Leather, as a wearable fabric, dates back to ancient Rome, and for good reason. It's strong, yet flexible; breathable and incredibly long-lasting. There are many different kinds of leather on the market today. The kind of leather we use here at Mad Masks is called vegetable-tanned leather. What does that mean? Well, tanning refers to the process of making animal hides usable as a fabric. With vegetable-tanning, only natural substances are used, such as tree bark and other organic materials; never any chemicals. The result is a beautiful material that is environmentally-friendly and, most importantly, safe to have against your skin.
Your face is the first thing people notice, so your mask needs to be of the highest quality. We get that, which is why we only buy grade A, premium leather. It's probably not very surprising that most of our leather comes directly from Italy. But even the most "pristine" leather isn't perfect. We have to remember that leather is a natural material that once served as an animal's skin (we only use bovine, or cow, leather by the way). As such, it is subject to natural markings such as scratches, mosquito bites, wrinkles, stretch marks, etc. These markings are not considered "flaws" as they add to the beauty and uniqueness of the finished piece. That being said, we strive to produce the cleanest, smoothest masks possible. If character markings are too pronounced for our tastes, we'll either discard the mask, or offer it at a discount at one of our Cons.
Leather Care Instructions
- Store your mask at room-temperature out of direct sunlight
- Clean dust and makeup with a cotton cloth or sponge
- A damp cloth may be used with lukewarm water only
- Never use chemicals, solvents, polish, oils, varnish or rubbing alcohol