FROM SMALL-TOWN TANNERY TO NORDIC MARKET LEADER
The story of Pelo Leather began in 1897, when brothers Axel, Hugo and Fritiof Gustafsson founded a small tannery in their name on the lush banks of the Perhojoki river in the small town of Alaveteli in the Central Ostrobothnia region of Finland and started making vegetable-tanned leather for local craftspeople.
Back then, it could take up to six months to tan a single hide. With industrialisation, the tannery grew more modern, and the Gustafsson brothers added nappa leather to their product range.
In the 1990s, the company was renamed Geson. As generations changed, Geson was eventually acquired in 2013 by Kokkolan Nahka, another family-owned company. These days the tannery is again run by brothers – Pasi and Juha Örnberg – who took the helm from their father.
The historical tannery is now home to Pelo Leather, renamed after the village where it is located. Pelo Leather is a brand of Kokkolan Nahka.
Operating in an almost 130-year-old beautiful brick building, Pelo Leather makes ethical, ecological and sustainable leather combining modern industrial processes with a long tradition of craftsmanship.
Pelo Leather is Finland’s oldest tannery still in operation and the Nordic market leader in sheath leather.
It is a point of honour for us to keep the legacy of the Gustafsson brothers alive and make premium leather that retains its excellent natural qualities while withstanding wear and tear for decades and decades.
We want the legacy we leave to our children to be not just that of craftsmanship, but also of a clean environment and an equitable and democratic working environment. This is why we invest heavily in sustainable development and corporate responsibility.
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