In this week's blog, we wanted to take a look at one of our all-time favorite Italian veg tan leathers: Buttero. The flagship article from 40-year veteran tannery Walpier of Tuscany, Buttero is known the world over as one of the purest expressions of vegtable tanned cowhide. Using ancient ingredients for tanning such as tannins from tree bark, soluble dyes, and tallow, Buttero is a loving display of what Italian veg tan leather can be.
Since Buttero features a smooth, natural, uncorrected surface and full aniline dye process, hides are all unique in their perfect imperfections. Choose from over a dozen colors of Buttero, each vibrant and striking. This is some of the most firm and dense leather that we work with, resulting in incredible luxury and durability. The surface has a shine to it, but can also seem quite matte in certain light, as the colors tend to skew towards darker hues.
When it comes to patina, Buttero is one of the greats: over time, your Buttero wallet or watch strap will pick up scratches, nicks, and dings, but since the dye is "struck through," you never need to worry about exposing a different color beneath the surface! With self-polishing qualities, Buttero reacts to friction, skin oils, and sunlight to lean into its refined, glassy qualities and darken over time. A broken-in Buttero cardholder is a thing of beauty.
We also love pairing Buttero with other, textured leathers such as Pueblo from Badalassi Carlo or Dollaro from Walpier, the same tannery of Buttero.
Can you envision your next wallet, watch strap, or keychain in beautiful Buttero? Let us know your favorite color, and there is very likely a shade of Buttero for you. Boy, would we be happy to make your vision a reality.
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