Conceria Walpier Buttero: A Timeless Classic
In the village of Ponte a Egola, which sits in the heart of the Tuscan leather district, Conceria Walpier have been producing some of the world’s finest leathers since the tannery was founded fifty years ago. It is one of the 18 tanneries that make up the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium. They all use traditional methods with natural tannins, mainly quebracho, mimosa, and chestnut, that are organic and renewable.
Natural tannins come from mimosa, as seen above, as well as quebracho, a common name in Spanish to describe very hard wood tree species. It translates to axe-breaker.
As opposed to industrial tanning, which can be done in a day with chromium salts, vegetable tanning is a slow process that produce leathers which react to light and change as you wear them over time. It is part of a deeper philosophy of having objects around us that are personal – they reflect us and become truly unique.
Buttero is a prime example of this and has become one of our favourite leathers to work with here at Atelier D. James. Every strap we make from Buttero represents something unique. The leather is firmer than Vachetta which gives the straps a nice rigidity. This allows us to pair it with the softer lamb- and goatskins giving us more options for colourful liners. Buttero itself comes in a range of colours from classic browns and blacks to the more vivid yellows and greens.
The leather’s aniline finish ensures a natural look and feel and due to these natural qualities, any imperfections on the surface is considered an added value rather than a defect. Buttero ages beautifully to develop a rich patina. It is the perfect pick for the gentleman who desires a strap which is a true classic and will hold up to the test of time.