Why Vegetable-Tanned Leather Is So Expensive

High-quality leather is synonymous with Italian fashion. Some of the most expensive leather is made through a process called vegetable tanning. It's a craft that has its origins in prehistory, and today the technique is kept alive in Tuscany. This time-consuming process can take weeks to produce a type of leather that becomes especially beautiful with age, all thanks to the use of naturally occurring vegetable tannins. While this method for making leather may be threatened by the world of fast fashion, its makers remain hopeful that genuine craftsmanship never goes out of style.

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