As product development for Eklund Griffin ramps up, we are particularly excited to share this recap of our recent visit to the Tasman Leather Group, right here in Maine. Once we got beyond the immediate shock and awe of walking in the door to see our name in lights… well, up on a blackboard, anyway… we were immersed in a full-day, in-depth workshop to learn about the retan process used to create the durable, versatile and luxurious material we all know leather to be.

The skilled, passionate and friendly folks throughout the tannery were happy to let us step in and try our hands at throwing hides around and clipping sides to be heat dried (photos 8 and 9). I had a hard time walking away from the clipping table. The whole workshop was a blast, and something we are so glad we did. Knowledge is power, afterall!

Using what we learned, we were able to make informed decisions about what type of leather will best embody each of our bag designs- aesthetically and functionally. As a completely natural material, every hide is as unique as the creature it came from… its environment, lifestyle, travels, etc. Up until this point in my life, as a consumer of leather goods, I don’t believe I ever once considered this fact. All leather has a life behind it, and even once it has been crafted into a shoe or a bag or pair of gloves, it continues to live and interact with it’s environment creating a unique feel and one-of-a-kind patina over time. They say anything made of good quality leather will look the worst it’s ever going to look the very first day you buy it.

Bursting at the seams, Blair