The Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium was founded in 1994 by a small group of Tuscan tanners. Within a short time the Consortium increased in membership. Today there are more than 20 associated tanneries, all of them operating in Tuscany, in the area between Pisa and Florence, and sharing the same passion for vegetable-tanned leather and the same standards of production. In the Tuscan Leather District vegetable-tanned leather is still produced following the traditional methods: turning raw hides into durable leather takes time and patience, and the skillful combination of technology and experience.