Speaking of Italian leather, it's the cool way it changes over time!
Kawanishi Kaban products mainly use a leather called Elbamatt from TEMPESTI, but sometimes we use a leather called Maine from TEMPESTI upon customer request.
Today I would like to introduce you to Maine!

First of all, what is TEMPESTI?

Since it has the word "sha" in the name, it is obviously a company, but what kind of company is it?

Tempesti is a tannery based in Tuscany, Italy, founded in 1946.
We are a member of the Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Association, which has strict screening standards.
We have been supplying leather to European luxury brands for many years.

Products│TEMPESTI

1946 was just after the war. The company was founded during the difficult period after the war and has been providing leather to the world for over 70 years.

Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Association

Furthermore, the company is a member of the Italian Vegetable Tannin Association and is a trustworthy company.

By the way, it seems that unions have been quite powerful in Italy since ancient times, and this traditional technique has been protected by the power of the unions.
I'll look into this again ♪

Myne only gets cooler as it ages!

Now, onto the main subject of this product - the leather - it's quite a tricky material and it took me quite a while to realise just how good this leather is.

Honestly, my first impression wasn't very good.

The main reason it took me so long to realize how good it was was

It's not a very good first impression! 💦 (subjective)

This is entirely my personal opinion, but it feels smooth and not oily, and it even gets scratched and stained easily.
Even as a finished product, it was a little flat... I was like, "Hmm."

The changes over time are amazing! So cool!!

But lo and behold! (Lo and behold?)
Once you actually use it, it becomes really cool!

After about half a year, it became like the picture. At first it was flat, but it gradually became shiny and it finally looked like leather!
It's super cool (^^)

But oil is essential!

It gives a pretty good finish, but in my opinion it definitely needs to be oiled regularly.
Over time it becomes quite smooth.
If it becomes too smooth, it doesn't look very nice.

That's why Kawanishi Kaban Products is planning to sell oils and products for maintenance (￣ー￣) Stay tuned!

What is the difference between maine and Elbamatt?

So what is the difference between maine and Elbamatt?
In my opinion it's the amount of oil it contains.

The amount of oil used on leather can greatly change its appearance.
If there are 100 Elbamatts, I think there are probably around 60 Maine.
That's why maine needs to be cared for.
By the way, Elbamatt requires almost no maintenance because it contains a lot of oil.

Now, from here on, this is purely my speculation, but I think maine probably has a longer lifespan.
Well, it's just a guess. Since the data hasn't been released, it's hard to say for sure...

Thank you for reading to the end!

This time, we are introducing TEMPESTI's "Maine".
It's not an easy leather to work with, but it's definitely one that will become a beloved item.

As I've said many times before, Elbamatt, which we always use at home, basically doesn't need to be oiled much, but for maine I think it's a good idea to regularly care for it with oil.

By the way, Kawanishi Kaban sells GAMP (briefcase ), FONTANA (Boston bag) , and ricchyL (L-shaped wallet), which use TEMPESTI's Elbamatt.
You can also make these out of Maine leather for the same price!
If you are interested, please contact us via the inquiry form .

So thank you for reading to the end!!