Vegetable-tanned leather

For several years, we have made it a point of honour to offer you a range of vegetable-tanned leather shoes.

Behind our designs, a long tanning process is necessary well before they are manufactured and arrive at your home. So, what exactly is the vegetable tanning technique we use in our collections?

What is leather tanning?

Tanning is a necessary step in transforming animal hides into durable leather. This process makes the material rot-proof, water-resistant, and supple.

At a time when the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world, it is essential that industry players find more environmentally friendly processes. Whenever possible, we choose vegetable-tanned leather for our designs. All our leathers are tanned in Europe.

What is vegetable tanning?

Used by our ancestors, vegetable tanning is a more environmentally friendly process for transforming animal hides into leather. It uses tannins of organic origin, such as bark, leaves, seeds, and roots, and contains very little chromium residue. The animal hides are soaked in a solution of vegetable tannins (selected beforehand to achieve the desired color and suppleness) for a few days, or even several months.

Vegetable-tanned leather is just as high-quality. It develops natural and pronounced nuances over time.

Be careful not to confuse "vegetable-tanned leather" with "vegetable leather." Leather always comes from animal hide; it's the tanning process used that determines whether it's vegetable-based or not. Therefore, a leather described as "vegetable-tanned" doesn't truly exist; it's actually a material made from plant fibers, such as pineapple.

What is vegetable tanning?

The stages of vegetable tanning

Before tanning, the hide is prepared in 2 stages.

The hide is separated from the carcass: it is then analyzed and classified according to its qualities and defects. It is then salted or dried for better preservation. The carcass is destined for the meat industry, in slaughterhouses.
River work: the hide is soaked to moisten it and facilitate the removal of hair. It is then washed, rinsed and wrung out to be ready for tanning.

Why choose vegetable-tanned leather shoes?

Vegetable tanning makes each leather unique because it uses natural ingredients. The vegetable tannins oxidize under the influence of light, naturally developing a patina on the leather over time. A vegetable-tanned leather shoe requires regular care to maintain its beautiful color.