Chicago, Ill. Since 1905
 
 
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since 1905.

about

Horween Leather Company was founded in 1905. For more than 120 years and five generations our goal has been to make the world's best leather. Making the best means doing lots of little things right. It means never mistaking fastest or cheapest with the best. It means always using formulas that do not cut corners, and choosing components strictly for their quality.

Horween Leather offers an unparalleled blend of quality, consistency, responsiveness, and innovation. Through the years, we have cultivated our experience to offer dynamic lines of leathers. Our products include traditional, old world tannages and techniques, carefully updated with modern applications. Today, our leathers are still made by hand, the same way as generations ago.

 

 
 
 
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Chromexcel®

Chromexcel is the original pull-up leather; using time honored techniques and formulas that were developed nearly 100 years ago. 

Football

This specialized leather is treated with our own proprietary tannage and extracts, giving it the high performance characteristics demanded by professionals and amateurs alike.  Our unique Tanned in Tack® provides excellent grip in all conditions, and can be revived by simply brushing the ball. 

Baseball Glove

Our ball glove leather is a straight chrome tannage and is designed to meet the demanding expectations of professional athletes.  

Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan®

Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan® is the art of tanning at its finest.  More than just a color, it is a very specific leather, from a particular part of a horsehide.  The irregular oval shaped shells are tanned, stuffed, shaved, and then polished – a process taking at least six months. 

Essex

Essex is a vegetable tanned side leather that utilizes the same traditional tanning extracts as our Genuine Shell Cordovan.  

More leathers
“We should take the best of everything; the best hides, the best oils, the best dyes and finishes – then we do whatever it takes to make that leather the best. The price goes on last, and if we cannot sell it for what it is worth, we should not make that leather”
— Isidore Horween, Master Tanner and Founder, 1905 - 1948
 
 
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Making the best means doing a lot of little things right. To ensure top quality finished goods, we start with top quality components. That means using native hides for the best grain and yields, premium grade oils, dyes, and retanning agents. Our formulas cut no corners, and we are one of only a handful of tanneries in the United States that still processes hides from their raw, cured state to finished leather.

 

The Horween Name

Horweens
"We should take the best of everything; the best hides, the best oils, the best dyes and finishes – then we do whatever it takes to make that leather the best. The price goes on last, and if we cannot sell it for what it is worth, we should not mak

"We should take the best of everything; the best hides, the best oils, the best dyes and finishes – then we do whatever it takes to make that leather the best. The price goes on last, and if we cannot sell it for what it is worth, we should not make that leather."

- Isidore Horween, Master Tanner and Founder, 1905 - 1948

“ We always felt there was a right way and a wrong way to make fine leather. It takes us at least six months to make a cordovan shell. Our cordovan could probably be made faster, and people might not even be able to tell the difference… but I can.

“We always felt there was a right way and a wrong way to make fine leather. It takes us at least six months to make a cordovan shell. Our cordovan could probably be made faster, and people might not even be able to tell the difference… but I can.”

- Arnold Horween, Sr., President 1949-  1983

 

“As tanneries go we’re not the biggest, the fastest, or the cheapest, which means we need to be the best.  Our business is built on doing things other people don’t, won’t, or can’t.” - Arnold Horween, Jr., President 1983 - 2003

“As tanneries go we’re not the biggest, the fastest, or the cheapest, which means we need to be the best.  Our business is built on doing things other people don’t, won’t, or can’t.”

- Arnold Horween, Jr., President 1983 - 2003

“Quality must be more than a word.  It doesn’t belong to one company or one country, it doesn’t happen by chance, and it requires constant attention.  It’s a contract between seller and buyer – an agreement that something is good and wor

“Quality must be more than a word.  It doesn’t belong to one company or one country, it doesn’t happen by chance, and it requires constant attention.  It’s a contract between seller and buyer – an agreement that something is good and worth having.  Our greatest enemy is the phrase ‘it’s good enough’.”

- Arnold "Skip" Horween III, President 2003 - present

“Our mission has always been to produce the highest quality product for our customers.  It’s an honor to continue that tradition by making the best leather we can.  When you put your name on something it has to be exactly right.” -

“Our mission has always been to produce the highest quality product for our customers.  It’s an honor to continue that tradition by making the best leather we can.  When you put your name on something it has to be exactly right.”

- Nick Horween, Vice President 2008 - present

Contact Us

2015 North Elston Avenue  ||  Chicago, IL 60614  ||  Tel. (773) 772 2026  ||  Fax (773) 772 9235