About our Products
Our products are different - Here's why:
It starts with the leather. All of our products are made with full-grain leather from some of the best tanneries in the world. The leather for our wallets and other small goods are made from a tannery based in Chicago, Illinois called Horween. We make our belts with natural vegetable tanned leather from several different tanneries including Hermann Oak in St. Louis, Missouri, Conceria Walpier in Italy, and Sedgwick & Co as well as J&FJ Baker & Company both located in England. Full-grain leather is the highest quality leather and only accounts for the top 5% of all leather goods. Over time, the leather will develop a wonderful patina, which will only contribute to the beauty of our products.
Horween Dublin leathers (left to right): Natural, English Tan, Chestnut, Brown Nut, Black
Thread Colors (top to bottom, left to right): Blue, Orange, Red, Black, Mid Brown, Havana Cigar, Colonial Tan, Yellow, Beige, Cream, White
Everything we make is handcrafted from scratch. The leather is cut, sewn, and burnished by hand. There is a lot of hard work and attention to detail that goes into each product. With that being said, since our products are handmade, you can expect a small amount of imperfections, however we believe those imperfections ultimately contribute to the charm and uniqueness of the product - No two are exactly the same.
During the stitching process, we use a technique called saddle-stitching which involves two threads running the length of the seam instead of one. The saddle-stitch technique results in a seam that is twice as strong as anything that is machine stitched. The type of thread we use is just as important as the way we use it. All of our thread is extra tough because it has a special wax coating that resists rotting better than a regular linen thread. A strong stitch and a durable thread ensure the quality and longevity of our products for years to come.
Hand stitching the leather
Hand-burnishing edges
The attention to detail in our products extends from edge to edge as demonstrated in our burnished edges. We utilize a specific burnishing process that includes a variety of high quality burnishing agents and finishing products. A layer of beeswax is applied last to all edges in order to protect the leather from any outside elements getting into the leather and compromising its quality. The beeswax also helps to provide a soft and smooth finish which leads to an enhanced quality experience while using our products.
With the superior quality and longevity that New Life Leatherworks provides, we hope that you will enjoy our products just as much as we enjoy making them.