Sheep, deer, goat + other hides are traditionally and laboriously hand tanned using natural barks and fats. These hides are often salvaged from waste streams where they would otherwise end up in landfills or discarded. Every step of the process is done by hand, meaning my two hands end up working, softening, and touching each hide hundreds of times. 

My process is slow and steady, taking place at an off grid cabin nestled deep in the woods. I am primarily a bark tanner, meaning I am utilizing tannic compounds found in trees and plant materials to alchemize a raw skin into the textile we call leather. 

Why choose to support slow, chemical free leather? 

Every year, millions of sheepskins + hides are sent to landfills. Our systems have become unsustainable and we no longer value using the whole animal as our ancestors once did. All leather, if not explicitly stated otherwise, is tanned chemically with a highly toxic material called chromium. Currently more than 90% of tanneries in the United States have closed down, outsourcing or moving production overseas. This is due to environmental protection laws, and the lack thereof found in some countries. Chrome tanning is dangerous and hazardous for the environment, is a major pollutant of waterways and exposes workers to harmful chemicals and carcinogens. Vegetable tanning now accounts for only 15% of current leather production worldwide. 

Support local tanners! Keep slow crafts alive!