FULL GRAIN LEATHER
Our Signature Leather is made from Full Grain cow and buffalo hides, both of which are known for their durability and great looks. Buffalo leather comes from water buffalo and is extra robust, while cowhide is finer and commonly used in the leather world. All of our skins are by-products from the food industry.
Full grain leather is the top layer of the hide, with the least amount of processing. Therefore, the material still has natural color variations and patterns, making each piece unique. It is dyed using the Semi Vegetable method, which preserves the natural texture and strength of the leather.
We produce our Signature Leather in Turkey.
A more sustainable method
SEMI VEGETABLE TANNING
Semi Vegetable tanning is a method for treating leather used to create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable product. The method combines both chemical and biological processes to reduce the use of chemicals and water in production. It’s a hybrid between traditional vegetable tanning and modern chrome tanning.
Today, a lot of leather is tanned using the chrome method due to its fine quality and faster, more cost-effective process compared to vegetable tanning. However, this method also contributes to greater pollution. Semi Vegetable tanning eliminates the need for many of the chemicals used in chrome tanning, and replaces them with more sustainable alternatives such as vegetable tannins known from traditional vegetable tanning.
Another advantage of Semi Vegetable tanning is its lower water requirements during production. Traditional leather tanning usually demands substantial amounts of water, often leading to greater pollution and environmental impact. Semi Vegetable tanning requires significantly less water and often recycles the water used in the process..
Semi Vegetable tanning creates a more natural and organic leather appearance
Semi Vegetable tanning also result in a more natural and organic leather, providing a unique and authentic appearance. The finished material looks beautiful and has natural-looking colors and finish. Additionally, it has a softer surface that is more comfortable to touch and wear.
A popular tanning method among sustainable producers and consumers
Due to the sustainable and environmentally friendly advantages of Semi Vegetable tanning, it has gained popularity among producers and consumers seeking to support more sustainable production methods, at fair prices without compromising the superior quality leather holds over vegan materials. It stands as an example of how technology and innovation can contribute to improving environmental challenges and creating new opportunities for the future.
certificates
Leather Working Group
The Leather Working Group (LWG) is an international organization working to promote sustainability in the leather industry. It evaluates and certifies leather factories based on environmental and social standards to promote responsible leather production.
GOLD RATED
Our Signature Leather factories are Gold rated by LWG.
This is a high standard of certification awarded to leather factories that demonstrate excellence in sustainability and environmental practices in the production of leather goods.
Products in Signature Leather™
VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER
Our Premium leather comes from two renowned tanneries – one Italian and one Turkish. Both have been experts in the field since the 1970s and 80s respectively. The leather is of the highest quality and is dyed using the traditional tanning method called vegetable tanning.
This is a process where the leather is tanned using natural oils, extracts and tannins from various plant species. The method has been used for centuries.
Natural and durable leather: Benefits of vegetable tanning
1
A slow process
Vegetable tanning is a slower, more expensive but more durable and environmentally friendly method than modern tanning, using natural tannins and extracts instead of chemicals.
2
Beautiful patina
Vegetable tanned leather patinates beautifully with age, becoming softer and more comfortable to wear while remaining durable. It can last for decades with proper care.
3
The sustainable choice
By choosing this leather, you’re also supporting more sustainable production and a traditional tanning method that has stood the test of time over centuries.
These are often old producers who have held on to their values for decades.
Ethics and quality are top priority
Our Italian manufacturer is a leading Gold Rated supplier of high-quality vegetable-tanned leather, known for durability and aesthetics.
Founded in the 1970s in Ponte a Egola, they have maintained their traditional “concia in fossa” tanning method and moved to larger facilities in Santa Croce sull’Arno.
They also prioritize ethics with a focus on employee safety, social values and environmentally friendly production through investments in new technology.
Our Turkish partner is a family-run Gold Rated tannery with over 40 years of experience in premium leather.
Headquartered in Istanbul, they prioritize eco-friendly production by combining traditional and modern technologies with respect for vegetable tanning. This results in a unique blend of technology and art in their leather.
Their leather meets the highest standards and is supplied to several well-known premium brands, including us.
All of our products using Nordform Premium Leather are handmade in either Italy or Turkey, ensuring consistently high quality from start to finish.
certificates
Products in Premium Leather™
A sustainable alternative
Nordform Vegan Kaktus™ was developed in collaboration with Adriano Di Marti from Mexico as a sustainable alternative to traditional vegan materials that are often harmful to the environment.
Made from the fibers found in the leaves of the nopal cactus species, Vegan Kaktus is an example of how natural resources can be transformed into valuable material. The Vegan Kaktus material is produced in Mexico and Italy.
The sustainable material is made by extracting the fibers from cactus leaves. These fibers are then processed and spun into a strong and durable material that can be used in the production of a wide range of products.
CO2 negative.
Times 500.
Vegan Kaktus is a natural material that is biodegradable. The entire production from harvest to finished product is sustainable and even CO2 negative.
This means that the farm absorbs far more CO2 than it emits.
8100 tons
The production area is just over 6 hectares of land. This is where both the factory and all the plants/cacti used are located. The plants on the 6 hectares absorb 8100 tons of CO2/year.
15,3 tons
The farm and processing of the plants generates only 15.30 tons of CO2/year. This is because cacti are naturally a fantastic carbon store with a high CO2 sequestration capacity.
500x
The farm therefore absorbs 500 times more CO2 than it emits.
Why Cactus?
Our Vegan Kaktus material has been developed as an eco-friendly alternative to other vegan leather materials, such as PU leather, Pleather, Faux or Vegan leather.
Many vegan leather materials are actually worse for the environment than they claim to be, mainly because they are mostly made of plastic. Plastic is not particularly eco-friendly and therefore ultimately impacts wildlife anyway – far worse than real leather does.
Vegan Kaktus differs from PU leather by being natural, sustainable & biodegradable, whereas PU leather is synthetic and environmentally harmful. Another great thing about the material is that it is only necessary to harvest the mature leaves without damaging the plant itself, making it possible to repeat the harvest every 6-8 months from the same cactus.
You can read much more about vegan leather here.