Tanning and leather production are among the oldest craft methods known to mankind. People have almost always processed animal skin, which was further used to make clothing or footwear. And even though the tanning market is changing significantly these days, there is still a group of people who do appreciate top quality leather itself as well as the end product – and are interested in traditional processing methods. There are also places where the traditions of leather production are still cherished. Places where passion is contagious.

Our cooperation with the KEGAR tannery – a brand well-established in the industry, started with discussions about its evolution, development and mission, which is the desire to share knowledge. KEGAR wants to be the one from whom leather aficionados can reliably learn how the finished leather is made: the process and its stages as well as the crucial conditions for creating a top-quality product.

During our cooperation, we had the opportunity to witness the production many times, we learnt about the whole process, we saw each individual phase of calfskin treatment. As a result, the commitment and passion displayed by the managers of the tannery rubbed off on us and permeated into our work.

The goal of the project was to present KEGAR as a tannery company with vast experience. A specialist, who cares about maintaining artisanal methods of work and holds great respect, understanding and passion for the product and the people who are responsible for its creation. His mission is not to sell the product, but to cultivate the roots of tanning and preserve the knowledge on the subject.

The previous identity was essentially based solely on the use of the logo, which did not show the important elements of the philosophy and work of the company. For this reason, first and foremost we designed visual identification, in which we wanted to emphasize the values ​​crucial to the Kegar brand: quality, craftsmanship, traditional manufacturing methods, respect for the product and the environment, attention to detail, experience, elegance, technology and sustainable development.

The logo is unobvious, typographic. It makes reference to the thickness of leather, which changes during production as a result of the process of shaving. The design also resembles a set of drums – an essential and very distinctive element at different stages of the production cycle.

We designed a set of individual icons illustrating individual stages of the process. They are used both on the website as well as in the informational materials for those interested in the subject of leather production. The website is divided into parts characteristic of the KEGAR Tannery – a richly narrated history and detailed descriptions of calfskin tanning methods. All that is accompanied by photos taken for the purposes of the new visual identity.

KEGAR Kępice is a place with a rich history, dating back to 1867 – the time of Otto von Bismarck. The fate of the tannery itself as well as the region has been varied, but its box calf is still produced according to traditional tanning methods. The scale of production is growing, but what remains unchanged, however, is the artisanal methods of work, the respect for the process and the product as well as the appreciation for the work of human hands.
For many years, KEGAR has been cooperating with a German company, Weinheimer Leder GmbH, as an exclusive supplier of its top quality, luxurious calfskins. Among their clients, it can boast some of the most demanding customers in the world, such as Hermés or Crockett & Jones.