The first piece of the newest collection, made using gorgeous Vachetta leather - tanned using a specialized vegetable tanning method in Tuscany - was just added to the shop! So it feels like the right time to talk more about vegetable tanned leather: why it's the best....and what you get when you spend a little more money for it.
Vegetable tanning is the O.G. tanning method - going back to when people first started tanning leather, using tannins extracted from tree bark and plants to treat and preserve hides. It's downside, and why it costs more to produce, is how time consuming it is, which is why we've developed accelerated tanning methods which reduce time, and so costs, of tanning leather. Most of these new methods use harsh chemicals, but reduce the tanning time drastically. As an example, chrome tanning with modern machinery can reduce the tanning process to just a day - while vegetable tanning is a meticulous process that takes 2-3 months!
There are very real costs, all the way down the line (including for the consumer), by accelerating this process. From exposing workers to harsh chemicals, heavily polluting the environment with the chemical laden waste water, to an inferior finished product, our modern techniques can and do speed up the process, but the end result cannot match the quality and longevity of all natural vegetable tanning.
Chrome tanned leather doesn't have the same durability, surface character, or even smell, as vegetable tanned leather. The most affordable leather option, it's also the most polluting, and produces the lowest quality leather. No other tanning method can match the leather produced with vegetable tanning: it offers the most durability and longevity (this leather will last for decades with proper care), it breaks in and improves over time, developing patina, deepening the color of the leather with use. Think about the iconic handles on Louis Vuitton bags (also made of Vachetta leather) which look better and gain value with age as they develop their signature rich, golden patina. It's also the most environmentally friendly tanning method - utilizing all natural materials from which tannins are extracted, instead of using harsh chemicals.
I don't work with chrome tanned leather, because the quality just isn't there, and I want my pieces to last as long as possible. Most of my work is offered in oil tanned leather, which is a hybrid tanning method that is finished off by soaking the leather in vegetable oils, producing a high quality and incredibly supple leather that's great for harnesses especially, due to it's already 'broken in' soft hand feel. (oil tanned leather will also develop patina over time - chrome tanned leather does not). While my oil tanned leather is sourced from ethical and eco-consciously operated tanneries in highly regulated European tanneries, my goal has always been to transition to using more vegetable tanned leather in the shop for a more environmentally friendly, sustainability focused business.
Vachetta leather used in my shop is all sourced from a single tannery: Valdibrana Conceria, located in Tuscany, Italy. Vachetta leather is tanned using a specialized vegetable tanning method; tanneries must meet strict requirements in their processing to meet the criteria needed to use the term 'Vachetta'. I care deeply about the source of the leather I use; I want to be sure that I'm not supporting the exploitation of workers or high pollution that a lot of leather sources use to keep costs down That means spending a little more on the leather I source, but by purchasing from specific suppliers and tanneries, I can tell my customers with confidence that they aren't contributing to unethical practices with their purchase.
For now, I will continue to offer the high quality oil tanned leather that I have used since launching in September of last year, as it is more affordable and allows me to make my work more accessible as a result. But you'll see more and more vegetable tanned leather pieces being added to the shop, not only to achieve my environmental goals as a business, but to provide the highest quality and longest lasting pieces to my clients.
Lastly, let's talk leather straps. I continue to work to find genuine leather that is thin and supple, yet durable enough to use in my pieces with tie straps. It has been the most challenging issue to tackle as far as sourcing goes. Finding straps that will work has proven to be incredibly difficult, and I then need to match the color of the rest of the leather in the piece...that is why I have had to use leatherette straps in my pieces with ties, and even then, could only offer these in black. It was nothing short of a miracle that I was able to find a perfect match for the carmine red Vachetta leather - red straps seem to only come in shades that are best described as some variation of 'crayon' red; I had to source the beautiful deep red straps that match this leather from the UK, but it is still a leatherette strap. I will continue to search for a genuine leather match for this, but in the meantime, as far as leatherette goes, it doesn't get any better than the soft, supple, yet durable straps I've been using. I have belts with tie straps that are over a year old, and the straps show zero signs of wear.
However, I do have some great news - I have FINALLY found a genuine leather strap that works for this use in black leather! Sourced from another small business, these will be used for the black Vachetta leather belts that will be added to the shop next week :) I will also be adding this option paired with my oil tanned leather corset belts as well, so I can offer fully leather belts at a slightly lower price. The cost of the genuine leather straps is several times the cost of the leatherette, so this option will add an estimated $30 to the overall price. But leather is my Roman Empire; I am always on the lookout for high quality options that minimize costs and allow me to make my work as accessible as possible!
I will also be adding strap replacement services to the shop - as durable as the leatherette straps are, they will not last the lifetime of the high quality leather I use for the rest of the piece. I will also be adding an upgrade service, so if you have or do purchase an option with leatherette straps, you can have those replaced with genuine leather straps for just the cost of materials. This will only be available in black leather for the time being, but my search for additional matches continues...
I haven't added the upgrade option to the shop just yet (I just found the black leather straps this past week, and it's on my list!), but if this is something you're interested in, you can reach out to me to arrange it regardless! I hope to have this added in the coming week as well :)
Have any questions or custom inquiries? Reach out to me via the contact page, or email me at hello@culteducuir.com - I'm always happy to hear from you!
XX - Emily
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