mill handmade

hand made leather goods | Brisbane, Australia

Hand made leather goods, Brisbane AU

Shonan (Pit tanned cowhide)

The uncrowned king of vegetable tanned leathers. These are pit tanned in Himeji for 2-3 months stuffed full of oils and tannins. It has a semi firm temper with a very milky texture and a light nap (bounce). A delight for the veg tan purist. Very modest in fresh appearance but will age with a load of character and patina.

Glazed Shonan colour swatch.


Tannery: Himeji (Japan).
Temper: Medium-firm.
Surface: Soft and sensitive. Very responsive to patina.
Tanning: Pit tanned, long tanning process.
Patina: The most responsive leather we have in stock (natural glazed). Glazed brown patinas more subtle compared to the natural.
Other notes: Ages very beautifully over time. The glazed natural is very sensitive to wear during the early stages.

Product samples and gallery

Glazed Shonan detail.

Shonan from Himeji, photo credit to Phoenix Leather Shop

Brown glazed Shonan leather

Glazed Shonan leather

All of our products are hand made with traditional leather crafting techinques. They are cut, saddle stitched and burnished by hand. Our stock of leathers are sourced from the finest tanneries around the world. We use full grain leathers which shows its natural qualities and will have subtle differences between every hide. The combination of these processes results in a unique feeling between every product.