Finding Quality in the Details of Top-Grain Leather

Through the years, our team has introduced a lot of new products, and we have more in the works. Even as we grow, we refuse to compromise on the quality of our materials and craftsmanship. Building quality and reliability into everything we make is one of the ways we show gratitude to our customers, and that is very important to us. Discovering just the right material is always a challenge, but it is totally worth it. Establishing exclusive partnerships with the best tanneries ensures that the perfect top-quality materials go into the products we make for you. This is one of the many reasons we are able to offer our 65-Year Heirloom Warranty, which is our unbreakable commitment to quality and durability.

In the past, we’ve used this blog to highlight the difference between synthetic leather, so-called “genuine” leather, and premium top-grain leather (the kind we use). When it comes to premium top-grain leather, there are a wide variety of styles and textures to meet specific needs and preferences. For this post, we’re going to look at how premium top-grain leather is refined into the specific varieties you’ll find on your Trayvax gear. 

 

Element, Ascent, and Contour

The leather we use to make our Element, Ascent, and Contour wallets is a "corrected" top-grain leather, meaning the surface has been buffed to create the desired look and feel. We use a combination tanned leather that blends the durability of a chrome tanned base with a heavy vegetable re-tannage. The tannery incorporates a rich blend of waxes with aniline dyes to create this leather's tonal appearance. This thick, durable, and rugged leather will burnish over time, creating a rich patina that is as unique as you, the wallet's owner. For the Element, Ascent, and Contour, this leather comes in four shades: our Mississippi Mud (a rich dark brown), Tobacco Brown (warm and bright), Stealth Black, and Steel Grey (with subtle hints of tan).

Summit Notebook and Passport Wallet

We use a lightly corrected top-grain leather for our Summit Notebook and Passport Wallet. Its look and feel is achieved through very light correction with burnishing paper. It is based on a leather that was originally developed for the hand sewn footwear market, which demanded a rich leather with a subtle pull up. These qualities contributed the ideal look and feel for our Summit Notebook and Passport Wallet, combining a tanned leather with a heavy re-tannage which actually allows the leather the freedom to retain its shape with use. Like a fine wine (or bourbon if you prefer), it only gets better with age.

 

Renegade Zipper Wallet, Roam Clutch, and Roam Mini Clutch

We use a full grain leather to make our Renegade Zipper Wallet, Roam Clutch, and Roam Mini Clutch. The term "full-grain" means it has not been polished or buffed, leaving the unique natural texture of the top grain. The variety we use is a combination of tanned leather with a full vegetable re-tan; well nourished with a rich proprietary blended oil emulsion. This leather is the modern successor to the hand stained variety cowboys used for their saddle straps. It has come a long way from its cowboy roots, retaining toughness along with a sophisticated look that improves with age and use.

 

As your leather products develop a beautiful patina through the long-term use they were built for, we know you will appreciate these materials that are so much more than genuine. We certainly appreciate your support.

We've come a long way from our Kickstarter days, and we have all of you to thank for it. Thank you for being the kind of person who values quality. Thank you for supporting our mission to create 5000 American jobs. Thank you for spreading the word about our products and our mission; and, above all, thank you for making Trayvax products and our company a part of your life.