IN A LUXURY SNEAKER, MATERIAL IS EVERYTHING. IT DEFINES HOW A SNEAKER LOOKS, HOW IT FEELS AND HOW IT ENDURES. AT 1812, WE SELECT MATERIALS WITH INTENTION. VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER SITS AT THE CENTRE OF THAT PHILOSOPHY, NOT AS A TREND, BUT AS A COMMITMENT TO LONGEVITY, INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBLE CRAFT.
VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER IS LEATHER PRESERVED USING NATURAL TANNINS EXTRACTED FROM BARK, LEAVES AND PLANT MATTER. THIS TRADITIONAL METHOD PREDATES MODERN CHEMICAL TANNING AND CANNOT BE RUSHED, THE PROCESS TAKES WEEKS, SOMETIMES MONTHS. HIDES ARE IMMERSED IN NATURAL TANNIN BATHS WHERE TANNINS SLOWLY PENETRATE THE FIBRES, STRENGTHENING AND STABILISING THE LEATHER WHILE PRESERVING ITS ORGANIC STRUCTURE. THE RESULT IS A MATERIAL WITH WARMTH, DEPTH OF COLOUR AND REMARKABLE DENSITY. IT AGES WITH DISTINCTION, DEVELOPING PATINA, NOT WEAR. THE SURFACE DEEPENS IN TONE, SOFTENS IN FEEL AND BECOMES UNIQUELY YOURS.
AT 1812, WE CREATE SNEAKERS TO ENDURE BEYOND A SEASON. VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER SUPPORTS THAT AMBITION. EACH PAIR IS SHAPED BY SKILLED ENGLISH MAKERS WHO UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK WITH THIS LIVING MATERIAL. LONGEVITY REMAINS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE FORM OF SUSTAINABILITY.
