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OUR MATERIALS

 

At Alta Andina, we responsibly source and manufacture our goods using only natural and recycled materials. We carefully consider each provider in our supply chain, and every material in our products. We craft the highest quality, longest lasting product possible, while carefully considering the carbon footprint of everything we produce. We are primarily working with vegetable tanned leather to call attention to the myriad of environmental, and public health issues, from chrome tanned leather production. Learn more about why we launched by working with vegetable tanned leather in our FAQs section here:

As we’ve grown, we’ve incorporated materials like our blend of recycled plastic and upcycled cotton, and our sugar cane paper journals. As we continue growing, we’ll incorporate fiber from the camelid family (Llama, Alpaca, Vicuña and Guanaco), Andean plant fiber, and more.

Full Grain, Vegetable Tanned Leather

Vegetable Tanned Leather

Our leather is vegetable tanned using tannins from quebracho & mimosa trees. Quebracho & mimosa trees are native to the Andean region. The bark and pods from these trees are ground to create a powder of concentrated tannins. Hides are placed in a wooden tumbler and mixed with the natural quebracho & mimosa tannins for several days, until they come out a beautiful beige color. Our vegetable tanned leather naturally darkens and softens over time, developing a rich color and texture, which is called a patina. Each time you handle your wallet, you add some of your skin’s natural oils to the leather. Our wallets look better with each passing day. Leather is also exposed to oxygen and sunlight, like our plant hanger hanging in front of a window. These natural oils, & exposure to sunlight and oxygen, slowly patina our vegetable tanned leather and create a uniquely beautiful look & feel.

Learn more: What is Vegetable Tanned Leather?

Full Grain Leather:

Full grain leather leaves the entire hide intact, without removing the strongest part of the hide which is the outer grain. The grain is the outermost protective layer of the hide, giving leather its durability and longevity. The outer grain shows marks and blemishes from a cow’s life. A lot of companies sand down, or even split the leather to produce a uniform, blemish free surface. Removing the grain compromises the quality and longevity of the leather. We use full grain leather to extend the life of our leather goods, and help them age with beauty. Learn about what’s being passed off as “genuine leather” these days, and the differences between full grain leather and other kinds of leather below.

Learn more: What is Full Grain Leather?

Recycled Plastic Thread

We’re quite literally drowning in an ocean of plastic. Not only is the ocean filled with visible plastics like water and soda bottles, but microplastics actually make up the largest percentage of waste in our oceans. Microplastics can come from synthetic clothing, like polyester, that come off in the washing machine, and make their way into our waterways. These microplastics end up climbing the food chain, and concentrate in larger fish, which we in return eat. How’s that for a disgusting closed loop cycle? Removing existing plastic from the environment, and turning it into a long lasting, high quality product, is a top priority at Alta Andina. We blend recycled plastic thread (PET a.k.a. polyurethane tetrate) and upcycled cotton to make our pouches. The result is a soft canvas like feel, that’s durable and sustainable. Our pouches feature a bronze YKK zipper, and our vegetable tanned leather accents.

Upcycled Cotton

Cotton is one of the most widely used materials in the world. Due to the substantial amount of water needed to grow cotton, it is a commodity we cannot afford to keep using at the current rate of consumption. Fast fashion retailers throw out a large majority of their unsold product, completely wasting all the water that went into growing the cotton in the discarded clothes. Small pieces of cotton that are too small for individual garments can be swept off factory floors, and repurposed into cotton thread. We use that thread to weave with recycled plastic, creating our canvas like material. By using this otherwise discarded cotton, we help reduce demand for new cotton, which in turn saves water. 

High-Quality Hardware

Hardware can make or break a product. High-quality hardware stands the test of time and is enjoyable to use. By utilizing solid bronze clips and solid brass key rings for our keychains, we and a touch of rustic beauty, and ensure our products last a lifetime. Our brass snaps, and copper rivets set our valet trays apart. Each rivet is hammered by hand, and therefore each one will flatten a bit differently. You may notice the slight variation rivet to rivet. To us, those little imperfections make the product perfect. 

Sugar Cane Paper Journals

Our leather journal covers include Alta Andina’s own sugar cane paper journals. Sugar cane paper is made from the otherwise wasted byproduct of sugar production, and has a lower carbon footprint than recycled tree paper. Isn’t that sweet?

Packaging

Our product boxes are made with 100% recycled cardboard. We use the same sugar cane paper for our product insert booklets that we use in our journals.