About the cowhide used by Motherhouse

Commercial leather is categorized into "synthetic leather" and "natural leather."

Synthetic leather, utilizing materials like PVC and PU, mimics the texture of leather, while natural leather is sourced from animals. Within natural leather, distinctions include "first layer leather," "second layer leather," and "composite cowhide," with their value ranking as first layer leather, followed by second layer leather, and then composite cowhide.

MOTHERHOUSE exclusively uses high quality leather, predominantly sourced from "Zebu" leather in Bangladesh. This leather, while thinner than its European and American counterparts, boasts stronger fibers. Selected from the finest first-skin hides of the country of origin, the leather is tailored according to the bag's design concept and intended occasion.

 

What is the leather of your choice?

Refined Milling (RM) Leather

Named for its fine texture, the substantial leather sourced from Bangladesh undergoes molding to produce a refined, intricate grain. This distinctive character results from the leather's thickness and supple texture achieved through combination tanning.

While the embossed pattern is applied by pressing the mold, the density variation of fibers within the leather leads to a slightly uneven appearance of the embossed pattern. This unique feature adds to the individual differences that characterize this type of leather.

Big Milling (BM) Leather

Also known as tumbled leather, its texture sets it apart from embossed leather as it naturally develops during the tanning process.

This type of leather not only preserves the distinctive characteristics of each piece but also boasts a recessed matte finish, in contrast to the smooth surfaces found in Yozora and Nappa. Tumbled leather is frequently chosen for the construction of sturdy, urban work bags.

Camelia (CM) Leather

If you seek a gentle and lightweight feel, the Camelia leather series is tailored for you.

Through combination tanning, it acquires the softness associated with chrome tanning while maintaining a pliable texture that avoids excessive toughness. The combination tanning process, coupled with milling, ensures the leather fibers are loosened, resulting in a soft and fluffy texture. The finishing touch involves stamping a fine, even grain pattern, providing the leather with a consistent appearance and minimizing the visibility of scratches.

This makes it user-friendly, especially for those new to working with leather.

Antique Leather

Among Motherhouse's leather offerings, antique leather is crafted with a significant amount of oil, resulting in a vintage appearance.
 
The distinctive speckled pattern is achieved by applying oil after tanning and adjusting the angle and number of sprays randomly during the dyeing process. Each dyeing process requires specific machine settings, making the production of each leather piece time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, the non-uniformity in the dyeing process makes a unique differences to each piece of leather.
 

Goat Leather

Previously exclusive to the Irodori series, goat leather has now been newly developed from scratch for our bags.

To appreciate the unique grain variations of each goat, an additional process is incorporated to accentuate the grain and make it more pronounced. To achieve a substantial thickness, unusual for goat leather, we source high-aged goat leather, obtaining the thickest goatskin available in Bangladesh which efficient cutting is essential to minimize waste when crafting bag parts.

 

Big Milling Leather

Also known as tumbled leather, its texture is different from embossed leather and is created naturally during the tanning process.
Not only does it retain the unique expression of each piece of leather, but it also has a recessed matte finish, unlike the smooth surfaces of Yozora and Nappa.
It is often used for the more rigid, urban work bags.

Tsukiakari Leather

MOTHERHOUSE's first attempt at pearlescent leather.
Impressed by the gentle glow of the moon, the desired effect was finally achieved after several attempts.
The smooth, elegantly shiny leather is like the cool, serene light of the moon, and the shimmering glow gives the bag a varied expression.