When I first received the information regarding today’s blog post I did have to check whether it was an April Fool’s prank, as it did seem a little too good to be true.
But no no Billy Tannery is a British leather brand founded by two entrepreneurs and childhood friends, Jack Millington and Rory Harker, who discovered that, due to the growth in demand for goat meat in the UK and the decline of the British leather industry, there were thousands of hides going to waste. Now, having partnered with award wining, ethical goat meat supplier Cabrito, Billy Tannery use the leftover hides to produce premium vegetable tanned kid leather that is tanned in a small-batch tannery or ‘microtannery’.
This dynamic duo launched their range of leather bags and accessories that are designed and handmade in Britain. Billy Tannery is the first leather brand of its kind in the UK, with a vertically integrated supply chain from hide to final product. Jack and Rory’s goal is to put an end to the waste of British goat hides by tapping into the rich leather heritage of the UK’s Midlands area.
Founder Jack Millington said, “Despite the clear link between meat and leather, the topic is often uncomfortable and rarely discussed. In a time of increasing interest in provenance, our partnership with Cabrito allows us to trace our leather all the way back to the farm.”
