About Our Leather
Marlondo Leather Co. is committed to using top quality, full grain leather sourced from the United States. Our leather bags and accessories are the result of our craftsmanship and our materials. That's why we use the best quality leather on the market, so our products will age beautifully and stand the test of time.
All Marlondo Leather goods are made with full grain, vegetable-tanned cowhide leather sourced from the United States, unless otherwise noted.
We also occasionally release limited runs of products made with different types of full grain leather. We'll always include information about the materials in our product descriptions.
Our Vintage Leather Line
Many of our most popular leather satchels and backpacks are also available in a full grain cowhide that we call "vintage" leather, which has more natural striations and a rustic, matte finish. Our vintage tobacco is vegetable tanned, while our vintage dark brown is mixed-tanned — a combination of vegetable and chrome tanning. The dark brown is softer with more of a pullup effect, but incredibly sturdy and durable. We recommend choosing a vintage leather bag if you're looking for a more rugged look, in contrast to the more polished feel of our standard veg-tan.
Full Grain Leather
Marlondo always uses full grain leathers, where the top of each hide is never embossed or heavily sanded down. Full grain leather retains its strength and durability, resulting in a thick, long-lasting leather that will develop a beautiful patina.
Because full grain leather's top surface is left intact, irregularities are sometimes preserved in the hide, such as brands, stretch marks, scars, or wrinkles. We appreciate these marks because they tell a bit of the leather's life story, but we do our best to keep any markings out of sight. Sometimes if we come across a cool scar or brand, we feature it prominently on items that we add to our Rarities collection. We'll always let you know in the product description if the leather has any markings, and when possible, we'll add a photo. Any items with visibly imperfect leather will always be in the Deals section.
For a sense of scale, pictured below is a hide before completing the finishing process. Each hide is huge, with a unique history. The fiber structure and density changes from hide to hide, which creates some of the subtle nuances and differences that may appear, giving every leather bag an individual appeal.
Vegetable Tanned Leather
Our standard vegetable tanned leather (also referred to as "veg-tan") is generally considered the best type of leather you can find. It's made using a centuries-old process that preserves hides with natural tannins from tree bark, fruits, and other organic material, so there is less toxic waste and a lower environmental impact. The hides are then dyed and treated with waxes to give the leather the desired finish and texture. This tanning process allows the dyes and waxes to give it a deep color, sturdy feel, and great smell.
Veg-tan leather is more expensive due to its labor-intensive process that takes over a month. Despite its higher cost, it's the best choice for our leather bags due to its durability and strength. We love the rich patina it develops with time and use. It's stiffer than other leathers, allowing for the rigid panels on some of our briefcases and backpacks. The bags can then hold their shape, stand up on their own, and look better for longer while protecting your gear.
Water Buffalo Leather
We occasionally make limited runs of bags using high quality, full grain water buffalo leather. It has been used for decades in jackets and high-end luxury bag by brands such as Coach, Bvlgari, Hermes, and more. It's known for being thick and durable, yet soft to the touch.
Questions?
We hope this answers all your leather questions and more! For questions about caring for your bag, visit our Leather Care page. If you are curious about anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us.
