The story of Weinheimer Leder
Weinheimer Leder has an exceptional history that stands out within the leather industry. Established in January 2003 in Weinheim, Germany, the company may seem relatively new in the tannery sector. However, the story of Weinheimer Leder goes beyond its founding date. It represents a journey of innovation, adaptability to change, growth, social and environmental responsibilities and, of course, their commitment to producing high-quality, sustainable, calfskin leathers while honoring the heritage and expertise of the Freudenberg era.
February 1849 marked the beginning of the Heintze & Freudenberg tannery. Founded by Heinrich Christian Heintze and Carl Johann Freudenberg, they started producing premium quality calfskin leathers. Soon their first innovation was followed by introducing patent leathers. They experienced tremendous rapid growth. International export took flight, and an overseas branch was opened in the United Kingdom.
With the world changing and younger generations in succession, the Freudenberg tannery continued to commit and invest in their employees. In 1874 the implementation of a health insurance program was established for employees, emphasizing employee welfare. This was a decade before health insurance was introduced in Germany nationwide. Freudenberg was also one of the first tanneries to develop chrome tanning in Europe, resulting in becoming the largest tannery in Germany and later Europe. 2003 marked the end of leather production by the Freudenberg Group. All rights and tanning recipes became the property of Weinheimer Leder.
Today Weinheimer Leder upholds the traditional Freudenberg Group tanning methods and values. The production of their high-quality box calf leathers for the luxury industry being no exception. Weinheimer Leder proudly holds many quality certifications including the ISO 9001 Certification and OEKO-TEX Leather Standard Certifications for both all natural tanning procedures as well as chrome tanning. With Weinheimer Leder’s commitment to excellence, they anchor themselves as an independent enterprise and will keep producing exceptional leather, always aiming for continuous improvement.
Leatherbox is extremely proud of this partnership with Weinheimer Leder. Our goal is to deepen and solidify our relationship through the exchange of information, knowledge, and passion. The Leatherbox team is ready to assist you with questions you may have with Weinheimer Leder and their top-tier leathers.
