LeFarc

Tannery

About

LeFarc is a Mexican leather tannery founded in 1994 in León, Guanajuato. The facility produces leather primarily for footwear, leather goods, and upholstery, with 85% of production exported to over 15 countries. LeFarc holds Leather Working Group gold certification and operates the only SATRA-accredited laboratory at a Mexican tannery.

The tannery produces 1,000,000 square feet of leather monthly using chrome and vegetable tanning methods. Luis Ernesto Collazo established the company with his grandmother, grandfather, father, and two uncles, representing the fourth generation of tanners in his family. The facility emphasizes environmental sustainability through solar energy generation and waste recycling programs.

History

Luis Ernesto Collazo founded LeFarc in 1994 together with his grandmother, grandfather, father, and uncles Fabián Alejandro and Roberto Carlos. The founding marked the fourth generation of the Collazo family in the tanning business. The tannery celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024.

By 2019, the facility's annual production reached 9.5 million square meters of leather with a workforce of 167 employees. The company established multiple brands within its portfolio targeting specific industry segments while maintaining its focus on leather production for the footwear industry.

Operations

Facilities

LeFarc operates from Av. Transportistas 301, Col. Unidad Obrera, 37179 León de los Aldama, Guanajuato, Mexico. The facility includes an in-house research and development department for developing exclusive finishes and a dedicated distribution center for inventory management. The tannery maintains the only SATRA-accredited laboratory at a Mexican tannery.

Production capacity

The facility produces 1,000,000 square feet of leather monthly and processes over 5,000 hides per week. The operation employs 167 workers. LeFarc sources hides from leading U.S. meat companies, focusing on domestic production including dairy heifers and domestic cattle.

Markets

LeFarc exports 80 to 85% of total production to over 15 countries. The company's output consists of 85% footwear leather, 10 to 15% bags and handbags, and the remainder for upholstery production. The tannery maintains stock availability with no minimum order requirements and immediate delivery options through its direct-to-consumer retail operation, LeFarcShop.

Products

Tanning methods

LeFarc produces full grain and split leather using chrome and vegetable tanning methods. The facility processes exclusively cow hides. Production includes specialty leathers for vegetable tanning and waterproof applications. A small skin division produces goat and lamb leather.

Albatros

Albatros, now marketed as Eagle, is a chrome tanned and mix retanned leather with medium gloss and intense pull-up effect. The leather measures 1.6 to 1.8mm thick with half hides sized at 19 to 21 square feet. The product line serves leather goods and footwear markets, particularly for hand-sewn articles. Available colors include caramel, negro (black), amarello (yellow), and Caoba (mahogany).

Almera Crust

Almera Crust is 100% vegetable tanned cow leather with no additional finishing. The specifications match Albatros at 1.6 to 1.8mm thickness with half hides measuring 19 to 21 square feet. The leather features soft texture with natural grain and body. Applications include crafting, embossing, tooling, dyeing, leather goods, footwear, and furniture upholstery.

Sustainability

LeFarc generates 33% of its energy consumption through solar panels installed at the facility. The operation recycles 100% of packaging materials and achieved 14% waste reduction with all waste recycled. A wastewater treatment facility eliminates suspended solids, greases, and oils.

The Qualus Project, launched in 2020, targets 30% reduction in water consumption and chemical use. The tannery implements strict quality controls and complete traceability at every production stage. LeFarc maintains physical traceability for 80.4% of production, with 19.6% not traceable.

Certifications

LeFarc received the Leather Working Group gold medal in 2008, becoming the first tannery in the Americas to achieve this certification. The facility holds LWG gold rating under Protocol Issue 7.2.4 with continuous certification since April 12, 2017 and audit valid through January 15, 2026. The current LWG rating is silver.

The tannery obtained ISO 9001 certification in 2014, updated to the 2015 version in 2018. SATRA accreditation was received in 2019, making LeFarc the only accredited tannery in Mexico. The facility achieved Socially Responsible Company status in 2019 and maintains membership in the Leather Naturally association.