When ECCO selects leather for its shoes, nothing is coincidental.
In 1985, ECCO decided there was only one way to obtain the quality of leather we require; namely by making it ourselves. Today, unique to the industry, ECCO owns and operates 4 tanneries – and in addition to supplying our own shoe production, ECCO leather is sought out by leading luxury brands for its naturalness, softness and beauty; and for ECCO’s corporate responsibility standards.
Producing our own leather enables ECCO to be very demanding about the materials we use. We want leather that follows the foot and reacts to e.g. weather conditions. And with our own tanneries, ECCO can control leather types, colours and styles – but also introduce new developments for the future.
Working together with creatives, developers and designers from all over the world, collaborative innovation is part of ECCO Leather’s DNA. Creative partnerships have sparked e.g. Apparition; the first transparent cow skin leather that is pliable, strong and comes in a range of rich colours.
To drive cutting-edge leather development, ECCO hosts the OPEN CIRCLE LAB™ which is both a physical development facility located in the Netherlands, and a design philosophy that drives leather innovation. An inner-circle of progressive designers and brands have been quietly invited to imagine the unimaginable and challenge our tanning technicians to create leathers that designers could once only dream about. Another initiative is the ECCO Leather HOT-SHOP events that bring together creatives from all over the world. This 3-day workshop allows participants to envision new leather directions and then work in integrated teams to prototype and sample new leathers that reflect these visions.
For more glimpses into the fascinating world of ECCO Leather, we invite you to visit ECCO Leather on Instagram.
ECCO is one of the world’s leading shoe brands, combining style and comfort. ECCO’s success is built on products with a great fit and top-quality leathers. ECCO owns and manages every aspect of the value chain from tanneries and shoe manufacturing to wholesale and retail activities. ECCO’s products are sold in 90 countries from over 2,200 ECCO shops and more than 14,000 sales points. ECCO is family-owned, founded in Denmark in 1963, and employs more than 21,000 people worldwide.