The 10 Best Leather Tanneries in the World

If a company doesn't say on their website where their boot leather comes from, there's a decent chance it's not worth buying. There are exceptions, but generally speaking, it's ideal to know where your leather comes from so you can have an idea as to its quality before you click 'purchase.' That's where this video comes in — if you see these brands in the product description, you can be confident in the quality.

00:00 Why the Tannery Matters
01:04 1. Horween Leather Company
02:14 2. C.F. Stead
02:53 3. Le Farc
03:44 4. S.B. Foot Tanning
04:38 5. Badalassi Carlo
05:47 6. Guidi
06:58 7. Tannerie d'Annonay
07:51 8. Shinki Hikaku
09:24 9. J & F.J. Baker
10:32 10. Hermann Oak

#tanneries #besttanneries #bestleather

[TheRacerRich]

I was very surprised when my bespoke shoemaker told me Horween was the best. I expressed surprise that as a European he didn't have a preferred European tanner, and he told me there are tanners in Spain that aren't as good, tanners in Italy that are sometimes as good and sometimes worse and you don't know what you're going to get, and tanners in France that are just as good but cost more, so why. He does use leather from other tanners because Horween doesn't make every type of leather that is on the market, but that was his take.

[luyolomify]

Guidi is probably the most famous one in that list considering it’s quite popular with the avant-garde crowd in fashion.

[Case]

I know the list isn’t comprehensive, but if you are listing Top Ten, Tanneries Haas is owned by Chanel and used by Hermès and is probably the top luxury tannery.
Also, as others have said, Wickett & Craig seems like an omission.

[oyster_]

Wickett and Craig! All veg tan deliciousness!

[kurtsalm]

I would love to see a video on the 10 best tanneries specializing in garment grade leather.

[harrypalmer]

I have a pair of boots made from Horween Chrome excel leather and they are excellent. Wonderful leather.

[DalesLeatherworks]

SO HAPPY to hear you mention BADALASSI!!!! glad to see SB Foot in here too, I have some new olive roughout kilties/false tongues from Trinity Handmade sourced from SB Foot. I laughed so hard when you mentioned LeFarc lmao!!! also, who's Horween? Never heard of LMAO!!!

[rejathr]

Done know why Bole from Sweden isn"t on this list. They're the only remaining spruce-bark tanner in the world.

[robinkuijpers]

Weinheimer in Germany, Du Puy in France, great Box Calf as well. Great video, I couldn't find the interview you mentioned? (about terminology)

[jess_o]

I am definitely going to be picking up a boot in CF Stead's kudu leather sometime in the future!

[jeanmartox]

Hello to France ! In France a tanneries in végétal for alf sole. The last tannerie use Oak for a végétal good work. Thanks.s you for all your vidéo. Happy 'new year!!

[matthewsims]

I'm shocked Wickett & Craig isn't on here!

[robdubent]

Horween Shells and Dublin, Chromexcel has the market cornered for sure. Gotta pay to play though…
Hermann Oak I use to make some very strong belts- great for straps and whatnot as well.

[detfrankbullitt]

What is the Best Leather Conditioner to use on Distressed or what they call Crazy Horse/Apache Bay leather boots??

[georgedoolittle]

Hard to imagine how massive the US Tannery business was at one time all based upon Hemlock and water plus remarkable innovation. Everything changed with the Railroad when near all leather making moved West to where the Cattle Barons roamed. Still Leather was produced on an industrial scale and to such an extent single handedly created the leather furnishings Industry. Sewing machines and the fabric business further solidified an absolutely massive Industry for making clothing much of which moved to the US South then as now to China now back to Mexico as noted here. So much changed with the discovery of vulcanizing rubber it's a miracle any of this survives today. Still given prices one has to wonder if much of this Industry really wants to survive quite honestly. Leather has powerful uses out West though where the climate and lifestyle be far more suitable. They won't be interested in any of the crap presented here but the sentiment is at least solid. Wool and canvas manufacture is a huge Industry in North America as well that only survives because of its Western Heritage. People are so OCD over shit kickers don't really know how any of this survives other than in stylized form.

[justynmoore]

What is the boot in the thumbnail for the video?

[omarvega]

Dang no love for Milwaukie tanneries? Law & Seidel have been around for a minute. Surprised that Wickett & Craig didn't make it either. You got a good list though. Informative as always. Thank you!

[brightvalve]

Hey Nick, a fellow Aussie here. IMO you pronounce the first R in Parkhurst a little too short but its perfect in Le Farc 👌😄

[augustmay]

How about JR oak bark tannery in Germany?

[mattsmith]

In the thumbnail it shows a visvim brigadier boot. But you don’t mention which tanneries visvim uses. Do you happen to know?