Dedicated to the ancient art of tanning is the XXVIII edition of Artigianato e Palazzo, the exhibition promoted by the Giardino Corsini Association, scheduled Sept. 16th-18th at Florence's Giardino Corsini. The event, which each year presents an original new selection of more than 90 witnesses of the highest craft tradition, dedicates the "main exhibition," entitled "Conciapelli. Heirs to a Greater Art," to the Genuine Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium. Set up in the Ballroom of Palazzo Corsini, it will allow visitors to Artigianato e Palazzo to discover the secrets of an ancient craftsmanship, which still uses only wood extracts for the slow processing of vegetable tanning, transforming raw hide into leather.
"The contemporary nature of the craftsman is not only judged by the technological innovation he brings, but also and above all by his being an example of 'sustainable choice,'" explain Sabina Corsini and Neri Torrigiani, president of the Giardino Corsini Association and creator of the exhibition, respectively. Tradition is today our challenge toward a better future." Hence the decision to give space to the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium, a reality formed by a group of companies that, by telling their story, emphasize how craftsmanship can keep up with the times and the evolution of fashion. Founded in 1994, today it brings together 20 tanneries producing vegetable-tanned leather active between the provinces of Florence and Pisa, the only recognized district in the world for this particular type of processing.
"Being at Artigianato e Palazzo represents an important opportunity to share our values with the public, because it is not enough to produce sustainably: sustainability also passes through conscious consumption," says Leonardo Volpi, president of the Consortium. Vegetable-tanned leather in Tuscany is not simply a product, but a true philosophy of "luxury": the luxury of a material obtained through artisanal and manual processing and produced without any de-localization, full guarantee of worker protection and respect for environmental sustainability."
On the Consortium's presence at the event, Eugenio Giani, president of the Tuscany Region, also expressed himself. "The Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale (Genuine Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium) protects a typical Tuscan product, guaranteeing its quality and sustainability and promoting the skill of artisans who make a refined and ancient art known to the world. That of the tanners gathered in this district is a philosophy that fits perfectly with the objectives and commitments of the Region to make the entire leather supply chain increasingly transparent and sustainable, to consolidate the sector by supporting innovation, environmentally friendly processing methods, and qualification of the training system."
For all information on the event: www.artigianatoepalazzo.it
