Every belt has a story…
They may look simple, but belts are an incredible combination of intense labor, technique and artistry. The process starts with bating & pickling, where the hides are prepared for tanning. Next, the tanning starts, which is where many secrets begin. For our belts, we use Horween Chromexel tabs & tips, a beloved type of leather known for being exceptionally tough, subtle and and beautifully finished. The tanning involves specific and proprietary mixes of bark extracts and natural agents that are used to give Chromexcel its heavy vegetable retannage.
Once the tanning is complete, it undergoes “hot stuffing” and then finishing. At this point, the leather is ready to be cut and molded into a final product. The belt makers at our shop use clicker dies and a heavy die cutting press to stamp out pieces for the tips & tabs. While the leather ends are being made, another person is stitching the custom ribbon onto the surcingle web backing with a double needle sewing machine. They are then cut to length, by hand, for the specific order.
Each belt then has all loose threads cleaned up and hang tags put on, before moving on to final inspection.
