The Tannery: Rocado S.R.L of Tuscany, Italy (est. 1982)
Shell Cordovan: Shell cordovan is considered one of the most precious leathers on Earth. There are only two small shells that are produced from the underside of horse rumps where there is dense flat muscle tissue - the shapes can vary from ovals to rectangles. Shell cordovan is vegetable tanned using natural tannins from tree bark, chestnuts and leaves.
Characteristics: Shell cordovan is naturally scratch resistant and highly durable, making it ideal for items that routinely deal with cuffing or scratching. It is also a medium firm leather with high tensile strength making it a great leather for load bearing items such as straps. Finally, shell cordovan has a shiny, high gloss surface that is easily maintained with proper conditioner and care.
About the Tannery - Rocado s.r.l.: Established in 1982 in a small town in Tuscany, Italy, Rocado has become a premier tannery of genuine shell cordovan. Rocado is a small family owned tannery that focuses on traditional methods such as vegetable tanning processes that can take up to 3 months to produce the leather. Rocado uses many hands on operations including the application of aniline dyes and quality greases. Rocado has a full circle production focus that starts with the raw hide and finishes with the final product.
Shell cordovan is most notably used on shoes and small leather accessories such as wallets, watch straps and razor strops.