What Are Wet Blue Leather Cut Offs & Why You Should Care

If you’ve never heard of wet blue leather cut offs, you might think it sounds like a funky new pants trend, but it’s actually a magical type of leather we use in our eco-conscious handbags. Not everyone finds leather quite as exciting as we do, but we’ll keep it simple and share why we’re so passionate about wet blue leather cut offs.

What Is Wet Blue Leather?

Also called chrome-tanned leather, wet blue leather is tanned with chromium sulfate and chromium salts that give it a light blue tint. (Tanning, if you’re not familiar, is the process of treating animal skins and hides to make leather.) In this phase, the leather is tanned, but neither dried, dyed nor finished.

Why You Should Care

What makes wet blue leather cut offs so special to us is they are a responsible, sustainable option for leather that looks and feels luxurious.

You’ve likely already heard that leather is not environmentally friendly. The process of producing new leather through tanning involves a great deal of waste, and if this waste is not properly disposed of, it can be harmful to the soil and groundwater. Off-gassing is another unfortunate side effect.

Using recycled leather truly makes a difference because it not only eliminates the need for new leather production, but it also saves existing leather waste from ending up in landfills. And again, with the right recycled leather, like our wet blue leather cut offs, the quality is still just as great.

If you’re somewhat of a leather connoisseur (you’re in good company here), you might be wondering, “why not opt for vegetable tanned leather?” which is another eco-friendly choice. Well, the answer is simple. Wet blue leather is softer and more pliable, and it doesn’t lose its color or shape as easily. Plus, the wet blue leather cut offs we use are destined for landfills, so it truly avoids waste, and we feel really good about that!

We absolutely love what our leather is made from if you can’t tell! Want to feel and see it for yourself? Check out our eco-conscious leather crossbody. It’s made in New York City by local artisans, and it’s as beautiful as it is sustainable!