Materials

Here at S.P. Forge and Leather I use a few different types of leathers in my products. Leather is a really interesting material and much more complex and versatile than some might think. For the greater majority of my products I'm using what is know as vegetable tanned leather.

Vegetable tanned leather, often called vegtan for short, is leather that is cured with the use of tannins that are found in vegetative material such as tree bark. This is one of the oldest and most natural ways that leather is made and is a process that can take anywhere from 1-3 months but results in an amazing product that is durable and develops an amazing patina over time, use, and exposure. 

Some of the great veg tan leathers that I chose to work with are made here domestically in the USA from tanneries like Hermann Oak made in the heart of Missouri as well as Wickett & Craig in Pennsylvania, originally hailing from Toronto, Canada. I also use a selection of beautiful leathers from a number of tanneries belonging to the Italian Leather Consortium that I've truly come to love for the various finishes, textures, and broad color options.

While the leather is the star of the show the thread is an equally supporting actor and for that I tend towards Ritza tiger thread. Hailing from Germany and boasting UV and mildew resistance the signature scarlet red thread used in my products is made to last, as well as a nod to my Ohio roots -- the OSU colors of scarlet and gray. For the few products I release without the scarlet thread I go with Maine Thread, another high quality textile company manufactured in Lewiston, Maine.