At Oakwood, leather is above all our core business, our passion.
Leather is not just a material: it's a universe, a craft, an emotion.
For over 40 years, we have worked with this noble material with respect, high standards, and passion.
Today, we open the doors of this universe and share our expertise with you.
Leather is a living, authentic material. Born from animal skin, it is transformed to become resistant, durable, supple... and incomparably elegant.
Since antiquity, it has accompanied humans in their daily lives: clothing, shoes, objects, accessories. Each skin tells its own story, each piece reveals the work of those who shape it.
1. Where does leather really come from?
Leather is obtained by treating (or tanning) animal skin, usually from cattle, calves, sheep, pigs, or goats. It has been valued for millennia for its resistance, suppleness, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
First and foremost, let's clarify a crucial point: Leather is never the primary reason for animal rearing.
In 100% of cases, it comes from animals raised for food.
Using their hides prevents waste and adds value to a natural material that would otherwise be destroyed.
This process is fully part of a circular economy approach – a key commitment for Oakwood.
The main types of leather:
- Bovine leathers (cows, calves, buffalo): robust, perfect for durable items; shoes, jackets, bags, and belts.
- Sheep and goat leathers (sheep, lamb, goats): Lighter, supple, and soft, they are widely used in ready-to-wear for their comfort and elegance. They are also Oakwood's emblematic leathers.
- Exotic leathers (fish, reptiles, ostrich): often luxurious, decorative, and typically reserved for high-end items.
Each leather has its own personality, strengths, and uses. Choosing it is already a part of the creative process.
2. Transformation: how a hide becomes leather
Leather manufacturing involves a series of technical and artisanal steps:
1) Skin preparation: The raw hide (called "green hide") is cleaned, removing hair and impurities.
2) Salting: Excess water is removed to prevent the hide from degrading before treatment.
3) Tanning: This is the crucial step that stabilizes the hide and makes it rot-proof.
There are several methods:
o Vegetable tanning: based on natural tannins (barks, roots, leaves), the process is longer but ecological. It produces a firm leather, ideal for saddlery and high-end leather goods.
o Mineral tanning (chromium salt): the most common. Produces a softer leather, perfect for clothing. This process is fast but less environmentally friendly.
o Mixed tanning: combines both processes to balance suppleness and resistance.
4) Currying and drying: the thickness is adjusted, the material is smoothed, and it is dyed to achieve the final texture and color.
5) Finishing: the final step where the leather is protected (pigments, varnish, wax) and enhanced according to the desired appearance: glossy, matte, aged, or natural.
3. Understanding the designations
Leather designations vary depending on the part of the hide used and the treatment it has undergone:
- Full-grain leather: very resistant and of very high quality. The natural surface is intact: pores, grain, life marks.
- Corrected-grain leather: lightly sanded to even out the surface, then pigmented.
o Split leather: the lower part of the hide, less noble, often coated or treated to imitate the appearance of full-grain leather.
o Nubuck and suede: the reverse side of the hide. Surface sanded to achieve a velvety feel.
o Vegetable-tanned leather: tanned with natural plant-based tannins. It's a longer but ecological process.
o Faux leather: synthetic material, made from petroleum or recycled materials. It looks like leather, but has neither the smell, durability, nor the patina of real leather.
o Vegan leather: A marketing term that actually refers to non-animal materials, often plastics. It can be interesting for certain uses, but does not possess the natural resistance of traditional leather.
Leather remains an exceptional heritage material looking to the future, at the crossroads of tradition and innovation.
Its production is evolving towards more responsible, transparent, and sustainable processes.
Through its longevity, repairability, and role in the circular economy, leather today offers a concrete solution to current environmental challenges, being much more durable than ephemeral materials derived from petrochemicals.
At Oakwood, we consider each leather piece a story to be passed on:
The story of authentic craftsmanship and enduring fashion.
"From artisanal craftsmanship to responsible innovation: leather at OAKWOOD continues to write its future. "