Tanning: An Ancient Craft

One of the main reasons for visiting Samos last year was to see the museum of leather tanning which was set up in the island's original tannery in the town of Karlovasi. We were sad to learn that the tannery ceased production in the early 1970's, after nearly a century of operation, and that there was no longer a leather craft industry on the island. The museum was curated to outline the entire process of leather manufacture using the layout of the tannery and its antique tools and machinery to illustrate. 

Wear Testing Sandals in Ege

A weekend on the beautiful Aegean island of Samos was a great opportunity to give the fresh sandals a proper wear testing. Samos is a small greek island just a short ferry ride from our Turkish HQ near Seferihisar. The island is very beautiful and the terrain just perfect to give the sandals a really robust workout. Rough, steep cobbled roads in the old town situated on a hill overlooking the main harbour and 'off the beaten track' paths through coastal pine forests and clifftop olive groves leading to pristine white pebble beaches.

Feride is wearing the new sample with a single strap which is stitched in place at both ends and loops around the big toe, the mid foot and the ankle. We wanted to keep the design minimal with no buckles or other methods of adjusting the strap length. After wearing a few times the strap had stretched a bit and needed to be shortened a couple of centimetres. After a few more months and another length adjustment we feel that the strap has stretched as much as it is likely to. Next time we will try pre-stretching the leather for the strap before fixing the ends in place.

I am wearing an earlier prototype model I made for myself and have been wearing for nearly two years now. They are both minimalist with very thin and flexible zero drop soles and no arch support. Initially we were wearing them with just the thin leather soles but have now fitted a flexible natural rubber outsole  for greater durability.

Ege Studio 2025

September 2025 - Feride and I were in Türkiye for a month to set up a lovely workroom overlooking the Aegean Sea (Ege). After setting up the work space we ran a week long trial workshop teaching Tuna how to make a pair of pants. We took a pale blue bicycle with us, named the 'Ege Bisiklet', which was great for exploring the local area and hopefully connecting with a local cycling community. The highlight of the cycling aspect of the trip was unofficially and accidentally joining the Izmir Gran Fondo ride around the region. It was beautiful riding with roads closed for the event.

The plan is to visit every year or two, run workshops in the space, enjoy cycling around the area and cooking up Turkish feasts. Feride also set up a couple of lovely bedrooms adjacent to the workroom so that Tuna and his mum Inci could comfortably stay with us for the week.

Finding local suppliers was also on the agenda. Most fruitful was a visit to Izmir for haberdashery supplies and an industrial park dedicated solely to shoe making tools, materials and supplies. After the sewing workshop concluded we spent some time developing a sandal design and made a first sample which Feride is still wearing today and probably for years to come.

Bianchi Restoration

Jon's Bianchi beautifully restored including handlebars and saddle wrapped by in celeste leather by Busyman.

Celestial Blues

For a Bianchi restoration: Hand stitched celeste leather handlebar wrap and Selle Italia Super Turbo recover. The stitching is in navy blue to match the painted pantograph detailing. Jon also had new decals made by Cyclomondo for the saddle.

Regale Blues (Turquoise)

For Karl's Pegoretti; a Selle San Marco Regale with 'broken' perforation pattern in the many colours of his ciavete paint scheme. The leatherwork was done in instalments and the bike built up by Saint Cloud. First I made the bar tape, then the saddle recovering and finally the two piece saddle bag. In real life the colour has a little more green.

Kobalt Alcantara Fizik Arione

For Chad at Above Category; his Fizik Arione 00 previously had a black kangaroo leather cover with light blue perforations done in 2021. Refreshed now with cobalt blue Alcantara synthetic suede together with matching handlebar tape.

Pearly Blue Berk

Berk Dila saddle in a pearly blue kangaroo leather and matching bar tape for Shayne's Pinarello MAAT track bike.

Novus Evo Boost in Violet

Violet Kangaroo leather custom covering with a raised Serotta S logo mirrored on both sides and matching plain leather bar tape.

 

Pink Stitch

Form Throne saddle recovered in black Alcantara synthetic suede, pink thread hand stitched detailing and matching plain black Alcantara bar tape. All this for Above Category in Sausalito.

Alcantara Power Bastion

Black Alcantara synthetic suede recover on S-Works Power saddle for Bastion ArchAngel.

 

Prologo Superbe Alcantara

Black Alcantara synthetic suede perforated for a plush finish on Dan's Prologo Scratch Nack saddle.

 

Alcantara Bar Tapes

Black, Sienna and Lizard Green synthetic suede.

Tan Power

Alcantara synthetic suede in the colour Sienna for Signature Cycles' Specialized Power Comp saddle.

One Piece Musette

Emir's pig skin leather musette with black seat belt strapping and rounded rectangle rings for shoulder strap length adjustment. I gifted Emir my old shoulder bag back in 2018 when we met up in Türkiye. He's been using it for so many years and the leather was starting to wear, I felt it was definitely time for a new one.