BUYING VEG-TAN AT TANDY IS EVEN
BETTER WITH OUR NEW COLLECTIONS!
When buying veg-tan, you have many factors to consider: What are you making? How is it used? How many are you making? Natural characteristics and imperfections can add character and charm for some projects, and for others, only the most pristine hide will do. For some leatherworkers, having a consistently available tannage is critical for their business, while others may prefer to have a variety of tannages and grades at hand. Whatever your veg-tan needs are, Tandy's got you covered!
We inspect and sort our veg-tan to ensure you get the quaility leather you expect at a great price with less time searching for the perfect hide. Unlike Tannery Run leather, which has an assortment of grades combined together, Tandy sorts our veg-tan into A/B, C, and D/E collections making it easy for you to choose the amount of character you want in your leather.
Natural tannins derived from plants and bark from trees like quebracho, chestnut, and mimosa give the leather its final color and fiber density. Need the same, consistent tannage in every piece? Check out our Tandy Selection collection, always available in our Mimosa Mix which has a natural color and accepts dyes well and our Quebracho & Chestnut Mix which has rich, warm properties that make it a great option for tooling.
Various parts of a leather hide will have different qualities. Bends and butts are the stiffest and most durable and typically contain the fewest natural defects. Shoulders are also strong and durable but with a little more flexibility. Bellies offer more stretch and are generally less consistent in thickness. Their long, narrow shape make them perfect for small projects.
The weight or thickness of the leather you select will depend on the type of item being made:
| 2 to 3 oz. Moldings, linings, embossing |
| 4 to 5 oz. Billfold backs, masks, clutches |
| 6 to 7 oz. Carved handbags, camera cases, journal covers |
| 8 to 9 oz. Belts, holsters, saddle bags |
| 3 to 4 oz. Embossing, billfold backs, clutches |
| 5 to 6 oz. Small cases, notebook covers |
| 7 to 8 oz. Narrow belts, knife sheaths, small holsters |
| 9 to 10 oz. Heavy holsters, wide belts |
