Leather College Backpacks

How Is Von Baer Leather Different?

Not all leather is the same.

Since 2015, we at Von Baer have dedicated ourselves to high-quality real leather.

Here's a 30-second summary of how to choose a better leather product:

• Leather comes in different grades: full-grain, top-grain, and split/bonded - which represent how much of the original product is used (less product used = cheaper).
• Full-grain is the best grade of leather you can buy: exceptionally durable, developing an elegant patina, and having that beautiful real leather smell.
• Cheaper grades are less durable, age poorly, and don't have that authentic scent.
• Leather is processed through "tanning", which makes it durable and water-resistant.
• The two main methods for this are "vegetable-tanning" and "chrome-tanning".
• Chrome tanning uses harsh chemicals that are bad for the environment and produce a worse quality leather.
• Vegetable tanning is the best method, being more eco-friendly, and producing leather with a better patina and scent.

That's why here at Von Baer, we only use full-grain vegetable-tanned Italian leather, sourced from the finest tanneries across Tuscany, Italy.

It ages beautifully over time, developing a unique patina, making it more durable and luxurious than lower-quality leather.

It's also why we developed the leather standards trademark Cuoio Superiore (meaning "superior leather" in Italian).

Learn more about Von Baer here.