FAQs - LEATHER, CANVAS AND PARCHMENT PAPER

WHAT IS GOAT LEATHER?

Goat skin products are individually crafted using ancient methods of leather tanning commonly known as “pit tanning”, a process whereby goat skins are placed in concrete pits and soaked in various liquors, made from leached oak barks of deferring ages and strengths. The skins are left to soak in the liquors for about 30 days. Our goat leather products will include natural scarring; a consequence of the life of the leather, uneven stitching and if lucky, some goat hair, giving your bag an authentic, well-travelled look. Goat skin is known for its strength, lightness and durability.

Commonly used in the manufacturing of quality chamois, drum heads, gloves and other products that require a soft and long-lasting hide, our goat leather products are not chemically treated. The leather will have a distinctive and earthy leather aroma that fades over time. It is not necessary to condition your bag on purchase. With constant use, goat leather quickly becomes soft and its natural oils seal the bag without conditioning. Overtime, your leather bag will darken and become malleable and mould to your character. We guarantee that no two goat products are identical.

Please remember that goat leather products are a natural product and as such, upon purchase, you may need to wipe excess salt or wax (if any) off your bag. If you feel your bag needs some lift, you can apply an oil-based conditioner. Beeswax or Dubbin works great on our goat products. Once applied, your bag will increase in water-resistance, reducing the effects of cracking and reducing the smell by way of sealing it. Beeswax or Dubbin will darken your bags. Non-oil-based leather conditioners (similar to hand creams) will also protect and condition your bag without darkening it as much as oil-based conditioners.

WHAT IS WAXED AND WASHED CANVAS?

Waxed canvas is heavy cotton that has been impregnated with a paraffin-based wax. Depending on the type and amount of wax, the process can make the cotton canvas water repellent or waterproof.

Washed canvas is heavy cotton that is washed several times to give the item a used look. Widely used from the mid-19th century to the mid-1950s, the product, which originated in the sailing industry in England and Scotland, became widely used by many for waterproofing.

WHAT IS FULL GRAIN LEATHER?

Any leather which has not undergone snuffing, sanding, buffing or any other process to eliminate any imperfections, is called full-grain leather. It is by far the most durable and strongest of all kinds of leather. It retains the layer of skin which is found just below the hair, giving it breathability and resistance to wear. It develops a beautiful patina over time, and is generally used for high-quality shoes and accessories.

WHAT IS MILLED LEATHER

Milling cowhides is a process in which only full grain hides are rotated in drums with heavy large rubber balls for a period of time to soften the leather.

WHAT IS DRUM DYED LEATHER

Drum dyeing is a process whereby full grain hides are completely immersed in the dye colour of choice and tumbled in a rotating drum (similar to a washing machine but much larger and made of oak). This process allows for complete saturation of colour through the hides, including the pores and fibres.

WHAT IS TOP GRAIN LEATHER

We only use full grain leather and top grain leather. Top grain is almost the same as full grain leather, but with the top sanded or buffed ever so slightly in order to allow the leather to change patina over a short period of time. Always changing from lighter to darker, you will enjoy the old vintage look within 6 months of use. 

WHAT IS COTTON PARCHMENT PAPER?

Parchment was used for thousands of years by artists, poets and writers. Initially, parchment was made from animal skin until the twentieth century. Animal skins were replaced by cotton which was recycled by ‘ragmen’ and taken to mills. Our parchment paper is sustainable and uses cotton picked from local farms.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

It’s very important that you are aware our leather will sometimes have scars, tick bites, variations in texture and other anomalies associated with quality hides. We are more than happy to send you a photo of your product before shipping.