HAND MADE WITHOUT BORDERS OR TOXINS

Spark leather is made from a unique process that is new to the market. We choose to do things the hard way, without toxic chemicals or unnatural dyes. Many hides are treated with chromium, one of the most toxic chemicals in the world because it breaks down tissue fibers. We don’t want that in our leather, and we’re pretty sure you don’t either. In fact, we’ve spent years in research and development with global tanneries, artisans and manufacturers to develop our handmade, all-natural process that sets Spark leather apart from the rest. You may be familiar with terms like Genuine leather or Top-Grain; they sound fancy, but in reality, these are misleading. The best leather is Full-grain which keeps the strength and integrity of the whole hide. At Spark, we use only the shoulders which we slow-tumble for a soft, pliable feel, ensuring that our leather is the toughest you can get, able to endure life’s adventures and last generations. And marketers count on the fact that most people don’t recognize the differences between leather or what makes a $2,000 handbag or pair of shoes more special than its less expensive counterpart. Here’s the simplest way to think about it:

FULL GRAIN

is the toughest, most rugged and valuable part of the leather. The fibers are tight and tough and forever durable.
It's the only leather that Spark uses.

TOP GRAIN

is almost as tough as full grain leather but has had the outer layer shaved off. This takes away the imperfections and natural look, as well as about 30% of the durability, but creates a very uniform look when finished.

GENUINE LEATHER

is most often the junior varsity of the hide, made from the leftovers once the full or top grain has been cut away. The facing is typically a plastic coating, made to look like better quality grain.

SUEDE and BONDED

leather is made from the bottom leftovers or scraps that have been ground into a paste with glue, and reformed into a leather-like material, similar to vinyl.

A Cup of Coffee

COLOR AND DYE PROCESS

Spark leather is colored using only natural, vegetable-based dyes. Throughout the coloring process, our leather is tumbled three times. As the leather tumbles, the skin fibers open to allow the natural tannins in the dye to fully penetrate. We color the core first; then we add a base color and a top color to ensure that the color is uniform throughout. This labor of love results in a beautifully-aged patina that looks comfortably worn in but never worn out.

OTHER MATERIALS

We don’t just have high standards for our leather. You can be confident that Spark chooses every material that goes into our bags and accessories with integrity and durability in mind. We complement our uncompromising leather with the best available hardware and materials, such as Gutterman thread, hand-hammered copper rivets, and all-cast metal hardware.

Our canvas is made with organic cotton fiber that has been infused with natural waxes. Compared to traditional waxed canvas, we apply the wax to the canvas as we’re constructing the product, instead of just coating the finished piece. This makes our canvas much more water-resistant and results in a more natural, easy-to-maintain look.