About Horween Dublin , Chromexcel and Shell Cordovan

Horween Leather Company was founded in 1905. For more than 100 years and five generations our goal has been to make the world's best leather. Making the best means doing lots of little things right. It means never mistaking fastest or cheapest with the best. It means always using formulas that do not cut corners, and choosing components strictly for their quality.

Horween Leather offers an unparalleled blend of quality, consistency, responsiveness, and innovation. Through the years, we have cultivated our experience to offer dynamic lines of leathers. Our products include traditional, old world tannages and techniques, carefully updated with modern applications. Today, our leathers are still made by hand, the same way as generations ago.
Horween Dublin Leather is a veg tan infused with a rich blend of natural waxes and then hot plated. It has all the supple characteristics of Essex with a darker surface color that showcases the natural grain.Rugged look. Burnishes to a patina over time, Strong and distinctive pull-up.
Horween Leather is a type of high-quality leather that is made by the Horween Leather Company, which is based in Chicago, Illinois. The leather is known for its durability, strength, and unique texture.
Horween Leather is used to make a variety of products, including shoes, bags, wallets, and watch straps. The leather is made using traditional tanning methods that have been passed down through generations of the Horween family. The process involves soaking the hides in a mixture of water, salt, and other natural ingredients before they are placed in large vats of tannin. The leather is then dyed, oiled, and finished to create a beautiful, long lasting product.
CHROMEXCEL®
Chromexcel is the original pull-up leather; using time honored techniques and formulas that were developed nearly 100 years ago.
Chromexcel is still produced in the United States using a bark retannage from a proprietary recipe, and then genuine hot stuffed with our secret blend of natural oils and greases.
Chromexcel is characterized by a rich pull-up in full aniline, hand rubbed finishes. Made to this day with old world craftsmanship, modern
Chromexcel carries on a long history of superior comfort and durability.
GENUINE SHELL CORDOVAN
Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan® is the art of tanning at its finest.
More than just a color, it is a very specific leather, from a particular part of a horsehide. The irregular oval shaped shells are tanned, stuffed, shaved, and then polished - a process taking at least six months. Each shell is slowly steeped in gentle vegetable liquors. The shells are genuine hot stuffed then slicked onto glass frames to dry. Each shell is hand curried and shaved by highly skilled artisans to expose the shell. Dyes are hand rubbed on for a deep aniline finish. Finally, the shells are hand glazed to achieve the rich, glossy look and feel prized by fine craftsmen.
Horween Shell Cordovan is a premium and highly sought-after type of leather produced by the Horween Leather Company. It is considered one of the finest leathers in the world due to its exceptional quality, durability, and unique characteristics. Shell Cordovan is made from the fibrous flat muscle (shell) found beneath the hide of a horsehide, typically from the hindquarters.
The tanning process for Shell Cordovan is labor-intensive and takes around six months to complete. The leather is hand-glazed, hot-stuffed with oils and waxes, and then polished to create a glossy, smooth surface. This laborious process gives Shell Cordovan its renowned luster and patina development.
Shell Cordovan is prized for its incredible strength, ability to age gracefully, and its resistance to creasing or stretching. It is commonly used to make high-quality dress shoes, wallets, watch straps, and other luxury leather goods.
Due to its limited availability and extensive craftsmanship required, Horween Shell Cordovan tends to be quite expensive compared to other types of leather.
is a type of high-quality, full-grain leather known for its rich color variations and natural character. It's often used in the crafting of fine leather goods such as wallets, belts, bags, and shoes. The leather is tanned by the Horween Leather Company, a renowned American tannery established in 1905. The Dublin leather is treated with a blend of vegetable tanning agents, oils, and waxes, resulting in a distinctive look and feel that develops a unique patina over time.
Horween Chromexcel is another premium leather produced by the Horween Leather Company. It's a type of pull-up leather known for its luxurious feel, rich colors, and excellent durability. Chromexcel leather undergoes a unique tanning process that involves a combination of chrome and vegetable tanning techniques. This results in a leather that is soft, supple, and ages beautifully, developing a distinctive patina with use. It's commonly used in the production of high-end leather products like boots, shoes, watch straps, wallets, and more.
 
Horween Shell Cordovan is a highly prized and luxurious type of leather renowned for its exceptional quality and durability. It's considered one of the finest leathers in the world. Shell Cordovan is derived from the fibrous flat muscle (or shell) located just beneath the skin of a horse's hide. The leather is meticulously tanned, polished, and finished over a lengthy process, resulting in a smooth, glossy surface that's incredibly resistant to creasing and stretching.

This leather is often used for crafting premium products like high-end dress shoes, watch straps, wallets, and other accessories due to its unique luster, depth of color, and ability to develop a stunning patina over time. It's worth noting that Shell Cordovan leather is relatively rare and sought after by leather enthusiasts and connoisseurs.
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