Traditional Leather Crafting Unique to Himeji: A History of Leather in the Region

Tell us about the beginnings of your company.

Toda: "First, in 1905, "Himeji Leather Factory (姫路製革所)" was established. At that time, Japan was promoting national policies of strengthening the country and encouraging industrial growth, and the purpose of this leather factory was to conduct modern leather making as a national policy.

Given that Himeji City had a long history of leather production, it was established there. Later, in 1911, 'Sanyo Hikaku Co., Ltd. (山陽皮革株式会社)' was founded as a private company.

Initially, it was established to produce leather goods for military use domestically, as part of a national policy. However, after the war, the focus shifted to creating products that met civilian needs, such as bags and shoes.

The company name was changed to 'Sanyo Leather Co., Ltd. (株式会社山陽, although the Japanese name no longer retains the word hikaku meaning 'leather')' in 1977. With changing societal trends and the end of the high-growth economic period, we wanted to embrace various possibilities and challenges, which prompted the name change."

What methods are used to produce leather at your company?

Toda: "Our company produces leather using three methods: 'vegetable tannin tanning,' 'chrome tanning,' and 'white leather tanning.' Tanning is the process of turning hide into leather, preventing it from rotting. Let's have Shiota explain the details."

Shiota: "For vegetable tannin tanning, we use 'tannin,' a polyphenol compound found in trees. For chrome tanning, we use a chemical agent called 'chrome tanning agent.'

Globally, only about 20-30% of leather is tanned using vegetable tannin. Moreover, our company conducts vegetable tannin tanning using pits known as pit tanks. Only a few companies in Japan are still using this method.

Our white leather originated from 'Himeji white tanning leather,' a traditional method unique to Himeji, known for its history of leather crafting. It is a very precious tanning method, making it difficult to produce in large quantities. Currently, we perform white tanning only upon customer request."

Is it difficult to perform vegetable tannin tanning using pit tanks?

Shiota: "It takes about a month for the tannin to penetrate the hide. It varies depending on the breed of cattle as well as individual differences.

Additionally, the penetration varies with the temperature and water temperature, so in winter, we have to employ techniques like warming the liquid in the pit tank while tanning."

Is there a difference in the resulting leather between vegetable tannin tanning and chrome tanning?

Shiota: "The more actions you take on the hide, the more the fibers loosen and the softer it becomes. Conversely, leather tanned in a pit tank without much action is thick, less stretchable, and quite sturdy.

In the past, this type of leather was used for horse reins and saddles, but nowadays it is often used for belts and bag handles.

On the other hand, chrome-tanned leather is characterized by its excellent heat resistance and adaptability for thickness adjustments. At our company, chrome-tanned leather is frequently used for shoes, so we make sure to produce leather that does not easily lose its shape.

We adjust the tanning method based on what we plan to make."

You mentioned white tanning as a traditional method. Could you explain the specific process?

Shiota: "There are several methods for white tanning. The original method practiced during the Heian period involves soaking the hide in the Ichikawa River and exposing it to bacteria while kneading it with salt and rapeseed oil.

The raw hide is originally white and has no particular color. The salt and rapeseed oil are only used to enhance the texture, so if you don't use anything else, the hide retains its original whiteness.

Although I've heard this method was temporarily discontinued, some people have managed to recreate it in this region. It seems to be quite rare and has aspects of being a cultural property.

At our company, we use special tanning agents to produce our unique white leather."

Are there any challenging processes in tanning?

Shiota: "'Even if you make leather the same way, you won't get the same results. It's often said that you can't get the same outcome because you don't make adjustments to suit the hide's characteristics carefully enough.

Therefore, in vegetable tannin tanning, we periodically cut a small piece of the hide to check how far the tannin has penetrated while it is soaking in the pit tank until it is finished.

Our company has 24 pit tanks, and we adjust the tannin concentration in each."

Can you tell us about the advantages of handling the entire process from procuring the hides to producing the leather in-house?

Shiota: "Many of our clients are very particular about the physical strength of the leather.

While the finishing methods and painting techniques vary depending on what our clients are making, we can easily control the entire process from start to finish, which is one of our company's strengths."

Conveying the Charm of Leather & Contributing to the Community through "TAANNERR"

Please tell us about the background of launching your own brand "TAANNERR"

Toda: "The decision to launch was motivated by the desire to share more about the charm of leather, including the background of leather product manufacturing.

Compared to the past, I think opportunities to interact with leather products have decreased. New materials have emerged, and some have replaced leather.

In the past, there weren't as many materials available as there are now, so the use of leather was more common.

However, not many people know that leather products have been made by utilizing hides produced during the meat processing process, rather than discarding them.

In recent years, the focus has been on SDGs and environmental and eco-friendly initiatives. From the perspective of us tanners, leather products are attractive materials, especially considering the SDGs aspect.

Companies like ours are B2B material manufacturers, so we rarely have direct interaction with consumers. To convey the manufacturing background and charms of leather products directly to consumers, we decided to launch our brand."

What type of leather is used in "TAANNERR"?

Toda: "We use the finest full-grain 'Pit Nume tannin leather' (ピットヌメ・タァンネリル) and high-quality waterproof leather 'Waterproof tannin leather' (防水・タァンネリル). Since we are tanners offering the brand, we are confident in the quality of our leather.

We make leather tailored to each item within the company, and the staff involved in 'TAANNERR' are all leather enthusiasts. It's a brand filled 100% with dedication to leather."

How are the customers reacting?

Toda: "At pop-up stores in department stores, I personally stand in the sales area, and customers often say 'This leather is incredibly beautiful.'

Handling real leather is difficult, and as brands grow larger, they tend to use easier-to-manufacture leather. That's why our products look fresh to them.

It is also said that general consumers have fewer opportunities to touch good leather, so I want them to experience it firsthand.

Recently, a young student casually stopped by our pop-up store, and after explaining the leather, they were very interested and bought a wallet despite the price not being particularly low.

I thought young people wouldn't purchase expensive items, but when they realize the value, they are willing to buy them. Standing in the sales area, I’ve learned a lot of new things."

Morimoto: "I hear that today's young people are different from when we were young; many consider the resale value when they buy things. Therefore, they might be discerning the value of items."

Toda: "I've been using 'TAANNERR' business bags almost every day since launching the brand, and a department store staff once said, 'I thought it was brand new,' indicating that the leather retains its look without losing its charm.

Genuine, well-made leather can be used for a long time and develops character over the years. While the initial price may seem high, it becomes relatively inexpensive when considering how long it can be used. Many people resonate with this idea.

Long-term use is championed within the SDGs, so I hope the sense of using good items for a long time instead of buying products repeatedly within a short span will spread.

Customers who understand our company and purchase our products leave with a very happy smile. Watching these satisfied customers makes me realize we need to continue providing valuable items for people and society, motivating me to create materials that resonate with people.

For us, it’s essential to have many people learn about us. Running our brand is extremely meaningful."

Did you face any challenges when starting the business?

Toda: "Our company is a small to medium-sized enterprise, so we don't have a lot of capital or personnel. Additionally, having only produced leather materials for over 100 years since our founding, creating final products as a brand was challenging.

It took us two years as a preparation period to make the brand a reality. We started by inviting leather enthusiasts within the company, asking, 'We're thinking of doing this, would you like to join?' We launched it as an in-house project and began from the basics like 'What is a brand?'

The brand name 'TAANNERR' is a coined term, imbued with the idea of 'something that transcends time.'

We proceeded by consulting with craftsmen from planning to design, but it was tough since we did it with inexperienced staff within the company."

How would you like to see "TAANNERR" grow as a brand?

Toda: "It's been less than two years since the launch, so we are starting by raising awareness.

We aim to gradually expand from staple products and eventually grow the range of our products to the extent that people can say, 'I didn't know you could buy such leather goods at TAANNERR.'"

Morimoto: "Himeji has been involved in the leather industry for a long time. Even now, Himeji City and the neighboring Tatsuno City produce over 70% of Japan's cowhide. While establishing our brand, we want to convey the charm of leather, including SDGs, and contribute to the community as the holy land of the leather industry.

Toda: "Himeji doesn't have many tourist resources. Many visitors to Himeji only see Himeji Castle and then move on to other regions.

The long-standing challenge for Himeji City is how to encourage visitors to stay longer and invigorate the local area through tourism. That's why we're considering whether we can turn the local leather industry into a tourist resource. Moving forward, we aim to grow with the goal of becoming a regional brand."

To Dispel Misunderstandings About Leather & Transmit Accurate Knowledge

Your company has obtained the LWG (Leather Working Group) environmental certification. Could you please explain what this certification entails?

Toda: "LWG is the name of an organization founded in the UK in 2005. This organization certifies to create environmentally friendly leather worldwide.

The certification standards have four categories: tanners, traders, subcontractors, and commissioned processors, each with different evaluation criteria. For instance, tanner evaluation includes wastewater treatment methods, material traceability, proper chemical management, and the use of prohibited substances."

Shiota: "LWG conducts certifications based on its unique environmental audit standards. It is extremely challenging to gather data such as safety measures for factory workers and methods for checking wastewater components until the certification is obtained.

However, since we handle everything in-house, including wastewater treatment, it was easier for us to control these aspects.

In the future, companies not focusing on environmental measures will be left behind, so we are putting significant effort into these initiatives."

It seems like this could also serve as a good appeal point to consumers.

Morimoto: "We are engaging in PR activities, but putting a certification mark on product tags for bags or shoes is difficult. This is because, according to the operational rules, tags can only be attached if the company selling the bag is a member and has obtained the certification.

However, some major companies that are members only deal with companies that have obtained LWG certification. Globally, the scrutiny towards environmental initiatives is becoming stricter.

As a company, we continue our efforts to make our activities visible to as many people as possible, such as displaying pop-ups at exhibitions."

Are there any challenges in the leather industry that your company is concerned about?

Toda: "Like many in the industry, our company has faced the rapid development of social media over the last few years, which has flooded the world with information.

In this environment, misunderstandings and incorrect information about leather have also spread, leading to a vicious cycle where people believe and further spread these inaccuracies.

To dispel these misconceptions and spread accurate information, the Japan Leather and Leather Goods Industries Association has initiated an information dissemination project called 'Thinking Leather Action' (TLA)."

What kind of misinformation is prevalent?

Toda: "According to a survey by the Japan Leather and Leather Goods Industries Association, only about 39% of people recognize that leather is a by-product. This means that more than half of the respondents do not realize that 'leather is made from the hides of beef cattle.'

Everyone eats meat, right? After extracting the meat for consumption, hides inevitably remain. Disposing of these without using them requires energy and costs. It's wasteful not to use them.

One of the reasons leather products have fallen out of use recently is due to these misconceptions. The belief that using leather is environmentally harmful or ethically wrong is exactly what TLA aims to correct.

Furthermore, when influential individuals disseminate one-sided, incorrect information, it spreads quickly. We don't want people to be misled by such fragmented data."

Morimoto: "Our workshops and factory tours aim to give people a better understanding of us, but they also contain our desire to clear up misunderstandings about the leather industry and deepen people's comprehension."

What challenges do you want to take on for the industry and regional activation?

Morimoto: "I want to engage in activities that make leather products feel more familiar. Currently, we hold a factory tour event called 'Sanyo Leather Day' once a month. (For more details, click here)

This project started about two and a half years ago to let people who are even slightly interested in leather see the production site and learn about it directly.

We've also recently started workshops that use leather. For Father's Day, we collaborated with a shoe store in front of Himeji Station to make belts for fathers.

By learning about or touching leather products firsthand, we hope to dispel ethical misunderstandings and foster a sense of attachment to them.

Leather products are often thought of as inaccessible and high-end. However, that is not the case. They have been used for ages and are highly durable and versatile.

We will continue to share information and hope that many people will use and appreciate leather products through their own senses. It would be wonderful to attract attention from people all around the world."

Shiota: "Since I joined our company, I've always said, 'Leather making is work that revives the life we were given one more time.' We create from this perspective, and I hope everyone recognizes how we treat the lives we use with such care."

Toda: "I believe fashion trends cycle over time. Nowadays, many materials are recycled and reborn into new forms.

Leather, which has been used for a long time, is precisely such a recycled material and a very valuable one. We hope people will rediscover this quality. If people could perceive this through fashion, it would make us very happy."