I thought I would share a recent article I posted on Huarache Blog about the craft of Vegetable Tanning leather. What struck me besides the obvious visual impact, was the reminder of just how organic leather is, not only in its appearance, but also the almost culinary nature of the tanning process, trimming/fleshing the hides and then marinating them in a solution of tree bark and water..
Unlike most mainstream footwear, Mexican Huarache footwear leather is still vegetable tanned using wood. Fewer tanneries in the world still offer vegetable tanned leathers because of the slower tanning process and higher costs of the natural raw materials used.
The natural benefits of vegetable tanned leather are:
1. The organic tanning process is non toxic and has a much lesser impact on the environment and the health of the tanners (chrome tannery workers have a 20%-50% higher chance of cancer risk).
2. The leather maintains some of its natural qualities to stretch and adapt to your foot shape.
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A few months ago in a post titled “Taller De Curtiduria González – Vegetable Tanning the Best Huarache Leathers” I introduced Jesús and Antonio González the father and son tanners in Colima, Mexico who still practice this traditional and centuries old tanning method and unlike many modern tanneries still tan…
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