HERITAGE IN EVERY STEP: HORWEEN LEATHER

ON THE CHICAGO TANNERY THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING EXCEPTIONAL LEATHER SINCE 1905 AND WHY IT MATTERS

HORWEEN LEATHER COMPANY HAS BEEN OPERATING ON THE NORTH BRANCH OF THE CHICAGO RIVER SINCE 1905. FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE HORWEEN FAMILY. ONE ADDRESS. ONE COMMITMENT: TO PRODUCE LEATHER OF A QUALITY AND CHARACTER THAT CANNOT BE REPLICATED BY FASTER OR CHEAPER PROCESSES.

WHAT HORWEEN DOES DIFFERENTLY

HORWEEN USES VEGETABLE TANNING PROCESSES THAT TAKE WEEKS WHERE CHROME TANNING TAKES DAYS. THE HIDES ARE IMMERSED IN PROGRESSIVELY STRONGER TANNIN SOLUTIONS, DERIVED FROM BARK EXTRACTS AND PLANT MATTER, THAT PENETRATE THE FULL THICKNESS OF THE HIDE SLOWLY. THE RESULT IS A LEATHER WITH EXCEPTIONAL STRUCTURAL DENSITY, DEPTH OF COLOUR AND THE CAPACITY TO DEVELOP GENUINE PATINA OVER YEARS OF WEAR.

THEIR SHELL CORDOVAN IS AMONG THE MOST PRIZED LEATHERS IN THE WORLD. PRODUCED FROM THE FIBROUS FLAT MUSCLE BENEATH THE HIDE OF THE HORSE, IT IS DENSE, WATERPROOF, NON POROUS AND DEVELOPS A DEPTH OF SHINE THROUGH POLISHING RATHER THAN COATING. IT IS A MATERIAL THAT REWARDS DECADES OF CORRECT MAINTENANCE.

WHY PROVENANCE MATTERS IN LEATHER

WHEN A BRAND NAMES THEIR TANNERY, IT IS A SIGNAL. IT MEANS THEY KNOW WHERE THE LEATHER COMES FROM AND ARE CONFIDENT ENOUGH IN THE SOURCE TO STATE IT. IT MEANS THE DECISION TO USE THAT LEATHER WAS DELIBERATE RATHER THAN DETERMINED BY COMMODITY PRICING. IT MEANS THE LEATHER IN THE SHOE CAN BE ASSESSED AGAINST A KNOWN STANDARD RATHER THAN A GENERIC DESCRIPTION.

HORWEEN IS ONE OF THE ANSWERS TO THE TANNERY QUESTION. THE QUESTION EVERY SERIOUS BUYER OF LEATHER GOODS SHOULD ASK, AND THAT EVERY SERIOUS MAKER SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER.