Leather BE

Leather BE designs and makes almost all of their creations themselves in the Bruges atelier, with a few bags being produced by a local atelier. The brand therefore has the Handmade In Belgium label and is a member of I Buy Belgian. Thanks to this way of working, you can be sure that each product was made with love in ethical conditions!

Most of the Leather BE collection is made of cowhide leather. The bags are lined with pig leather. Several bags are made in vegetable-tanned leather. This is a more sustainable alternative to chrome-tanned leather, as no harmful chemicals are used in this process. Unfortunately, it is not clear what part of the collection consists of vegetal-tanned leather

Leather BE did assure COSH that all the leather they use comes from Europe, is tanned in Italy and is certified.

In addition, the brand also uses a vegan synthetic leather made from apples. While this may be an animal-friendly leather, it is not necessarily sustainable. To ensure the quality of the material, apple waste is mixed with polyurethane, polyester and cotton. Polyester and polyurethane are synthetic materials made from petroleum. Leather BE guarantees that the material is PVC-free and contains no harmful chemicals.

Leather BE uses recycled leather in some products, for example in its placemats. This improves the brand’s circularity.

Vegetal-tanned leather is biodegradable, which is also circular, but this only applies if there are no chemicals in the product. All other Leather BE products are unfortunately difficult to recycle after use.

The Leather BE collection is designed and produced in their own workshop in Bruges. To keep their supply chain short, the brand works with European leather from Italian tanneries.

Leather BE uses cow and pig leather in their collection. For this, the brand resolutely opts for European materials. This way, the materials are more traceable and there are more guarantees that the animals live in good conditions.

Leather BE also makes their designs in an apple leather version, which is how the Belgian brand brings a vegan alternative to their elegant bags. These bags are made of a synthetic leather and are lined with textile, so there are no animals involved!

Leather BE’s products are made with care and attention to detail. The high-quality materials and handmade production help to ensure that the bags have a longer lifespan. The designs are elegant and timeless, while also being practical.

Leather BE performs well in terms of transparency. The brand shares information about their processes and workshop. They also shared information about their suppliers and the origin of the different leathers with COSH!