Kreis Natural Oil-Tanned Leather Belt

Its color and especially its suppleness are acquired during the oil dipping process. The leather is boiled in hot oil and saturated so that it remains elastic a lifetime. The natural beige-brown tone is ”multicolored“ and slightly iridescent; places of heavy use are a bit lighter, but darken as soon as the tensile load decreases. Cowbell collars are made from comparable leather that must withstand vigorous rubbing, wind and weather – this may be enough evidence for the robustness of the belt.

Founded in 1963 in Offenbach by Erich Kreis, the Hessian leather manufacturer Kreis became specialised in belts early on. The firm is run today by Bernd Kreis, the son of the founder. He uses only full-grained leather: classic box calf and traditionally pit-tanned cow leather from Germany, saddle leather from England and the legendary Shell Cordovan horse leather from the Horween^® tannery in Chicago. Kreis is one of the very few manufacturers of hand-made leather belts which still cultivates the time-consuming art of triple layer belt construction.