Leather is a natural product, prepared for use by tanning to preserve it against decay and make it pliable for use. Leather has been used by mankind for millenniums for protection from heat and cold.

No, animals are not butchered just for leather. Leather is a by-product of the meat industry. The skin of the animal, which is discarded, is collected, processed and used for leather products.

Leather is a soft, supple and highly durable natural product. Leather breathes and feels cool during summer and warm during winter. Each hide has unique markings, texture and a character. No two hides are alike. Some distinctive marks such as abrasions, healed scars, nicks etc. are acquired though the life of the animal and are considered hallmarks of a quality leather product. The best characteristic of leather is the fact that it ages beautifully. The dyes and pigments are absorbed over time and leather looks better with use. Aged leather jackets have a look that can be matched by few other outfits.

The hide of any animal can be processed to make leather. Cattle hide is the most popular choice for leather due to their toughness, durability and workability.

Based on quality, leather is graded as:

• Full Grain – The best quality, top layer hide where the imperfections are left as they are to add to the look. Full grain leather is the best looking and most durable leather.
• Top Grain – One grade below full grain leather, second layer of hide where buffing is done to remove imperfections
• Corrected Grain – Lower grade leather in which the grain, which has been mistakenly removed during buffing is corrected manually by embossing
Theo&Ash leather jackets are made from the finest full grain leather available. Each skin is carefully examined by our assortment team, to ensure that the best skins are picked.

Tanning is the process of converting animal skins which are prone to decay, into highly durable leather with the use of certain vegetable or mineral agents. The desired color is given during the tanning process.

Napa leather is a generic term used to describe full-grain soft and smooth leather that is chrome tanned. Napa leather is most commonly used for jackets, shoes, furniture, luggage etc. and is easy to maintain. Theo&Ash has an extensive collection of Napa jackets made from Sheep and Goat Leather.

Suede is leather with velvet like napped finish. It presents a sophisticated look and feel. Suede leather is made from the underside of animal skin and hence has a different finish and feel from Napa. Suede is used to make jackets, bags, gloves and sometimes shoes. Theo&Ash produces quality jackets in Goat Suede.

Full grain leather is considered eternal as it ages to become stronger and better looking. If taken care of well, your leather jacket will last you a life time.

Blemishes are imperfections such as healed scars, nicks and abrasions that are found on leather. These blemishes accentuate the look and feel and add a sense of ruggedness to the leather garment. Blemishes tell you a story about your garment, hence giving it character. Care is taken at Theo&Ash to ensure that only blemishes that enhance the look of the leather jacket feature on it.

Several steps go into manufacturing a leather garment. It starts with the assortment of raw hide by our team of expert assorters who pick only the best quality hide. These raw hides are then tanned at our tannery to obtain the finished leather. The finished leather is shipped to the crafting unit where the skin is hand cut by highly trained cutters. Cut bundles are then passed on to expert tailors. The entire garment is hand crafted by a single craftsman, including the placement of trims and accessories. The finished garment then goes through 3 stages of stringent quality control before it is deemed fit to be shipped.

Faux leather is artificial leather made from poly-urethane, that merely looks like genuine leather. Although marginally less expensive than genuine leather, faux leather is weaker, prone to tearing and fades away easily. Faux leather products do not present the look, feel or the sophistication of a genuine leather product. An investment in genuine leather is an investment for life.

The entire process at Theo&Ash is backward integrated. From the sourcing to shipment, the product does not change hands. There is no middle man. Our direct to customer model and well established back end helps keep prices low.

Theo&Ash delivers leather products of the highest quality at affordable prices. The high standards that we set are unmatched. Months of research, numerous test fits and stringent quality control go into the manufacture of each Theo&Ash leather jacket. The backward integration of all processes helps us deliver highly standardized products in quickest possible time.

You pay for top grade leather, expert craftsmanship and a quality garment from Theo&Ash. Established processes and extensive research help us deliver the best product money can buy. Products available at cheaper prices may just be well disguised faux leather or export rejects. Theo&Ash is confident that you will be happy with your purchase from us.

Please refer to our leather care page.