The Leather

I am very select with the leather I use and tanneries I source from. This is to ensure that the leather is not only of the highest quality, but I know where the hides have come from, that no animals have been killed for the materials that I use and that sustainable processes have been used, with no harmful chemicals.

I use 3 suppliers for the leather and sheepskin to make my products, click the drop down to learn more about the leather I use.

  • The main leather I use is a full grain, cow leather sourced from J. & F.J. Baker in my home county of Devon, which has been run by the same family for 6 generations, the production of the leather is done at a site that has been a tannery since the Roman times.

    Generations of knowledge have perfected the process to produce beautiful, hardwearing and unique leather with superior tensile strength. It takes 14 months and a sustainable process to produce each piece of leather. Using all natural, locally, and sustainably sourced materials each piece of leather takes over a year to produce and many hours of labour intensive work, the time and effort taken ensures the finished product will last a lifetime.

    What appeals to me as well as the beautiful, durable leather that is produced is their commitment to having a low impact on the environment. The 14 month tanning process is run by a 400 hundred-year-old mechanism that is run by a water wheel. This process is completely carbon neutral; it uses no electricity, or non-renewable energies.

  • I use is a goat and deer leather and suede from the Billy Tannery here in the UK.

    The Billy Tannery started when the founders realised just how many goatskins that are a bi-product of the meat industry were just being thrown away. From there they transformed a farm building in the Midlands into a small batch tannery which is the first built in the UK in over 50 years.

    At the Billy Tannery old meets new by using bark extracts and their innovative their micro tannery process that recycles 90% of the water and turns waste into compost, they turn a previously wasted food bi-product into beautiful leather that is supple, full of character and rich in colour.

    In 2024 Melissa Marie Leather was chosen as 1 of just 4 UK leather workers to take part in their first Makers Series. Collaborating on a Sling Bag, made using a beautiful Dusk Blue Deer Suede.

  • The team at The Dartmoor Shepherd are passionate about farming their flocks in an ethical and regenerative way. They shun the use of pesticides, fertilizers and chemical inputs in favour of a holistic farming approach.

    They farm to organic principles and are members of the Pasture for Life association and all of their sheep are 100% pasture fed. By only grazing local Dartmoor pasture their sheep are healthier, happier and grow naturally at their own pace without negatively impacting the environment.

    The sheepskins I use are a by-product of their sales of hogget.