Leather that shows its changes. The appeal of vacchetta leather

Vacchetta leather (also called "bacchetta leather") is a type of leather made using a traditional tanning method passed down in Tuscany, Italy. Though the process requires a great deal of time and effort, the leather's defining characteristics are its durability, the rich color that emerges as time passes, and its beautiful sheen. This time, we introduce items and the appeal of ARTS&CRAFTS, a leather brand that handles vacchetta leather.

Vacchetta leather, made by plants

Before a leather product comes into being, different types of leather emerge not only from differences in raw materials but also from differences in the process. Names such as calf leather, cordovan (horse leather), and sheepskin refer to the animal that is the source of the leather, but vacchetta leather and chrome-excel leather refer instead to differences in the tanning process itself.

Leather products are made by tanning animal hides, which prevents decay and makes the material soft enough for everyday use. What was originally called "hide" comes to be called "leather" only after undergoing this process. There are several methods of tanning, including using plant tannin, using a chemical called basic chromium sulfate solution, or combining multiple methods. Vacchetta leather is produced using vegetable tanning, which uses plant-derived tannin among these methods.

ARTS&CRAFTS uses tannin extracted from chestnut and mimosa. By soaking the raw hide slowly in tannin, the tannin penetrates all the way to the core of the leather, producing an extremely sturdy material. For the finish, animal fat is used, giving the surface a pleasant feel to the touch. The process requires as many as 30 steps in total, but leather products born from this ancient method—one that uses no artificial materials—have a depth of character that cannot be found elsewhere.

Leather that grows through "touch"

Leather becomes softer with use, and its color deepens over time—one reason for this is oil content. Vacchetta leather already contains an abundance of oil from the animal fat used in the finishing process, but as it is used, oil that seeps out from the user's hands soaks further into the leather, making changes even more likely to appear.

Let's take ARTS&CRAFTS's TWIN PURSE, which uses vacchetta leather and brass hardware, as an example. Originally, its bright, reddish-brown color catches the eye. Meanwhile, if you look at the same TWIN PURSE after 6 to 8 months of use, you can see that the leather's color has deepened considerably.

A brand-new TWIN PURSE

TWIN PURSE after 6 to 8 months of use

The leather shows not only a change in color but also a change in sheen. It gives off an elegant luster and a soft feel, as if the surface had been freshly coated with oil once again. This is especially noticeable in the flap section for coins, which is made from a single piece of leather, making the softness easy to feel. The brass on the buttons and zipper has also changed to a more subdued color, taking on bluish and greenish tones.

Left: brand new, right: after 6 to 8 months of use

It's said that vacchetta leather "conforms to the user's hand," and indeed the TWIN PURSE has developed a soft indentation on the lower part of its back, where fingers tend to touch it, as if the owner's habits had been directly imprinted onto it. This also gives a glimpse of how well leather and brass complement each other.

A vacchetta leather wallet worth getting first

ARTS&CRAFTS's MIDDLE WALLET comes in an elegant black vacchetta leather. Because of its matte texture, it gives a good, moderate grip. This too will gradually gain more sheen with use. In addition, the leather used for the internal dividers and the coin flap is a single layer without any lining. This makes it easy to see the texture of both the front and back of the leather, and to sense how it will soften over time.

A key case that makes a welcome gift

Vacchetta leather pairs well not only with wallets used every day but also with small accessories such as key cases. The KEY CASE lets you keep all your necessary keys together in one place. It has a simple design made from a single piece of leather and is compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

This item, too, combines vacchetta leather with brass. Its slim construction means it won't add bulk even when placed in a pocket.

Available in two colors, OLIVE and TAN. The colorful stitching, matched to each leather color, is also a nice touch. It seems poised to become the kind of item that turns the everyday scene of "using a key" into something stylish and smart.

For beautiful aging

As mentioned earlier, vacchetta leather shows changes through being touched, but if possible, you'll want that change to be a beautiful one. Since the leather is inherently sturdy, there's no need for special daily care, but please keep the following points in mind.

Let scratches blend in

Scuff marks are prone to appear with use, but on leather products, even these kinds of marks can add character. If a scratch does end up standing out too much, try rubbing it gently with your finger first—the oil will gradually make it less noticeable.

Gently rub it with the pad of your finger.

Basic care: wipe it down

For everyday care, wiping is the most important step. Flannel like that used for shoe polishing works well, and fiber cloths similar to eyeglass cleaning cloths are also recommended. Coarse-textured materials can cause scratches, so choose something as fine as possible and gently wipe the entire surface.

Fiber cloths used for computer displays are also recommended.

A Note on Moisturizing Methods

Vacchetta leather, which is naturally rich in oils, doesn't need to be moisturized frequently. For products with an unfinished, matte surface—such as the ELBAMATT BRASS SHOEHORNKEYCASE—applying leather cream as you would with typical leather goods can sometimes result in the color becoming noticeably darker.

To prevent extreme color unevenness, dry wiping should be your basic approach. If you're still bothered by dryness on the surface, we recommend applying a small amount of leather cream or a moisturizing lotion meant for skin onto a cloth or piece of paper, then gently working it into the leather.

▼Leather care accessories can be found here