This new beauty is our classic Serious Boot, but handmade with the richest, most gorgeous, traditionally vegetable-tanned Italian leather we know; from the famous Badalassi tannery, in Tuscany. Their Vacchetta vegetable-tanning process has remained unchanged for 800 years, strictly following the historical guidelines of the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium.  

• Raw Hide Selection: The process begins with premium French bull shoulders, chosen for their dense fiber structure; these hides are tanned in wooden drums using 100% natural, plant-based tannins (like chestnut and quebracho) over several weeks

• The "Cotto" Hot-Stuffing: Instead of modern synthetic coatings, the leather is heavily nourished by tumbling it with a proprietary, heated blend of traditional animal fats and oils (tallow), which deeply saturates the core fibers.

• The Pliable Nappa Milling: While standard Vacchetta is left stiff, this specific article undergoes an extra mechanical tumbling (milling) process that breaks down the grain, transforming the traditionally rigid leather into an incredibly soft, supple "Nappa" texture.

• Open-Pore Aging: Because the surface is left completely natural and unsealed, the internal oils migrate to the surface when exposed to the heat and friction of your feet, creating a rapid, deeply rich patina unique to historic Tuscan tanning.

The result is a Nappa calfskin, rich in aroma, with a smooth, beautifully glazed grain and subtle sheen.

• The hand-feel: Unlike standard veg-tan leathers, the Nappa is milled to be incredibly soft, supple, and pliable right out of the box. It feels richly conditioned, smooth, and slightly silky to the touch, without any of the sticky or heavy tackiness of a waxed pull-up leather.
  
  

• The aging: Because it is packed with internal oils, it patinas rapidly. As it interacts with the environment, the surface will burnish into a deep, multi-toned shine (particularly at areas of friction like the toe and the heel). Its evolving character will tell the story of its wear.
    

• The feel on your foot:  it bypasses the brutal "break-in" period common to most traditional, stiffer, vegetable-tanned shoes - it's forgiving and soft from the first wear, and will become softer over time. Because this Nappa is milled for pliability, it molds to the contours of your feet over time, the heavy infusing of internal oils allowing the leather to stretch and breathe naturally around the flex points of your foot without cracking (rather it may crease in areas of high movement).
  

It's not all upper leather, of course... 

We've used our usual supple, calfskin lining and a Vibran Vi-Lite sole (surprisingly light for a sole with such substance and grip).

The boot is Goodyear welted (for durability and ease of sole replacement) with a leather midsole and cork filling, both of which will gradually adapt to the shape of your foot. 

It's all crafted by a family of traditional shoemakers in Northern Portugal who, when they're not making boots, are making wine and listening to frogs as they gaze over the beautiful rustic valley beneath their workshop (eat your heart out, Berlin).