If you’ve ever looked closely at leather goods, you’ll have noticed that leather doesn’t all feel the same. Some is firm and smooth with a gentle earthy scent, while some is soft, supple and drapes beautifully. Much of that difference comes down to how the leather was tanned. At Lumengin, we use both vegetable tanned and chrome tanned leather, and we choose the tannage to suit each piece. Here’s how the two compare.
What is tanning, and why is it needed?
A raw hide is mostly collagen fibres. Left untreated, it’ll rot when it’s damp and turn hard and brittle when it dries out. Tanning stabilises those fibres so the hide becomes leather: durable, flexible and resistant to decay. The tanning agent bonds with the collagen and changes its structure, and the agent that’s used has a big effect on how the finished leather looks, feels and ages.
Vegetable tanned leather
Vegetable tanning, often shortened to veg tan, is the older of the two methods, and it’s been practised for thousands of years. It uses natural tannins taken from tree bark and other plant material. The hides are moved through a series of tannin solutions of increasing strength, and the process is slow, usually taking weeks rather than days. That extra time and craft is why veg tan typically costs around three times as much as chrome tan, but it’s also the more durable of the two, with a firm, dense structure that wears well for many years.
It’s ideal for tooling and stamping, and its edges can be sanded and burnished to a smooth, glossy finish. Veg tan is known for developing a rich patina: it darkens and deepens in colour with light, handling and time, so every piece ages in its own way. It also has a warm, earthy smell that many people love. Its strength and stiffness are why it’s long been the choice for horse saddles, reins and other tack, as well as structured bags that need to hold their shape.
The trade-off is that veg tan is more sensitive to water. Splashes can leave marks, and it can stain more easily, especially when it’s new and untreated. A little care helps a great deal, and many people see those marks as part of its character.
Chrome tanned leather
Chrome tanning uses chromium salts. It was introduced in the late 19th century and quickly became the most widely used method, largely because it’s so much faster: the main tanning stage can be done in a day or so.
Chrome tanned leather is typically soft and supple, with a lovely drape and flexibility. It’s more water resistant than veg tan and keeps its colour consistently, and the process accepts a much wider range of colours, from subtle neutrals to bright, saturated shades. It changes less with age, so it stays closer to how it looked on the day you bought it.
Because it’s softer, chrome tan doesn’t take tooling or stamping in the same way, and its edges are usually painted or folded rather than burnished. Its smell is milder and less earthy.
The environmental picture
Both methods have an environmental footprint. Veg tan uses plant-based tannins, which is appealing, but the process also uses a lot of water and takes a long time, and the tannins and effluent still need to be treated properly.
With chrome tanning, the main concern is that chromium can be harmful if it’s poorly managed. Well-regulated tanneries control the process carefully and treat their waste water.
In practice, how well a tannery is run often matters as much as the method it uses. And whichever tannage you choose, leather goods that are looked after and used for many years make the most of the resources that went into them.
Veg tan and chrome tan at a glance
| Vegetable tan | Chrome tan | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Natural tannins from bark and plants | Chromium salts |
| Time | Slow, usually weeks | Fast, about a day or so |
| Feel | Firm, smooth, structured | Soft, supple, flexible |
| Structure | Dense; holds its shape | Drapes and bends easily |
| Ageing and patina | Darkens and develops a rich patina | Changes less with age |
| Water resistance | Lower; prone to water marks and stains | Higher |
| Colour range | Mostly natural and earthy tones | Very wide, including bright shades |
| Edge finishing | Can be sanded and burnished | Usually painted or folded |
| Tooling | Takes tooling and stamping well | Not well suited to tooling |
| Smell | Warm, earthy | Milder |
| Weight | Often feels heavier and more solid | Often feels lighter |
| Durability | More durable, firm and hard-wearing | Durable, but softer and less robust |
| Cost | Typically around three times the price | Lower cost |
| Typical uses | Saddles, reins and tack, stiff structured bags, tooled or stamped work | Soft, flexible leather goods |
| Care | Keep dry, condition occasionally; marks become part of its character | Wipe clean, condition occasionally |
| Environmental notes | Plant tannins, but high water use and long process time | Chromium can be harmful if poorly managed; well-regulated tanneries control it |
How to tell them apart
- The cut edge: veg tan is usually tan or brown right through, while chrome tan often shows a blue-grey core where the leather hasn’t been dyed all the way through.
- Smell: veg tan has a rich, earthy, woody scent; chrome tan smells milder.
- Feel: veg tan feels firm and holds a crease or shape; chrome tan feels soft and springy and bends easily.
- Ageing: if a piece has darkened and gained a glow over time, it’s very likely veg tan.
Why we use both
Neither tannage is simply better than the other. Veg tan’s firmness, burnished edges and beautiful patina suit pieces that need structure, character and ultimate longevity, while chrome tan’s softness, water resistance and range of colours suit pieces that need to be supple and practical. That’s why we use both, and choose the right one for each piece we make.
If you’d like to see the difference for yourself, have a look around our shop. And if you’ve got any questions about the leather in a particular piece, we’re always happy to help.