Why Vegetable-Tanned Leather Is So Expensive

[GM]

I found this interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaBn8r9FAEg

[Iconic]

I found it interesting also.
Thanks !

[zak]

Very interesting. My car has MB Tex, but I wonder if the leather seat covers made by Gahh and Gat and Heritage are veg dyed ?

jz

[doitwright]

Very interesting. My car has MB Tex, but I wonder if the leather seat covers made by Gahh and Gat and Heritage are veg dyed ?

jz

Their standard offerings are not Veggie dyed however you can request "Old Timer" which is veggie dyed. Significantly more expensive.

[stickandrudderman]

You learn something new every day! Thanks for posting.

[bogeyman]

I know the terminology is confusing but the original leather was vegetable tanned and surface dyed.  Most current offerings are chrome tanned and vat dyed. Original leather will look like natural leather on the back side where the new stuff has the color all the way through.

[zak]

I wonder which is the better method. Color all thru seems a better, longer lasting dye job.
I really think the quality of the leather makes a huge difference. Look at the Connolly leather in some vintage Rolls and Jags. The quality is evident.
Who was MB's original leather supplier ? Roser ? The leather seating in newer MB cars seems thin and soft somehow.

jz

[Vander]

I'm surprised to hear that the original leather may have been vegetable tanned. Chrome tanning was discovered in the 19th century over 100 years before the W113 chassis and only takes about ONE day to dye, where vegetable tanning takes 100 days.

Vegetable tanning is most commonly used for soles of shoes, belts and straps.

The tannins only account for part of the car's leather substance, not the whole thing.