Horween Autumn Chromexcel

The Autumn color represents one of several exclusive leather offerings developed through the partnership between Horween and Truman, alongside other unique variations such as Java Waxed Flesh and Java Predator. User documentation from the Patina Project shows Truman Plain Toe Boots manufactured in Autumn Chromexcel as early as April 2024, indicating the leather's integration into Truman's production line.

Horween Leather Company was founded in 1905 by Isadore Horween in Chicago, Illinois, establishing the foundation for what would become one of America's most established tanneries. The company moved to its current five-story facility at 2015 North Elston Avenue in Chicago's Bucktown in 1920, where it continues operations today under fourth-generation family leadership.

The original Chromexcel formula was developed in 1911 by Isadore Horween, who produced Aniline Chromexcel as one of the company's most traditional tannages. By 2006, Horween had become Chicago's only remaining tannery, a significant change from the city's peak when as many as 40 tanneries operated in the area.

Autumn Chromexcel maintains all the fundamental properties of the traditional Chromexcel leather, including the characteristic "pull-up" effect that creates temporary color lightening when the leather is stretched or bent. This pull-up phenomenon results from the hot stuffing process, during which oils, waxes, and greases are impregnated into the leather fibers using materials including food-grade beef tallow and cosmetic-grade beeswax.

The leather features a full aniline finish with multiple hand-rubbed coats of non-pigmented dye, allowing for even staining while preserving the natural grain patterns of the hide. Like other Chromexcel variants, Autumn Chromexcel exhibits excellent aging characteristics, developing a rich patina over time while maintaining softness and durability through extended wear.

The Autumn Chromexcel follows Horween's traditional 89-step tanning process that requires a minimum of 28 working days to complete, utilizing all five floors of the Chicago facility. The combination tanning method begins with chrome tanning in large wooden drums capable of holding approximately 20,000 pounds of product, creating characteristic "wet blue" hides after 48 hours of processing.

Following chrome tanning, the hides undergo vegetable retanning using proprietary bark extracts that Horween has produced on-site since 1905 in vegetable tanning pits approximately eight feet deep. The hot stuffing process represents the critical step that imparts the pull-up characteristics, using steamed mills to achieve precise impregnation of oils and waxes that remain solid at room temperature.

Final finishing involves several applications of aniline dye and a concluding coat of Neatsfoot Oil, completing the transformation from raw hide to finished leather. The entire process requires precise control of chemistry, including specific concentrations, temperatures, run times, and pH levels maintained through generations of accumulated expertise.

The Autumn colorway represents part of Truman Boot Company's strategy of offering exclusive leather variants unavailable through other manufacturers. This approach extends beyond Chromexcel to include other Horween exclusives such as Java Waxed Flesh and specialized versions of Dublin and Predator leathers designed specifically for Truman's customer base.

Truman's partnership with Horween demonstrates the continued importance of specialty tanning relationships in the heritage footwear industry, where small-batch production runs enable unique colorways that distinguish individual bootmakers' offerings. The exclusivity arrangement ensures that Autumn Chromexcel remains available only through Truman's direct sales channels and authorized retailers carrying their products.