods, it is of fundamental importance to master the use of different equipment and therefore, it is important to rely on masters who can facilitate our learning. Once you have mastered the various tools of the trade, you can begin to assemble your first product for your portfolio.

Here are the phases of leather processing

First you need to have in mind what you want to create and then have a drawing to follow with the various measures and the various notes that will help you throughout the process. Then you proceed with the various working processes.

cutting and sharpening of the leather

We start with the cutting and sharpening of the leather, preparing a cardboard template, which reflects the piece of leather you want to cut. Tracing the contours with a pencil on the straight side of the leather, we follow the track with the awl pressing lightly to create a thin but deep enough incision and through the use of a coramella we finish the cut.

1. Bonding: after having cut out our leather parts necessary for the assembly we can move on to gluing.To glue the leather you can use the classic vinyl glue and all the cyanoacrylate glues, even if the most effective glues for yield and durability are the contact glues. 

1. Stitching: once the gluing phase is over, let’s move on to stitching. A centuries-old technique still practiced today by luxury brands is the traditional saddle stitch, it is therefore important that a course goes through the most important steps, from the selection of the thread, the calculation of the length, the preparation of the leather up to the actual sewing.

1. Edge processing: finally we move on to edge working, sealing all the glued and sewn layers of leather requires a few steps in the right sequence so that the edge is not only aesthetically smooth but also lasts for a long time.

If you are interested in the world of leather in our opinion these are the fundamental steps you should focus on to aspire to become a real leather master. Take a look at our website to see how Florence Leather Market uses modern style craftsmanship techniques.