Explore Everything about Our High-End Leather
100% Full-Grain
Vanessa Campomanes only uses the best leather quality on its products… full-grain leather and top-grain leather. They are often the most water-resistant and durable options because they are crafted from the toughest sections of the animal hide (the exterior section) — and these properties translate into the end material. If a leather product needs to be long-lasting or durable, you can bet it will be made from full-grain leather. Our Vachetta is also full-grain leather made from the hide of a young cow or steers.
Tannage
Vanessa Campomanes uses the best of both worlds, the ancient technique of Vegetable and Chrome tanning. Both use tannins to alter the hide's protein structure, causing it to become leather. These organic substances serve three functions: preserving, strengthening, and giving color to the hide.
Tanning
This is the heart of the entire process: the hides are loaded into drums and immersed in a solution of tanning agents. The drums continuously rotate to allow the tanning product to penetrate the fibers of the hide or skin.
Re-Tanning
The tanned hide undergoes a re-tanning treatment, or a second tanning phase, in which different tanning agents are used. Tannin is normally used for re-tanning chrome-tanned hide. This is an important detail because chrome-tanned leather and re-tanned with tannins will acquire the beneficial properties of vegetable-tanned leather. The hides are then fat liquoring, or grease, to achieve the desired softness for the finished good and then dried.
100% Full Aniline
Vanessa Campomanes full aniline leather is one of our favorite types of leather. Aniline leather has been dyed in the drum and from there has no added correcting or protective finish... in essence, it is completely “naked” and natural. Being unfinished and natural, it will show off its uniqueness, color variations, and characteristics depending on that specific hide.
The benefit of aniline finishes is many! One of the biggest reasons they are very popular is that the leather looks and feels very natural. Another benefit is the way it will develop a unique patina as it ages over time. Products with an aniline finish usually produce a beautiful, worn finish.
100% Pigment
Except for our unfinished Vachetta leather, Vanessa Campomanes is coated with pigments or oils to impart its characteristic appearance finish that ensures consistent even color and will hide almost all defects. This finish is usually more protective against scratching, water, and the elements. Many luxury brands like the benefits of pigmented leather as you also get a very high yield from the hide.
Dust Bags
Vanessa Campomanes uses Olefin for our goods storage dust bags because it is a greener fabric than cotton, wool, silk, or rayon. Olefin used no water or land during its production and was once a waste material from oil production, making it one of the greenest textiles with the lowest carbon footprint.
Frequent Questions
The Vanessa Campomanes’ leather goods collections are exclusively sourced from tanneries located in the United States. The manufacturing of our ready-to-wear does not take place overseas, and everything is sourced and done in America.
Every real Vanessa Campomanes handbag is made with cowhide leather, and the soft cowskin is then finished with an exclusive Chrome/ Veg Re-tannage process. Over time, this process has been developed to deliver the most delicate leather available and characteristically yields a soft, supple, and very durable leather.
Genuine leather is leather made from the very bottom of the cut. It is heavily processed and contains no natural grain of the original hide. It is considered by experts in the industry to be a very low-quality product.
Full-grain leather and top-grain leather are often the most water-resistant and durable options because they are crafted from the toughest sections of the animal hide (the exterior section) — and these properties translate into the end material. If a leather product needs to be long-lasting or durable, you can bet it will be made from full-grain leather. Vanessa Campomanes only uses the best leather quality on its products, full-grain leather.
Often customers ask, "Will my hide/panel be perfect?" this is a great question we owe you to clarify. The answer is complex and relies on understanding the final good's different leather cuts and finishes.
As you know, leather comes from animals that can develop scratches, branding, stretch marks and their lifetime. Even the highest graded leather will show defects more/less depending on the cut of leather and its finishing process.
Vanessa Campomanes classifies the hide according to these marks and, depending on the nature of the final good, uses them to send a sensation.
Do regularly clean leather with a soft brush or cloth
Do regularly air out leather
Do blot away water or moisture as soon as possible
Do dry wet leather naturally, away from artificial heat
Do keep leather supple with a specialized leather conditioner every 3-6 months
Do clean spots and stains with a mixture of soap flakes and warm water
Do use a steam cleaner to disinfect and remove build-up from regular use
Do test any conditioners, cleaners, polishes, or wax in a hidden spot beforehand
Don't machine wash leather
Don't get leather wet wherever possible
Don't dry wet leather next to a radiator or with a hairdryer
Don't tumble dry leather
Don't iron leather
Don't immerse leather in water to clean
