As an industrial design studio, the quality of the materials we use is of paramount importance. Many hours are spent researching and sourcing samples of innovative textiles and surface components, and discovering off-the-grid, old-world manufacturers.
Specification of materials takes on a special importance with regard to our watch straps, which are hand-made and extremely tactile in nature. We are committed to disclosing as much information as possible on the provenance, sustainability, and manufacturing techniques of each material we use in our straps.
Leather
We use vegetable tanned, aniline, top-grain leather which is sourced from a tannery near Pisa, Italy. All hides are the by-product of the meat industry.
Vegetable tanning is the process of turning animal skin into leather using natural ingredients (primarily tree bark, or other organic materials). It is the oldest tanning method in the world. Unlike chromium tanning, vegetable tanning doesn’t use any heavy metals or toxic materials so is infinitely better for the environment. We only use veg-tanned leathers in our products.
Material Provenance: Hides are sourced from Northern Europe then tanned and processed in Italy.
See our range of leather watch straps here.
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Nubuck
Nubuck is created by using an abrasive material on the outer surface of leather to produce a subtle texture.
While it is similar in aesthetic to suede, nubuck is sturdier and more hardwearing. They are both produced using a similar process, however nubuck uses the outside of a hide and suede uses the inside.
Material Provenance: Hides are sourced from Northern Europe then tanned and processed in Germany.
See our range of nubuck leather watch straps here.
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Vegan Leather (Piñatex®)
Piñatex® is made of fibre's from the waste leaves of the pineapple plant. These leaves are a by-product from existing pineapple harvests, so the raw material requires no additional environmental resources to produce.
The pineapple leaf fibres are extracted then washed and dried. Once dry they are purified and the yield is mixed with PLA (polylactic acid) to form Pinafelt, a non-woven mesh. The final finish is applied to the felt substrate.
Our Pinatex straps are cork lined.
Material Provenance: Produced in the Philippines, finished in Spain.
See our range of vegan leather watch straps here.
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Deerskin Leather
Extremely supple, lightly textured and matte in appearance. All hides used for the production of our deerskin straps are a by-product of culls during essential deer management undertaken in Europe.
Material Provenance: Hides are sourced from Northern Europe, tanned and processed in France.
See our range of deerskin leather watch straps here.
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Zermatt (lining) Leather
A calfskin leather, produced by tannery Haas. Zermatt is hypoallergenic and self-healing making it perfect for the inner lining of watch straps.
Material Provenance: Hides are sourced from Northern Europe, tanned and processed in France.
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Rubber
NBR (Nitrile butadiene rubber) is a synthetic rubber with excellent resistance to environmental factors. Unlike other rubber types such as silicone or PVC it is perfectly suited to the production of watch straps due to its supple nature and texture.
Specially formulated by our manufacturer, the NBR compound is produced and stored in bale form until needed. The colour is then added and the strap moulded.
Material Provenance: Produced in Italy.
See our range of rubber watch straps here.
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If you have any further questions on materials, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any queries.