For business or casual wear, or when riding a bike.
A lineup of models suitable for various occasions.
Available in classic colors such as black, camel, chocolate, and navy that perfectly complement any style.

The "washable leather gloves" are a popular staple of the brand.

This time, we interviewed Hiroyoshi Enami (hereinafter referred to as Enami) of "SETOUCHI LEATHER," who created these washable leather gloves. He shared his thoughts on leather making and the products.

To begin, we will briefly explain the types of businesses that handle leather so that you can understand SETOUCHI LEATHER's business model. Leather starts as raw hides, which are animal skins, and goes through many processes to become leather. The company that performs these processes is called a tanner. And the companies that sell various types of leather are called leather wholesalers. From there, product manufacturers process the finished leather into leather products.

• Tanner: An artisan or company that processes animal hides into leather through a process called "tanning." They treat the skin so that it doesn't rot, turning it into durable leather.
• Leather wholesaler: Procures leather from tanneries both domestically and internationally and distributes it to individuals and manufacturing factories.
• Product manufacturer: An artisan or factory that finishes the leather into final products such as bags, shoes, and gloves.

SETOUCHI LEATHER is categorized as a tanner, but their operations extend beyond that. Typically, tanneries only manufacture leather, but SETOUCHI LEATHER also functions as a wholesaler that distributes leather, and furthermore, they can even propose product designs. Established in 2018, they are relatively new, and the two representatives are very young in the leather industry, undertaking various innovative initiatives.

Setouchi Leather

Setouchi Leather is a tanner based in the Setouchi region.
Established in 2018 by Masahiro Inoue and Hiroshi Enami. Inoue is in charge of leather manufacturing and sales in Hyogo, while Enami handles leather product creation and sales in Kagawa.
They aim for "sustainable leather making" that regenerates hides that would otherwise be discarded as industrial waste, contributing to the recycling of environmental, social, and animal resources.
https://setouchileather.co.jp/

Many of the raw hides handled by Setouchi Leather are by-products purchased from meat processing plants in the Setouchi region, and would otherwise be discarded. They prioritize making leather from these by-products.

The leather we see has various backgrounds regarding its origin. For example, in some countries and regions famous for their leather, animals may be raised in a way that avoids scarring their bodies, in order to produce beautiful leather. This means the animal exists to become leather.
On the other hand, the hides of animals raised for meat have a different story. The purpose is to obtain meat for human survival. The hides, which are by-products, are then reused as leather.

"I want people to understand that because these were living animals, it's natural for them to have individuality."

Such hides from meat animals retain "traces of life" like wrinkles and scratches. While it's certainly possible to hide these imperfections by applying pigment to the surface during processing, Enami deliberately recommends a "naked" finish, stating, "After dyeing the leather, we don't use many chemicals like colorants or finishing agents, preserving the leather's original character."

This is a consistent statement of his position as a leather handler, and the pride of a tanner committed to a sustainable future for society. And that, I felt, is the origin of Setouchi Leather.

"If we're going to make it in Setouchi, I believe the leather should also be from Setouchi."

Setouchi Leather's manufacturing philosophy is influenced by his previous experience at a leather glove product factory.
In his previous role at the factory, raw hides originating in Italy were sometimes processed in another country and then sold in Japan as "Italian leather." This discrepancy between the stated origin and the reality caused him considerable discomfort.

That's when Enami became aware of "traceability."

• Traceability: A system that allows one to track the flow of materials backward—where the raw hide originated, where it was tanned, and where it was made into a product. Businesses and consumers can "know where the product in their hands came from (i.e., trace it back)."

"If we make leather in the Setouchi region and process it into products in Setouchi, the story is clearer, and the people involved are visible. I want to engage in activities that connect people through leather."

That's why Enami entrusts the sewing to glove artisans in Higashikagawa City, Kagawa Prefecture. He wants to create something that can genuinely be called "Made in Setouchi." Because of this consistent focus on transparency, he emphasizes the importance of knowing the names of everyone involved, from leather production to products and sales.

"Ideally, I'd like to be able to say, 'Produced by Mr./Ms. [Name].' You know how movie credits show the production staff and companies involved? I wish products could be the same, so you could see who was involved. It's difficult in reality due to various issues (laughs)."

This desire for "visible craftsmanship" is reflected in Setouchi Leather products. Enami's conviction is transparency, the sustainability of the leather used, and the elimination of waste. Leather born and nurtured in the Setouchi region. The convictions embedded in it become gloves, each pair with slight differences in expression, passed down to our gloves.

So that when you pick up a pair of gloves, you can feel the human emotion behind them.

Many people ask, "Can I really wash this?" or "Isn't it sensitive to water?"

When this question was posed to Enami, an unexpected answer was given.
Apparently, in the world of sports, "washable leather" has been commonly used for 20-30 years. Golf and baseball gloves, which inevitably accumulate sweat and odor, must be washable.
Conversely, in the business and fashion sectors, this is still largely unknown, making it a new value proposition.
However, Enami states that "color fading" remains an eternal challenge.
Leather is susceptible to the effects of moisture and friction, and its color can easily change depending on sweat components and the usage environment.

"With denim, color fading is welcomed as a sign of character, but with leather, it's considered a flaw. It's strange, isn't it?"

Nevertheless, through innovations in the tanning process and thickness, and repeated washing machine tests, they continue to pursue washable leather.

"Synthetic leather is perfect on the day you buy it, but then it's a deduction system. Genuine leather, on the other hand, is perfect on the day you buy it. Depending on how you care for it afterward, it can become 150 points or even 200 points."

In other words, genuine leather is an "additive material." WONDER BAGGAGE's washable leather gloves combine this appeal with the "washable" function.

When asked, "What makes good leather?" Enami replied with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"It's the leather I truly love."

The feeling of touching the horsehide Inoue made for the first time, back when he started the company. Enami fell in love with that single piece, bought just one for himself, and keeps it at home.

Even now, that leather continues to be Enami's standard for craftsmanship. His manufacturing process begins with the pure emotion of "I love it."

This attitude is clearly alive in WONDER BAGGAGE's washable leather gloves. We hope you will pick up and use the gloves born from this philosophy every day.