A Stitch in Time

The art of leathercraft has been used since the dawn of mankind, being a part of our heritage for 400,000 years. The earliest recorded leather artefacts have been dated back to 3500 BC.

Early man would have used stone tools to prepare the hides and dried them in the sun before rubbing in the animal fats to make them supple, then preserving them with salt or smoking. When they were finished, they would most likely lace them together to make clothes or shelters.

Leathercraft evolved further during the Bronze and Iron Ages, with the invention of new tools, leather was now being used for shields and jewellery.

During the Roman era, leather was used for belts, tents and bags, as well as footwear and armour.  

During Medieval Times leathercraft reached a golden era. Not only was leather tanned, it was dyed, carved and stamped into intricate designs and as these skills were mastered, saw the development of many of the wonderful items we see today.

Vegetable leather tanning, using the tannins found in plants and tree bark to preserve and prepare the hides for use, originated in Ancient Egypt and the Middle East in 400 BC. They then improved and mastered this new skill to produce some of the best quality and highly prized leather of the time.

By the 15th Century, Vegetable tanning was widespread through Europe.

With the Industrial Revolution taking hold during the 19th Century, Chrome tanning, preparing the hides with Chromium salts, was invented. The leather produced could be thinner and softer, without losing the structural integrity of the hide.  

With the introduction of fast fashion in the 21st Century, many garments are seen as expendable and with the amount of faux leather and other plastic products being found in our world’s oceans, the future is looking bleak.

However there are groups dedicated to making leather as sustainable and as waste free as possible, taking what is unwanted by the meat industry and reducing the number of hides that are sent to landfill.

It is our company’s aim to have a No Waste policy, to use everything available and to send nothing to landfill sites.