If you're a leather enthusiast, you're probably familiar with THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE . Based on Shinki Leather, one of Japan's leading tanneries, their cordovan leather goods are crafted with carefully selected materials and the skills of artisans who know horsehide inside and out. These are sure to satisfy any man who seeks genuine quality. With the "ISETAN Leather Fair 2023" taking place this autumn at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building just around the corner, let's take a look at the brand's cordovan items and the reasons behind their appeal.

A rare cordovan tannery, one of only a few in the world

The difference between cordovan and horsehide lies not only in the part of the horse's body used (whether it's the hindquarters or the torso), but also in another aspect. Horsehide, like ordinary cowhide, is used with the surface (grain side) smoothed, but cordovan uses the reverse side (flesh side) as the outer surface, which is essentially the suede of cowhide. The dense fibrous layer that exists only in the hindquarters of a horse is shaved off, and the surface is smoothed through a process called glazing, which brings out that indescribable luster.



Cordovan leather, tanned through a time-consuming and complex process, boasts a beautiful sheen reminiscent of enamel. However, unlike enamel or glass leather, which are coated with resin, its fine fiber layer makes it prone to losing oil and susceptible to external influences. While this contributes to its aging and character development, it also has drawbacks: it's prone to cracking when dry and easily stained by moisture, making it generally considered difficult to handle. Despite these shortcomings, its allure stems from its rarity as a globally recognized material.

Horsehide, like cowhide, is harvested as a by-product of animal husbandry, but the difference in the number of horses and cattle raised for food is self-evident. It was once said that "cordovan is made from the hides of farm horses," but this is clearly refuted. The tanning process for cowhide often takes about 30 days, while cordovan takes 10 times longer, which clearly makes it rare. There are only a few tanneries in the world that can reliably supply cordovan, and it is no exaggeration to say that only two manufacturers, Horween Leather Company in Chicago, USA, and Shinki Leather Co., Ltd. in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, can handle the entire process from raw hide procurement to tanning and dyeing, and provide a stable supply.

A brand specializing in horsehide leather, created by a horsehide tannery.

Shinki Leather, founded in 1951, is a unique horsehide tannery, unparalleled in the world. Generally, tanneries tan hides by pouring tanning agents into huge barrel-like equipment called drums. In Japan, only a few tanneries have large-scale equipment called wooden pits, which resemble swimming pools, and all of Shinki Leather's cordovan is tanned using full vegetable tannins in these pits.
Shinki Leather had been operating for half a century as a tannery handling everything from raw hide procurement to the final processing, but in 2002 it began manufacturing leather products in-house. This is the origin of its original brand THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE .

The brand initially collaborated with leather goods workshops possessing advanced manufacturing techniques. Eventually, they established an in-house workshop, aiming to cultivate craftsmen and pass on their skills while bringing production in-house. In 2010, they spun off and became independent. This new company is called "Cordovan Co., Ltd." It has its workshop on the first floor of the Shinki Leather Company building and operates in close cooperation with the tannery, Shinki Leather. The pride that " THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE is not a mass-production factory brand" has been clearly present since that time.



Although the company has fewer than 30 employees, nearly half of them are skilled craftsmen. Their work style reflects the thorough, integrated production philosophy of their parent company, Shinki Leather, with each individual handling every stage of the process. While typical factories specialize in specific processes such as cutting, sewing, and assembly, here, a single craftsman can handle everything from cutting and sewing to the final finishing. This is proof that they have established themselves as an atelier brand, rather than a large-scale factory brand.

Shinki Leather supplies cordovan and horsehide to many leather goods manufacturers, and Cordovan Co., Ltd., which owns THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE , is one of its business partners. The proximity of the material supplier and production workshop provides the obvious advantage of obtaining the highest quality materials immediately and without logistics costs. However, the most significant advantage is that leather craftsmen and product manufacturers can collaborate on a daily basis, creating products collaboratively. Thanks to technological advancements and accumulated knowledge, THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE has been improving its quality year after year.

An environment where you can dedicate yourself to uncompromising craftsmanship.

When working on a single product, if there are any questions about the materials or processing of the parts, they can immediately contact the finishing workshop of Shinki Leather on the second floor to select the most suitable materials. Furthermore, because the designers and craftsmen are in close proximity, unlike typical brand operations, The Warmth Crafts Manufacture's strength lies in its ability to pursue meticulous craftsmanship without having to pander to or compromise with the manufacturer.

The cordovan leather used in wallets and other leather goods is a custom-made leather called "Collected Grain Cordovan (Original Cordovan)." The coloring and finishing processes are designed to make it resistant to water penetration, overcoming the weakness of cordovan leather, which is its water resistance. Therefore, it is less prone to water stains even with everyday use, and it is also resistant to drying, making it less likely to crack. This is a testament to the superior material selection and development made possible by having the tannery and workshop located next to each other.


Let's look at another example. The interior of this cordovan wallet uses grained horsehide instead of cordovan leather. The brand explains this by saying, "While it is possible to use cordovan for the interior, it would require thinning the leather to an extremely thin degree. Cordovan has the characteristic of becoming prone to tearing when thinned, so it is not suitable for certain parts of the wallet. For this reason, we use horsehide, which has stable strength even when thinned." Considering that the interior leather can get scratched when opening and closing the wallet, and when storing cards and coins, it can be judged that using grained leather, which does not show scratches easily, is the best option. While most ordinary cordovan wallets use cowhide or pigskin for the interior, the fact that this one is luxuriously made with horsehide even for the interior shows the depth of the relationship with Shinki Leather.


THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE is packed with countless details that showcase the craftsman's dedication, such as the limits of how far inward the stitching can be positioned, the "flat bonding/easing" technique that prevents the seams from lifting at the folded areas, the thin construction that avoids adding thickness to the overlapping parts of the card slots, and the deliberately deep placement of the zipper slider to prevent damage to THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE leather. Now, let's take a look at some of their items.

Recommended items from the lineup at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building

●Isetan exclusive color, dark navy

THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE , which rarely produces custom or collaborative models, has only ever offered a custom cordovan color for Isetan: "Dark Dark Navy." This item has been popular since its introduction in 2017, and this season they've released models such as a bi-fold mini wallet and a round-zip mini wallet, perfectly suited to the modern era where electronic money is becoming increasingly prevalent. The embossed brand logo is an iconic design element.

● Business card holder

The gusseted card case is engraved with the brand name and "Hand Made In Japan." The main pocket has a large capacity, holding 40 to 50 business cards. The inside of the lid has a flap pocket without a gusset, allowing for temporary storage or sorting of business cards. The corners of this slot are beveled, a detail that shows the craftsman's attention to detail, allowing for smart retrieval with the thumb.

● Tri-fold wallet

This mini trifold wallet is a new addition to this season's collection. The exterior is luxuriously crafted from a single piece of seamless cordovan leather, while the interior combines two types of horsehide with different levels of firmness. The cordovan is thinned to the optimal thickness, resulting in a compact trifold design. Rather than simply making it smaller, the size is perfectly sized, taking into account the ease of inserting and removing cards. Particular attention has been paid to ease of use, such as the internal dimensions that allow for stress-free insertion and removal of banknotes, and the addition of a gusset to the coin pocket.

● Belt

Cordovan belts have been released irregularly in the past. The reason for the irregular release is that they are made using only one piece of leather, and are produced only when an extremely rare raw hide appears that contains cordovan layers not only on both sides of the rump but also in the central part of the tail. There have been years when not a single belt was produced, which speaks to its rarity. The total number of belts produced per year is around 100 in all colors and sizes combined, and only about 15 belts are delivered to each store per year, making it a rare and exceptional item. This belt has been further refined this season. It will be released with a high-quality full vegetable-tanned leather lining from Tochigi Leather Co., Ltd., which produces some of the finest cowhide in Japan. This new belt, with its fully lined and stitchless construction, is a perfect match for suits and other dressy clothing. It is a precious item that has been realized through a collaboration between two of Japan's most renowned tanneries.

● Tote bag

This tote bag is made from full vegetable-tanned horsehide. It is highly durable, ages beautifully, and is also water-resistant thanks to a special finishing technique, making it easy to use every day. The interior is lined with chrome-tanned horsehide, so you don't have to worry about water getting inside even when storing a water bottle or folding umbrella. The inside of the zip pocket is lined with nylon to prevent color transfer from pigment-dyed leather wallets. The handles are made by a skilled handle craftsman who has been making only handles for over half a century. The metal fittings are made using traditional Japanese techniques, such as re-extracting and casting high-purity metal from old water pipes and reclaimed wood, and every part of the bag is filled with meticulous attention to detail.

►View THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE products at the Mitsukoshi Isetan Online Store

We'll be holding an order event at "ISETAN Leather Fair 2023" starting September 20th (Sunday)!

At "ISETAN Leather Fair 2023," which will be held from Wednesday, September 20th, orders will be accepted for classic cordovan bags from The Warmth Crafts Manufacture. This is a rare opportunity to create your own unique attaché case using luxurious cordovan, made possible as part of the 20th anniversary celebration Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .

[ISETAN Leather Fair 2023] Click here for event details ► In 2023, the "ISETAN Shoe Fair" will be scaled up! The "ISETAN Leather Fair 2023" is a must-see for shoe and leather lovers!

Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda
Photographer: Tatsuya Ozawa (Studio Mug)