Hancock and Moore's new RICARDO leather

I've had a number of inquiries on the new RICARDO leather from H&M, which is at the highest price tier, a GR 5. So I made a phone call to learn more about it and spoke with H&M's President and chief leather buyer who just happened to be at that tannery last week.

* It is the world's finest leather. That may sounds like a sales pitch, but this one truly is.

* The tannery is in Holland, and is the most 'green' of all tanneries in dealing with effluents during the tanning process. He tells me its the cleanest tannery he's ever seen, and he's been to them all.

* They use only fresh German Bull Hides within 400 KM of the tannery and transport in refrigerated trucks. This means the hides are not salted for transport as in almost every other leather in the world. Salting deteriorates the leather to some degree and is required on most 'crusts' (unfinished hides) for transport in dry van trucks. Fresh hides are costly and have to be moved quickly.

* German hides are the best in the world because of the climate, the way they treat the animals, few biting bugs and no barbed wire.

* Ricardo is cut a little heavier and has a slight bit of a sponge texture and is cleaner and more naked than any other hide in the line. The tannery pays a lot for prime hides and transport, and does very little in processing to to them.

After I heard all that, I've pretty much decided I have to order some floor stock in that leather!