Oct 9, 2025
Fellow Riders, if you’ve spent any time around Brake House, you’ll know we’ve got a soft spot for leather jackets. But today, I want to dive into a special kind of leather that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves: natural vegetable-tanned horsehide.
This isn’t just another type of leather. It’s leather in its rawest, most honest form — the kind that wears in slowly, shapes to your body, and develops a patina that’s as personal as the miles you’ve ridden. Once you understand what it is, it’s hard to look at “normal” leather the same way again.
Instead of relying on chemical shortcuts, vegetable tanning uses tannins from bark and plants. It’s an old-world method that takes weeks, not days, and leaves the hide undyed, uncoated, and unapologetically real.
That means you see everything: the pores, the tiny scars, even the traces of an insect bite. For some people, that rawness feels like a flaw. For us, it’s proof that the material is alive — and ready to evolve with you.
Most leather jackets are sanded smooth, painted over, or coated to look perfect. Natural veg-tan doesn’t play that game. It starts pale and clean, but with wear, it darkens, deepens, and takes on a sheen that only comes from time and use.
Think of it like raw denim: the longer you live in it, the better it looks. Every crease tells a story. Every ride adds another layer of depth. That’s why seasoned riders swear by it — because no two jackets end up alike.
We know natural horsehide isn’t easy. It’s harder to make, tougher to wear in, and it demands a little patience. But that’s also why we love it.
Our jackets are built from AAA-grade Polish horsehide, tanned with hawthorn bark or fish oil, just like the old Japanese oak-tan traditions. Only one out of ten is used in our jackets; the nine hides are trimmed away out of ten that don’t make the cut. Then the leather is paired with heritage details like IDEAL zippers, horn buttons, Coats thread, so the whole piece holds together with integrity.
Our makers do it not because it’s profitable, but because it feels right. As we are passionate and stay true to the value of the leathers, we really want to introduce the charm and the attractiveness to our customers with the best possible experience of our products.
from $437.00
Natural vegetable-tanned leather isn’t easy. It’s harder to make, tougher to wear in, and less forgiving than coated hides. But for those of us who live for authenticity, it’s the jacket that just keeps getting better with every ride.
