In the global leather market, you can find hides sourced from industrial farms, tanned in hours using heavy metals like chromium to achieve a uniform, plastic-like finish. This is the standard for fast fashion.

It is not the standard for Paulina.

To understand why our leather feels, smells, and ages differently, one must look to the "Golden Triangle" of Tuscany, Italy, and the historic tanneries of Catalonia, Spain. We utilize exclusively Vegetable Tanned leather, a tradition that dates back to the Renaissance.

The "Veg-Tan" Difference Vegetable tanning is an organic process. It does not use synthetic chemicals. Instead, hides are soaked for weeks in large wooden drums filled with natural tannins derived from tree barks—specifically Chestnut, Quebracho, and Mimosa.

This slow process preserves the natural strength of the fibers. Chromium tanning breaks down fibers to make them soft instantly; vegetable tanning keeps them tight and sturdy, requiring a "break-in" period much like a pair of high-quality boots.

The Scent of Luxury The most immediate difference is the scent. Chrome-tanned leather often smells of chemicals or has no scent at all. Paulina leather carries a rich, earthy, woody aroma—a direct result of the tree barks used in its creation.

Ethical Provenance We believe luxury cannot exist without ethics. All our hides are by-products of the meat industry; no animal is ever raised solely for its skin. Furthermore, because our tanning process is organic, the wastewater from our partner tanneries is recyclable and does not contaminate local water systems.

When you touch a Paulina bag, you are touching nature, preserved through tradition. It is a connection to the earth that synthetic luxury simply cannot replicate.