Our Leathers

Here at Orraman Leather we carefully hand select from ethically sourced tanneries in Italy and America. 


All our goods are made with full grain, vegetable tanned leather from the world renowned Italian Tannery Badalassi Carlo or world famous American Tannery Horween. 

So what does full grain mean? Why should you choose full grain leather over genuine leather?  What is vegetable tanning? And what is Shell Cordovan?

Let's break this down.

What is Full Grain leather?
Full grain leather is the best of the best. Its where all the strength is and where all the incredible smell is. It is a huge reason why we can lifetime guarantee our work. Simply put "full grain" leather is the real deal. It is the outer section of the hide where the fibers of the leather are packed the most densely. Take a look at the picture bellow. You only get that richness and depth of colour with full grain leather.


So what is "Genuine Leather" and why should you avoid it?
Well Genuine Leather is anything that is considered technically leather. What this usually means is scrap pieces of leathers and suedes are taken, blitzed together to make a leather sawdust, compacted, sealed with glue and then a fake plastic finish is put on top to make it look like full grain leather. Genuine Leather is to leather what chipboard is to wood. It gets even worse when you consider that genuine leather only has to contain 10% leather to be classed as genuine! This is why this type of leather cracks and splits and is why it will never stand the test of time. Yes, full grain is a more expensive material but the quality is night and day in comparison. 

So what is vegetable tanning?
Vegetable Tanned leather is a chemical-free method that tans the leather through a natural, age old process using the organic tannins found in tree bark and leaves. Tanning time can vary but its usually between 1 and 2 months.

Over time, veg tan leather will patina which is where the leather darkens, develops an increase in the depth of colour and shine. Each patina is unique to the individual so embrace yours!

What is Shell Cordovan
Ok, so lets talk about the best of the best. Shell Cordovan.

Horween Shell Cordovan is the art of tanning at its finest. More than just a colour, it is a very specific leather, from a particular part of a horsehide. The irregular oval shaped shells are tanned, stuffed, shaved, and then polished – a process taking at least six months. Each shell is slowly steeped in gentle vegetable liquors. The shells are hot stuffed, then slicked onto glass frames to dry. Each shell is hand curried and shaved by highly skilled artisans in order to expose the shell. Dyes are hand rubbed on for a deep, beautiful finish. Finally, the shells are hand glazed to achieve the rich, glossy look and feel prized by fine craftsmen.



All our leathers are sourced from AAcrack.