Journal

In nearly 85 years of making boots we have worked with just about every type of leather imaginable, but last Friday we added something entirely new to our offerings.  The Service Boot in Black Camel is made from a vegetable-tanned camelhide sourced from one of Italy's oldest tanneries.  This leather has a supple, oily feel and distinct pebbled grain.  A unique take on the classic black boot that will only get better with wear.  Shop the boot here while supplies last and click through for the whole feature.    

One of the things that separates us from many traditional footwear manufacturers is our willingness to experiment. A recent, and particularly interesting example of this process is the Inside Out Service Boot. The idea started by taking a closer look at a finished Service Boot upper before the lasting process begins. When flipped inside out the upper takes on a new pattern, but preserves the general form and shape of the original Service Boot. Some minor alterations were made to the final sample, such as elastic ribbing in place of a lacing system. The end result is a contemporary interpretation of our oldest product that manages to feel like something entirely new. The Inside Out Service Boot remains in the sampling stages for now.  Click through for more photos.

For our most recent Service Boot release we tapped Chicago’s Horween Tannery for a special version of their Bison leather.   Manufactured using a similar process as their famed Shell Cordovan, this Bison leather is pit-tanned using all natural ingredients for over 6 months. The finished product is a beautiful heavyweight leather that highlights the unique grain of the Bison hides.  Shop the collection here and click through for the full feature.

We see a lot of well worn workboots come through the factory for servicing, but every once in a while a pair will make us stop and take a closer look. These Smoke Jumpers recently made their way back into our possession and we couldn’t help but admire our customer’s DIY repair job. Out in the field and away from civilization our customer was forced to get creative when the outsole of his boot started to separate from the midsole. Using a spare shoelace he was able secure the sole for the duration of his fire-fighting stint, until safely returning the boots back to us for a full refurbishment.  Click through for more photos.

Last week we released a trio of Derby Shoes in Italian Calf for sale on viberg.com. This particular calfskin comes to us from a small tannery in Tuscany with over 100 years experience, specializing in full-grain, vegetable tanned leathers. This method of tanning highlights the unique characteristics of each hide and allows for a more natural patina to develop with wear. Click through for the rest of the feature and shop the entire collection of Italian Calf offerings here.