FULL GRAIN LEATHER AND THE HISTORY OF VEGETABLE TAN LEATHER.
There are 4 grades of leather,the first being top quality.
● Full grain leather.
● Top grain leather.
● Genuine leather.
● Bonded leather.
Here in @Grecorium we only use full grain leather and the craft of vegetable tanning.
That is because it provides higher quality and assurance. It also allows the product to retain its shape and natural characteristics.
It is the part right below the hair. The hair is removed during the process and leaves alone the complete grain leather hide intact.
The Ancient Greeks had been using leather even during the Homeric era in around 1200 B.C.
The use of leather and specifically full grain leather has been happening for thousands of years, for the betterment of the human experience and everyday life.
Other civilizations that used it are Ancient Egypt,Rome,China,India and the Native
Americans. There are differences for each region and or dynasty but the result has been the same.
Uses and advantages of full grain leather.
The durability and natural elements of full grain leather allows it to be used for the creation of high quality products.
Some of them are: wallets,leather bags,belts,furniture,journals,phone cases,watch
straps,footwear etc.
Full grain leather can last,with proper care, upwards to 30 years. It is water resistant and the most durable and natural option around.
It is common for the leather quality to even outlast the strong threads that tied the product together.
It is also comfortable,luxurious,allergy friendly and fire resistant.
Vegetable tanning.
Vegetable tanning is an ancient tanning technique that is still used today and is the most eco-friendly technique of tanning.
It is believed that it originates from the Middle East and the Mediterranean region at 2000 or 3000 B.C. Greeks have been using this technique since the Ancient times.
Process of vegetable tanning.
The purpose of the process is to turn the raw animal hides into natural,durable materials to be used for high quality products.
It can take from a few weeks to a few months depending on a multitude of factors.
Natural tannins are used for the process alongside ancient recipes that have been passed through generations.
The result,of course, is a high quality product from vegetable tanned leather.
Vegetable tanned products have many advantages.
● There is no use of toxic materials, making it environmentally friendly for the product
and the craftsman.
● It is long lasting and through excessive use it can develop a patina unique to its
owner.
● Its natural character makes it more luxurious and authentic.
● Approval by artisans. Vegetable tanning is preferred as a technique from
exceptional and experienced artisans as they prefer it over other processes.
● Repairability. Even after getting damaged the products can be repaired,recycled or
refurbished.
What is leather patina?
Patina is the natural transformation over time of leather products that makes them unique and personal for every user.
While using them, every choice you make, every scratch or touch offers a new story to your products. Alongside with their long lasting durability it allows you to keep them with you for a lifetime.
Patina can start happening even after 6 months of use. It can be accelerated or postponed with the right use, depending on your wants.
Thank you for reading this far.
For those of you that stayed this far and already spent a few minutes of your precious time reading this article I want to remind you that:
Here in @Grecorium we use full grain cowhide vegetable tanned leather because we believe that our customers deserve the best products we can offer.
Maybe it takes longer to create these magnificent products but trust me it is all worth it.
feature photo from: https://phys.org/news/2020-02-gods-italy-pitti-palace.html
