boots 02 leather tea-core is made with the article ‘VECCHIO’ from Maryam Tannery, located in Florence, Italy. It is Italian tea-core leather made with vegetable-tanned Polish horsebutt portion and dyed using the tampon-dyeing method. During the tanning process, wax was applied to soften the leather, and because it was lightly sanded, the surface absorbs and reacts well depending on the type of finish applied.
Tampon-dyeing is a method in which dye is applied to the leather surface using dye-soaked cloth(tampon). By repeating cycles of dyeing and drying, the thickness of the color coating can be adjusted. When the coating is thick, it takes a long time for the inner color of the leather to become visible, so we opted for a thinner coating. Boot enthusiasts refer to this type of leather as tea-core leather because while the surface is typically dyed in a dark color such as black, the inner layer remains a lighter brown, resembling the color of brewed tea.
The outer layer of boots 02 gradually wears off over time, revealing the lighter inner color, which creates a distinctive vintage aesthetic. boots 02 leather tea-core natural has a less dramatic contrast between the outer and inner layers compared to the black version, but it still features subtle color differences by aging into a deep brown tone over time. With regular shoe care, the leather gains an even more luxurious color and sheen.
Leather sourced from a horse’s butt is specially processed into shell cordovan. Due to the complexity of the tanning process and the extremely limited yield from each horse, shell cordovan is known for its rarity and high quality, making it one of the most expensive leathers available. In boots 02, the shell cordovan finishing was not applied, but the natural beauty of the horsebutt leather’s unique creases was utilized instead and placed on both sides of the upper. Horsehide that includes the horsebutt area is difficult to work with and must be handled by a factory with expertise in leather craftsmanship to avoid production issues. For this reason, the representative of Maryam Tannery personally visits the factory, explains the material in detail, and maintains close communication throughout the production process.
