What is Patina?
The Cult specializes in pieces crafted from Italian Vachetta leather. This specialty vegetable tanned leather is renowned and coveted worldwide; in large part due to the beautiful, unique way that it ages. Find out what that means for your Cult piece below.
Most leather produced today has a static appearance that simply wears with time; Vachetta leather develops gorgeous patina over time, creating a unique look that tells the story of the leathers history.
How is Vachetta leather created?
Vachetta leather is a special type of vegetable tanned leather that uses animal fats (tallow) and oils, as well as other natural vegetable oils to preserve the hide, instead of harsh chemicals. Because of the more involved and expensive process used, it is also typically available only full-grain (the Cult uses exclusively full grain leather). Unlike most leather, Vachetta leather is not treated with chemicals often used in the tanning process that prevent the leather from naturally developing a deeper tone and color over time; instead it is left 'raw'. The Cult uses Vachetta leather that has been finished with a fully aniline dye (transparent dyes that impart rich color without obscuring the leathers natural, unique grain texture), primarily in jet black and carmine red, although Vachetta in lighter colors like olive green, warm tan, or undyed natural are also available. ​​
What is Patina?
Because it's not treated with the typical chemicals to finish the leather, Vachetta leather has the unique ability to develop patina over time, with exposure to water, sunlight, and general wear (ex. the oils and lotions from our hands). Even the leather that is dyed will develop patina, but it is most visible in lighter colors or natural, undyed leather. With darker dyes like black and red, the tone and color will deepen with time, and develop additional sheen. But with lighter colored leather, the color will shift from a paler beige to a honey tan, eventually even a darker tan after enough time.​​
Vachetta leather is primarily well known for it's use by Louis Vuitton, for the handles and piping of their signature bags. Above, you can see the transformation of Louis Vuitton bag handles over time, from left to right, as they develop rich, honey tan patina.
What are some other things I should know about it and it's proper care?
While Vachetta leather is some of the most durable, long lasting leather available, because it's untreated, it is more prone to stains and scratches than some treated leather. As with patina, these will be more noticeable on lighter colors and undyed pieces; but this is often counteracted by the leather's patina, which tends to hide any stains as it develops it's characteristic honey tan color. Scratches are also often easily corrected with a moisturizing leather balm, since the untreated leather has more of an ability to 'heal' than treated leather. ​
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To care for Vachetta leather, ensuring it continues to look it's best and helping it develop an even, beautiful patina, special care should be taken to prevent stains. This can be done by regularly treating your pieces with a protective spray (recommended: Apple Care's Guarde) and using conditioners and balms that are specially formulated for leathers such as Vachetta (recommended: Apple Care's Conditioner). For additional information on caring for Vachetta leather, check out our 411 article that get's right into it!
