To better understand the material we use, we spoke with Pasquale, an entrepreneur in the Vicenza area that provides leather stocks to craftsmen working for high-end leather products. The following is a brief dive into the world of leather production.
The leather used is a completely natural material sourced from animals, mainly calves or cows raised on land or in stalls. As a living part of the animal, the leather undergoes wear, deformations, wrinkles, color changes, markings, and diseases during the animal’s growth. The environment in which the animal lives becomes a part of the resulting surface. The effect of the animal’s growth in a natural or anthropic environment reflects the characteristics imprinted in its aesthetic character. Therefore, leather derived from animals living in Africa, for example, will develop entirely unique characteristics compared to leather from animals raised in other countries, like Italy. Even more, leathers coming from animals living in pastures or stalls and then treated in specialized sites for seasoning, with strict checks on humidity and temperature controls, will again have different features and characteristics.
All environmental elements that play a role in the development of an animal in a specific environment will be exacerbated, altered, or destroyed during the processing. The method of extracting the animal’s skin (flaying) using traditional tools like knives (by hand, for example) will have different effects compared to pneumatic or tearing techniques. In the former case, the knife marks may remain visible on the leather even after processing, while the latter methods minimize the risk of damaging the leather.
Moreover, an animal raised on land or in pastures, accustomed to moving or grazing, may present signs such as striations, insect bites, punctures, cuts, or deformations resulting from events occurring during its life. For instance, an animal raised in a stall is likely to have puncture marks on some areas of the body, which will also be visible in certain areas of the leather, in addition to sores due to the animal’s stationary position. Other marks may be due to mechanical stress induced by the animal’s activity.
Thus, uniform, soft to the touch, and evenly colored leather without specific striations or prominent marks result from a controlled and intentional supply chain that aims to obtain the best possible final product.
The leather used here is usually referred to as “crazy horse” due to its vintage appearance. It is the result of refinement processes such as “greasing,” which gives it a particular coloration and tactile sensation, smooth yet soft and consistent. When subjected to stress, such as scratches or scrapes, it tends to show visible marks, leaving that unmistakable vintage effect.
Among the initial leather treatment processes is drying, which, when done using salts, may result in altering the final appearance of the leather, giving it striations or points. Special care must be taken during this process not to influence or alter the final product too much. Generally, the “tanning” processes can be of two types: vegetable tanning or chromium tanning.
The initial starting product after tanning, known as “crust,” is then “hot waxed” to obtain the so-called “greased” leather. The achieved appearance is that of a material with two finishes: the more valuable one, generally used for the visible outer part, known as the “grain,” has a smooth, soft, and even color and texture; the opposite side, called the “flesh,” appears soft, almost suede-like, more or less supple depending on the leather’s dryness. It should be noted that no natural material of animal origin is the same as another, as they not only come from different animals but also derive from different environments. However, general characteristics can be defined, more or less pronounced, and the production process should preserve, enhance, and moderate them when necessary.
The “crazy horse” leather can be further treated with various colors ranging from black/gray to brown and green. Additionally, patterns and decorations can be applied as desired.
The selected material is a simple brown “crazy horse” leather. It is highly durable, with a uniform color and various striations. The leather is chosen for its uniformity, naturalness, and shine. With a medium thickness of 1.5 mm, the leather is utilized in its entirety with minimal waste during the cutting process, mainly arising from irregularities in the outer edge.
