About
Toscano is a vegetable-tanned leather produced by Conceria 800, an Italian tannery located in Santa Croce sull'Arno, Tuscany. The leather is manufactured using traditional pit tanning methods with natural vegetable extracts and is available in two distinct finishes: Toscano liscio (smooth) and Toscano volanato (volant/airy finish).
About
Toscano is a vegetable-tanned leather produced by Conceria 800, an Italian tannery located in Santa Croce sull'Arno, Tuscany. The leather is manufactured using traditional pit tanning methods with natural vegetable extracts and is available in two distinct finishes: Toscano liscio (smooth) and Toscano volanato (volant/airy finish).
Conceria 800 processes shoulders, bulls, and side leather using vegetable extracts and natural fats to create fully vegetable-tanned, metal-free articles. The leather is stuffed with fats to achieve its characteristic softness and plush feel, and features unique color tones that reflect the soil and water of the Tuscan region.
Production and tanning process
The tanning process for Toscano leather employs "concia in fossa" (pit tanning), a traditional method used since ancient times that preserves the distinctive characteristics of artisanal Vacchetta leather. The process requires up to six months from start to finish and uses natural vegetable extracts from wood, bark, fruit, roots, and leaves with no synthetic substances.
Hides progress through three pits containing vegetable-tanning mixtures of different strengths, staying in each pit for approximately 10 days. The vegetable tannins are sourced from mimosa, chestnut, and oak trees. Conceria 800 blends conventional pit tanning techniques with modern technologies to address contemporary fashion industry demands while maintaining traditional craftsmanship.
Production is hand-crafted by master tanners and includes hand-antique finishing and natural milling processes. The tannery works with European raw materials, particularly half calf and shoulder leather types.
Characteristics and properties
Toscano leather features a shiny and soft texture created through the natural tanning approach. The unique color tones develop over time through the interaction between nature, science, and craftsmanship, with the leather quality reflecting the specific characteristics of Tuscan soil and water.
The environmentally friendly production process uses no harsh chemicals, making the leather safe to wear even for those with sensitive skin. The finished product is metal-free and fully vegetable-tanned with natural fats.
Variants
Conceria 800 produces two Toscano variants: Toscano liscio with a smooth finish and Toscano volanato with a volant/airy finish. These variants are part of the tannery's collection of 16 leather varieties.
References
"Company". Conceria 800. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
"Conceria 800 and the traditional Tuscan tanning technique". Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
"Tannery: Conceria 800". Alfie Douglas. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
"Leather". Conceria 800. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
