Terracare – Responsible Performance Leather

For many years, shoemaker Bestard of Mallorca has been sourcing leather from Heinen Tannery in Germany

Our company is a family-owned tannery founded in 1891 by my great-grandfather. My name is Thomas Heinen, and I manage the company as part of the family’s fourth generation.

Leather making and shoe making share a few things in common—both are ancient crafts, and both require a deep passion for the work to be successful. I suppose that’s why Bestard and Heinen work so well together—we are both absolute fanatics when it comes to leather and shoes!

And, of course, when I go into the mountains, I hike in my Bestards made with terracare leather from Heinen.

Let me tell you a bit about what we do at Heinen, what matters to us, and how we achieve our goals.

The Source of Leather

Everything starts with humanity’s eating and drinking habits. For example, people enjoy cappuccinos (made with cow’s milk) in the morning, pasta with parmesan cheese (also from cow’s milk) for lunch, and perhaps meat for dinner. As a result, farmers raise animals to meet these demands. This relationship between humans and animals has existed for centuries, across all continents and cultures, and is foundational to human life.

Throughout history, humans have relied on protein from animals for nourishment. Out of respect for the animals, we ensure that nothing goes to waste—everything is used. Once a hide is produced, our tannery transforms it into a beautiful, long-lasting product: leather!

A tannery takes waste from another sector (the food industry) and turns it into a product of higher value. In modern terms, this is called upcycling. To us, it’s simply “normal”—no waste, respect for the animal, and complete utilization of resources.

Leather is made from a natural, organic fiber structure. This unique 3-dimensional structure cannot be synthetically replicated.

Mother Nature has created something incredibly durable and strong. It’s fair to say that nothing beats her designs!

The Benefits of Leather

By using leather, we harness this strong fiber structure to create products that are exceptionally long-lasting. Leather offers outstanding technical properties:

Breathable: Feet sweat. Leather fibers partially absorb this humidity and transport it outward, keeping feet dry in summer and warm in winter.

Custom Fit: Leather has a unique plasto-elastic quality. Over time, the leather molds to the individual shape of your foot while maintaining its structure.

Adaptability: Human feet change size throughout the day. Leather’s flexibility ensures a good fit both in the morning and evening..

Water Resistance: Treated leather resists water penetration, keeping feet dry for extended periods. Terracare leather is also free of harmful PFCs.

Anti-bacterial: Leather inhibits bacteria growth, reducing odors. In contrast, synthetic materials often result in unpleasant smells.

Biodegradable: Due to its organic origin, leather decomposes over time, with a biodegradability rate of 85–100%, depending on the treatment. This contrasts sharply with the lasting environmental impact of synthetic materials.

Sustainability: Leather’s durability reduces the need for frequent replacements, resulting in lower consumption and a smaller carbon footprint.

Leather as a Smart Investment

Consider the following example:

Synthetic Sneakers: €130 per pair with a lifespan of 1 year. Over 5 years, the total cost is €650.

Leather Shoes: €200 per pair with a lifespan of 5 years. Even after resoling, the total cost remains €200.

Supporting Farmers

If hides are not used by tanneries, they are discarded, creating a financial burden for farmers who must pay for disposal. By purchasing hides, tanneries provide farmers with an additional income stream, supporting their essential role in our society.

What is terracare?

Terracare represents our commitment to producing high-performance leather responsibly. Our processes are externally verified through multiple auditing protocols:

Leather Working Group (LWG): We’ve achieved Gold status, the highest level of recognition.

Oeko-Tex Made in Green: The highest certification Oeko-Tex offers for leather.

ECO2L: We measure and benchmark our CO2 emissions.

When you choose terracare leather, you can be confident that your product has been crafted with environmental and social responsibility, technical expertise, and genuine passion.

Thomas Heinen