Timeless elegance and the authenticity of pure forms are at the heart of Polène’s leather creations, combining minimalism and individuality. The signature of Polène’s style is encapsulated in the curves and folds of their designs, an aspect requiring a perfect knowledge and mastery of leather’s malleability and natural movement. The brand’s designers and technicians work in close collaboration, developing unique pieces in leather for each collection. Manufacturing is then entrusted to artisan craftsmen in Ubrique, a town in southern Spain that specializes in the production of luxury leather goods.

The Art of Leather

The beautiful character of leather is an essential element in bringing to life the creations of the designers and showcasing the work of the artisans. The material’s qualities are experienced sensually in its texture, suppleness and sublime surface. The tanning process is an essential element of its preparation, enabling the transformation from a raw material to a beautiful final product. Polène uses a chromium-based method as it ensures the production of leathers that are more resistant to the markers of time (light, scratches and stains).

In order to guarantee that these production techniques conform to environmental standards, the company works in exclusive partnership with Spanish and Italian tanneries following European rules, among the strictest in the world. These tanneries have been awarded the international Leather Working Group and/or ISO 14001 labels, governing the ways in which water resources and waste from the tanning process are managed before being sent to treatment plants.

Mindful of the efforts of the manufacturing process and the nobility of the raw material, Polène is committed to maximizing the re-use of leather scraps : workshops are equipped with digital scanner cutting machines to ensure the most efficient use of the leather. Any pieces that remain are upcycled to create small leather goods, “micro” bag designs or key rings.

Bag Jewelry

This is an integral part of the leather goods industry, one which demands its own unique expertise. Polène’s bespoke creations are stylish, functional and resilient. These qualities, in combination, are only possible through ingenious solutions, found after intense design and prototyping processes, and in collaboration with specialized workshops.

In order to guarantee a long-lasting gilding for their clasps, bottom studs and shoulder strap buttons, Polène uses a PVD plating* method, developed in the specialist watch-making industry. Rather than putting these pieces through successive baths, the stainless steel items are treated in a hermetic chamber, using a magnetic force, enabling them to be saturated with gold particles. Unlike the galvanizing process, PVD plating does not use chemicals or additives and, as a result, does not produce environmentally polluting waste. *Physical Vapor Desposition

The Stitching Thread

Some of Polène’s leather creations require hand stitching. The thread selected by Polène for this process, is sourced from the German manufacturer, Gütermann, respected as the quality benchmark within the industry.

The Finishing of the Edges

In order to highlight the precision of the curves in Polène’s creations, the edges of the bags are meticulously finished. Through a process of exceptional craftsmanship, the edges are coated to create a smooth surface. After several hours of drying, they are then treated with one or two layers of dye. This procedure requires enormous dexterity in order to enhance the contours of the almost finished bag. The lengthy and precise techniques demanded in the production of Polène’s bags is a true guarantee of quality.