Tradition en cuir Florentine

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Already during the XIV century, Florence was famous for the production of leather, from tanning to selling. Therefore, leather craftsmanship has very ancient origins.
Around 1282, the Arte dei Cuoiai o Galigai (curriers and tanners guild) was created. This guild included all those people who were responsible for tanning, working, making up and exporting hides and leather goods. The tanning process – the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather – was carried out by the tanners both up and downstream of Ponte Vecchio. According to a widespread tradition, workers soaked hides in the Arno River. Later on, tanners and curriers started working near Santa Croce square, also because of the very strong fumes. It is no coincidence that in that particular area of the city there still are Via dei Conciatori (Tanners Street) and Via delle Conce (Tanning Street). Throughout the XV and XVI centuries, leather craftsmanship represented a source of pride for Florence: the tradition peaked in terms of quality in that period. In 1562, Cosimo I decided to associate the Arte dei Cuoiai o Galigai with the Arte dei Calzolai (shoemakers guild): there were so many shoemaker workshops around the city that, as historian Villani wrote, it was impossible to count them all. During the XVI century, workers had to comply with very strict regulations that ensured the quality of leather goods. For example, if shoemakers were caught while selling leather shoes made with different kinds of hides, they had to face very severe sanctions.
Later on in time, the Arte dei Calzolai was associated to the Arte dei Correggiai (saddlers and harness-makers guild), workers who created and worked leather shields and belts. This brought to the foundation of the University of Masters of Leather (Università dei Maestri del Cuoiame), that made Florence the worldwide-known reference point for leather working.
Today, the city can boast a very flourishing business linked not only to leather shoes and to garments, but also to leather works of art and goods. As the tradition goes, the technique used in the leather binding of goods is the same that craftsmen used centuries ago.

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