A few years ago a fellow crafter told me about a big leather convention that takes place in Milan every year and I’ve been wanting to go ever since. Back then I was still fresh and barely knew anything about the different types of leathers. Even now seeing pictures or reading descriptions of leathers online only goes so far. I knew I had to visit and see them first hand. That and I was quite excited to meet the tannery reps in person.

Lineapelle is a large trade show for tanneries and hardware manufacturers. I quickly learned that most tanneries are only interested in large orders but there were still quite a few who were happy to work with small craftsman (I’ll mention them as I go through the tanneries below).

If you’re planning on going I highly recommend that you carry business cards as you’ll need it to register for a ticket (free) and you may also be asked to present it at some booths before they allow you to enter their showroom. There were over 1000 exhibitors this year and while I visited many of the booths I’ll be focusing on the ones most relevant for small leather goods.

Badalassi Carlo

These guys are well known in the community for the minerva, minerva box, pueblo and many other articles. All of their leathers start with a double shoulder and is vegetable tanned. This then becomes their main line of minerva. Articles such as minerva box, pueblo, Nemesi, etc requires further finishing process to create their own unique look. Badalassi Carlo leathers have a soft feel with a round hand (some articles like Santiago is firmer). Their hides cut incredibly clean and is one of the easiest to burnish making it a very popular choice for wallet makers.

Cinzia and Simone runs this tannery and although they don’t have a website they’re incredibly friendly and have been helpful to provide info throughout the years. They used to accept sample orders but due to increase of work they can no longer do small quantity orders. Fortunately their leathers are well stocked from a wide range of suppliers all around the world (Ezer Leather, Rocky Mountain Leather, Europelle, etc).

Many people already know about their main line of leathers but they also produce a bunch of interesting finish, one that will be added into the stock soon.

Alran S.A.S

Alran is perhaps one of the best tanneries when it comes to goatskin. They have a wide range of finish including suede, natural, glazed, rubberized (sporty) and many more. They also tan calfskins which I forgot to ask more info about. Jerome is the rep and he was very friendly to chat and share information. If you visit his stand you can also place an order here. More colours and seasonal offerings will be coming soon.

Degermann S.A.

Degermann specialises in calfskin and carries a wide range of different articles (full chrome, mixed, aniline finish, etc). They are one of the suppliers for Hermes and you can easily tell why once you handle their leathers. I was quite surprised to find out that their famous calfskin range, Baranil and Suportlo can be further processed for a unique finish (embossing, oiling, waxing, matte etc). Olivier is the rep and he was very knowledgeable and happy to explain more details about their articles. I was focused on leathers suitable for small leather goods but they also do upholstery and sport style articles. You can also place an order at his stand if you decide to visit.

Charles F. Stead & Co.

A famous tannery based in England. I have yet to order from them but they carry a wide range of interesting leathers such as deer, Kudu, calf, etc. A lot of the finish is quite rustic and would work well for vintage articles. I noticed they had a lot of boots on display and many were made from Kudu which is supposedly phenomenal for footwear. Andrew is the rep and he was quite busy at the time so I couldn’t chat for too long. Though he was very friendly and happy to share information. There’s an MOQ for orders but luckily many of their articles are carried by Tannery Row and AACrack.

Horween

Famous for their line of shell cordovan these guys carry a huge range of articles. I’ve seen so many of them online but it was hard to know what it’s really like without handling them in person. John was the rep and he is also one of the guys in charge of Tannery Row. Super friendly and knowledgeable I had a nice chat with him about shell cordovan and other articles. Everyone’s probably asking about shell stocks and he’s happy to say there will be an improved ordering system coming soon to Tannery Row. I’ve handled some of their range in the past but one article really caught my eye and I’ll be adding this soon to the stock :)

Hashimoto Industry

These guys are a large distributor for Tochigi, Leder Ogawa, Shinki Hikaku and many other articles in Japan. They’re based in Osaka but also have a warehouse near Asakusa (Tokyo). Cindy is the rep and she was very friendly and speaks fluent English. Of course everyone is curious about shells and you’ll be happy to know that they are in stock but you may have to order it from their base in Osaka. They even had ghost finish (waxed) shell on display which I’ve never seen before.

Weinheimer LEDER

German tannery famous for their line of calfskin. These guys are also suppliers for Hermes specialising in chrome tanned calfskin. Their finish is superb, very prominent and dense. The flesh is also well balanced and not too dry to cut. Ulf was the rep and he was very helpful to provide more info on the articles. I’ve been eyeing some of their leathers for a while so you can expect some new stock from them soon.

Remy Carriat

A famous French Tannery specialising in chrome tanned calf and bull hide. They stock a wide range of articles which would put a smile for bag makers. I have yet to use their leathers so I wasn’t familiar with the range other than the Tourillion/Clemence leather. Their rep Aurelie was very friendly to help with more info. A lot of their finish were noticeably vibrant, so I’ll be looking more into it in the future.

Heng Long

Heng Long is one of the best when it comes to tanning alligators and crocodiles. I visited other exotic stands but there’s something special about the finishing on Heng Long’s skin. It’s hard to describe in words but the feel is noticeable first hand. Many tanneries also displayed special finishing which aren’t commonly seen in the market such as speckled, pull up, patina, nubuck, etc. I had an interesting chat with Walter who runs his own tannery and was a colleague of Heng Long. A very charismatic fellow and was happy to further explain the tanning and testing process for their skins. Due to their close relations with large fashion houses they follow a strict testing procedure during production. Things like skin sensitivity, strength, colour retention, etc are tested to make sure it meets the technical requirements for its intended use.

The following day I got to meet with the sales manager and was pleasantly surprised at how supportive they are with the crafting community. Very excited to get more colours from them in the future.

This is not an exhaustive list and there are many other tanneries that produces excellent leathers. Some I got to visit but couldn’t really chat because of how busy they were and some couldn’t make it because of the travel warnings. Its also polite to ask before shooting pics as many of the reps are probably doing business with clients who may not wish to be in pictures.

Next to the leather convention there is a separate convention for hardware and accessories. Things like soles, zippers, lining, adhesives, paint, glue etc are showcased in this building. Unlike the leather convention the hardware side seems to be very focused on the latest technology. A must see if you’re looking for cutting edge materials.

That’s it for Lineapelle! The real fun begins next when I make a stop at Niwa Leathers :)