Frequently Asked Questions

Leather is a by product that has been used since the stone age. In these times it was used for shelters, clothing, buckets and even shoes have been found dating back to 3,500BC. 

It is long wearing, comfortable and very durable. Each piece of leather is unique in its markings and takes on a beautiful patina as it ages. When cared for correctly, it can last a lifetime.

Fast forward from the stone age to now, most bovine or cow hide leather is still a by product of the meat industry. Although I am not particularly a fan of the act of eating meat myself, it is a huge industry where the hide has the potential to otherwise mostly end up in landfill. In 2020 it was estimated that globally around 40% of hides were destroyed. Approximately 8-10% of US hides ended up in landfill. We are making long lasting, durable, useable products from something that is potentially a waste product and making it a long lasting sustainable choice. 

Stirling & Truffles use veg tan hide, which by relying on tree tannins and water, has limited environmental impact than the harsher chrome tanning.

Yes! We have put a considerable amount of research into vegan leather. Particularly the plant based options over the synthetic plastic options (PU, PVC, synthetic leather), however the plant based options still have a PU coating (polyurethane - a petroleum based product) to protect them and generally have a lifespan of 2-5 years. 

There are currently no plant based vegan leathers being produced in Australia. Our mission is to help reduce plastics, support Australian business as much as we can, have minimal environmental impact and create a lasting product.

By creating a lasting product, we reduce the need of over manufacturing and our own carbon footprint. Because of this, at this stage, vegan leathers will not be available through Stirling & Truffles but we will be keeping a close eye on their progress and development in the future!