Tanneries Haas

The tannery is renowned for its signature leather types, including Novonappa®, Barenia®, and Zermatt, which are produced using a distinctive double-tanning process that combines chrome tanning salts with vegetable tannins. Since 2013, Tanneries Haas has been owned by Chanel, securing its position as a supplier to prestigious luxury brands including Hermès, Chanel, Vuitton, and Longchamp.

In the heritage footwear industry, Tanneries Haas serves as a key leather supplier to renowned makers including Edward Green, Paraboot, and Heschung, providing both smooth and embossed grain calf leathers that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern tanning techniques.

Tanneries Haas was established in 1842 by Aloïse Haas in the Alsace region of France, originally beginning as a shoe sole factory before evolving into leather production. The company's location in Eichhoffen was strategically chosen for its access to pure water essential for the tanning process and the region's cultural emphasis on artisanal craftsmanship.

For over 180 years, six generations of the Haas family perpetuated the tannery's expertise and traditions, building the company's reputation for producing some of the world's finest calf leathers. The family ownership continued until 2013, when luxury conglomerate Chanel acquired the tannery as part of a strategic move to secure its leather supply chain.

The transition to Chanel ownership has allowed Tanneries Haas to maintain its traditional methods while benefiting from increased investment and global reach, positioning the company as both a heritage tannery and a modern supplier to the luxury goods industry.

Tanneries Haas specializes in calf leather production using raw materials sourced primarily from French and European farms. The company's signature products include several proprietary leather types that have gained recognition in the luxury goods and footwear industries over more than 50 years.

The tannery's flagship product, Novonappa®, represents a double-tanned calf leather that combines the benefits of chrome tanning and vegetable tanning. This process creates a leather with unique softness, an open structure that allows the material to breathe, and a natural matte appearance while maintaining strength and flexibility.

Other notable products include Barenia®, an exceptional leather known for its suppleness and developed specifically by Tanneries Haas, and Zermatt, which is particularly valued for luxury watch strap linings due to its resistance to mechanical and chemical constraints while maintaining a soft, silky texture. The production process incorporates fat liquors added in a hot air drum, contributing to the distinctive characteristics of each leather type.

As one of France's top five tanneries, Tanneries Haas maintains strategic relationships with prestigious brands across the luxury goods and heritage footwear industries. The company's acquisition by Chanel in 2013 reflects the luxury house's commitment to controlling its leather supply chain and ensuring consistent quality for its products.

In the heritage footwear sector, Tanneries Haas serves as a primary leather supplier to respected makers including Edward Green, Paraboot, and Heschung. Jacques Kress, the company's Export Manager, oversees relationships with clients in the shoe industry, managing the supply of both smooth and embossed grain calf leathers tailored to each maker's specifications.

The tannery's relationship with Hermès is particularly significant, with Tanneries Haas identified as the most important tannery for the luxury house's operations. The company's Novonappa leather, known to Hermès as Barenia, represents only two percent of the tannery's total production but commands premium positioning in the luxury market. Additional major clients include Chanel, Vuitton, and Longchamp, demonstrating the tannery's broad appeal across luxury leather goods manufacturers.