The Beauty of Oak Bark Tanned Leather

The best soles in the world are made from oak bark tanned leather, and the premier source for that leather is Joh. Rendenbach Jr Tannery, which has been producing it since 1871.

The production process begins by stripping the animal hide of its hair. This is usually done by hand with a very, very large blade, which is pushed forward away from the shaver’s body. Once the hides have been shaved, they’re hung on frames and dipped into various pits, which contain different concentrations of tanning solutions. This occurs daily for about four weeks. 

After the hides have gone through an initial surface tanning, they’re put into racks and submerged into another pit that’s half filled with tanning fluids. Shredded tanning agents are also placed between each “rack shelf” and the hides remain in the pit for about six to twelve weeks. 

The final step is the oak-bark ground-tanning stage. This occurs in very old, nine-foot deep, oak-lined pits that are filled with a tanning solution and agents such as oak, spruce, and mimosa bark, as well as valonea fruit. The hides are not heated or mechanically moved; they just sit in this solution … for about nine months.  

It’s a process that can altogether take up to a year, which compared to other tanning processes that take about a month, can be very costly. The upside to it, however, is that you get a much better leather. The tannins bind and conserves the leather’s protein structures, which makes the leather extremely durable, but also breathable and flexible. It’s also very lightweight and more comfortable to wear. 

Below are some Alfred Sargent shoes, all of which feature oak bark tanned leather soles. You’ll also find the material on Edward Green and Gaziano & Girling shoes as well. 

There’s another maker of oak bark tanned leather, J & FJ Baker & Co Tannery. I’m not sure which shoe companies they supply, but a few leather craftsmen have taken Baker’s leather and turned them into belts. The three that I know of include Terry Dear, Herring Shoes (actually made by Tanner Bates), and Equus Leather. For belts, oak bark tanned leather will have a more visible grain and be a bit more pliable. I personally find Equus to be the most impressive of the three. The last photo, in fact, is of some belts MalfordofLondon bought from Equus, and I think they look very nice. I’m looking to get one made for myself sometime this month.   



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