Cotmarsh Tannery CIC

The tannery will be set up as a not-for-profit company and will focus on three objectives: 1. Produce high quality, fully traceable (down to the individual cow) veg tanned cow leather. This leather will be aimed at small brands, artisan leather workers and makers, and as farmer returns, enabling farmers to generate another income stream from their cattle enterprise. 2. To support the creation of other micro tanneries. The tannery will be open to anyone who wants to set up their own micro tannery to get hands on learning by spending short periods of time as interns or as an apprentice for longer durations. The tannery will act as a regional hub for other tanners to allow the sharing of equipment e.g. a fleshing machine. These expensive machines are a barrier to entry for micro tanneries so other tanners can either hire them for the day or the tannery will offer a fleshing service. 3. To be part of the field to fibre story and educational experience we are building on the farm, to promote natural fibres, including veg tanned leather and wool, and botanical dyes. We have launched a workshop for fashion students on the farm, which will expose students to the very beginning of the fashion supply chain and help them forge a deeper connection between nature and our clothes. By seeing in practice how leather, wool and botanical dyes can be grown within a sustainable farming system in the UK, students will be able to understand how meaningful relationships with the land and the farmers who grow our food and fibre, can enable a healthy more sustainable model for fashion. Weare building a classroom on the farm to develop this programme further.