How to avoid getting ripped off

There are two basic ways leather is processed: 1) Vegetable tanned and 2) Chrome tanned. Tanning takes the leather and makes it soft and pliable for use in bags, wallets, purses, etc.

Chrome tanning involves soaking the hide in a solution containing metal chromium. While chromium in low amounts is relatively harmless to most people, the by product of chrome tanning is toxic waste water, that left untreated can cause massive envoirnmental impacts.

Not only is it harmful to the enviornment in many cases, it's also less durable. If you've ever bought a leather bag or wallet that started to wear through in a few months, chances are it was a chrome tanned. Plus it tends to have a chemical smell to it. 85% of global leather goods are chrome tanned because it's cheaper and faster than the other process:

Veg Tanned Leather

Vegetable tanned leather is soaked in natural organic materials to soften and make the leather pliable. Most tanneries will use bark from trees, like chestnut, oak and hemlock. The leather is then hot-stuffed with organic oils and greases.This process takes much longer than chrome tanned, but results in a much more durable, natural leather with a rich, organic smell to it.

Veg tanned leather is harder to make, so it's not usually found in mass made products, plus it's much more expensive and harder to work with which results in a higher cost. The quality, however, is much better than chrome tanned goods.

A&A Leather uses only vegatable tanned leathers from tanneries that have been making leather hides for years. You can feel, see and actually SMELL the difference when you hold one of our products. And because vegetable tanned leather develops a beautiful, original and unique patina the more you use it, your new leather good will look better over time.