Amber-colored leather, its ultimate practicality
2019.07.12
Leather is a material that we often come into contact with in our daily lives. It has a long history of interaction with humans, dating back to the Paleolithic period, about 2 million years ago. It all started when people wore furs and skins from animals killed for food to protect themselves from the cold and shocks.
That's why all leather craftsmen have been making things with a sense of gratitude that "uses the life we have received without waste." Kaoru Ikeda, a leather craftsman who works on SIRI SIRI's key ring and the MOLA MOLA collection, says, ``The leather used to be a living existence like humans. There will be a big difference,” he said.
3 months to complete. The texture of leather created by time
Since then, leather has been used for armor in medieval Europe, saddles and boots in the American frontier period, Japanese swords in Japan since the Sengoku period, and boots and satchels for officers in the Second World War. , has become a wide range of products that suit the times and environments, and has been handed down along with processing technology.
As you can see from modern belts, bags and shoes, there are many types of leather. Mammals include cows, horses, pigs, and deer, and reptiles include lizards, snakes, and even birds. SIRI SIRI mainly uses cow leather.
The name and properties of the ring differ depending on the age and gender, but for example, the key ring is “Buttero” by Walpier, Italy, which uses the shoulder part of an adult cow called steer. It is characterized by being packed with fibers and having a strong chewiness. In addition, the raw leather is from Italy, which is rare for cowhide, which is often produced in North America. It is said that there are fewer fine scratches during growth than American raw hides, and there are many beautiful hides.
Animal skin consists of layers of epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, but only the dermis becomes leather. For this reason, in order to turn raw hides into leather, multiple processes are required, starting with liming, which loosens the fibers and removes the fur, followed by tanning, splitting the back, stretching, and drying. In particular, "tanning" is an important process that is indispensable for suppressing spoilage and evaporation of moisture and "softening the leather" as the kanji says. The tanning agent used for tanning is chemical chromium and natural tannin (astringency), buttero uses the latter. It is carefully soaked in tannin pools with different densities in stages to create an astringent layer and then dried in the natural sun, which takes three months to complete.
That's why each product has a different texture, and when you use it for a long time, it becomes the only key ring in the world. Such individuality and the beauty of change over time can be applied not only to Key rings, but also to other accessories.
“Even delicate parts such as leather cords and straps have a rich expression. That is what makes natural materials interesting.”
In fact, in Japan, it is difficult to recognize the individuality created by the scratches and shades of dyeing inherent in leather. "This is because the quality is judged based only on the beauty of the surface. As long as the original is a living thing, it is natural that there are some scratches and differences." I think we've come a long way from the relationship.
“The color of tanned leather changes depending on the season when the raw hide is removed, so the design may be slightly affected.
Cowhide can take any shape when water is added. In order to make the most of the characteristics of natural materials, be sure to put water on the surface just before work and take a casing time to permeate to the inside. By restoring suppleness and elasticity, it becomes easier to handle.
A number of tools are used for crafting and sewing. For example, when cutting out leather, different sizes of leather knives are used. In Ikeda's case, a leather knife made of Tamahagane, the same steel used for Japanese swords. In addition, for designs that are difficult to cut out by hand, such as the Key Ring, a special cutting die is made. The cut leather is adjusted for thickness with a leather combing machine, sewn by hand or sewn with a leather sewing machine such as Singer's "No. 17", which makes it easy to create curves.
“For the key ring, it is necessary to gradually shave the back of the leather from the belt toward the glass tube. I adjust the thickness and comb it slowly.”
Rely on 50 years of experience and ease of use. Even a craftsman like him is difficult to handle, and he makes a wry smile when he makes a mistake.
Ikeda's lifework is to create carving works that engrave on the surface of leather. A surgical scalpel that cuts out fine hair and depth from the leather is added.
For SIRI SIRI, we purchase only plain tanned leather. Colored leather like Key ring black is dyed by Ikeda himself. Of course, I also have a preference for dyes. I chose "Oil Dye" from Phoebing. Unlike alcohol dyes, which remove the oil content of the leather when volatilized, it is said that the oil component has the effect of keeping the leather moist.
The experience and skills of leather craftsmen are alive in every aspect of the key ring, from the selection of leather to the selection of cutting dies and dyes, to finishing. Mr. Ikeda happily says that adding natural dyes such as persimmon tannin and indigo, as well as the wax technique, would be interesting.
“If you can make good use of traditional methods for leather, you should be able to create something creative and interesting. For people who work with natural materials, it is very important to have a perspective and awareness that looks back on traditional actions.”
Today, people are so close to us that we lose our sense of gratitude, and it becomes difficult to see what is really good. However, leather, which has been closely related to human history for a long time, is still there as the ultimate practical item. A unique gift from nature that has protected us and carved the same time. It is the words and techniques of the craftsmen that remind us once again of the beauty and warmth of leather.
Written by Sanae Kimura
Photo Go Itami