Credit: Conceria il Ponte
To understand that leather is memory, just look in the mirror: if we are lucky, our face will tell a life of emotions and experiences. This is the case for vegetable-tanned leathers, and in particular for cowhide, a full-grain leather obtained from young cattle through vegetable tanning that enhances its natural characteristics, such as color and its ability to evolve over time.
“Light cowhide is the natural color of the animal’s skin, which then changes color over time, reacting naturally to the sun and air thanks to the presence of tannins, such as quebracho and mimosa, used in the tanning process,” says Martina Squarcini of Conceria Il Ponte, a Tuscan company certified by LWG Gold, which has been lovingly dedicated to cowhide and vegetable tanning since 1961.
The beauty of cowhide does not only lie in its initial appearance, but in its unique way of transforming over time, bringing with it stories, signs and memories. What makes it so poetic is precisely the fact that it is not simply preserved, but evolves. Every change in color, every sign of wear, every slight fold tells something deeper: the passing of time, human contact, everyday life.
“Our customers understand the value of this unique characteristic, as well as the fact that each batch is different from the previous one. With our tanning process - and the great selection of raw material that we make at the base - we manage to obtain a very uniform leather despite the minimal processing, but the differences are there and it is normal that it is so”, continues Squarcini. Who with his company has also introduced a version with a finish that slightly slows down the aging and color change process, also guaranteeing protection from water for up to 60 seconds.
What is vacchetta suitable for?
Mainly small leather goods, appliqués and shoulder bags, but also sandals and bags. Like the iconic ones by Louis Vuitton, which has made them an essential feature of its best-selling products, in monogram canvas but always finished in cowhide. Depending on the product, you choose the correct cut: from the hip for the thinnest small leather goods (long and narrow, maximum thickness 1.82 millimeters) to the shoulder, which reaches 2.2 millimeters, perfect for belts.
