Off-Cuts Collection: Made Possible by You

Posted by Crown Northampton on November 08, 2024

The principles of quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability shape us and everything we do. The new Off-Cuts collection is a clear demonstration of those principles; transforming the high-quality leather off-cuts from our sneakers and shoes into thoughtfully crafted small leather goods, ensuring no leather goes to waste. Thanks to the continued support of our loyal customers, we’re able to give these premium leather remnants new life.

The Off-Cuts collection transforms the high-quality remnants of valuable leather, going from this...

...to this. A smart and sustainable way of crafting small leather goods to accompany your footwear.

Available exclusively with the purchase of a pair of Crown sneakers or shoes - the Off-Cuts collection consists of wallets, cardholders, and glasses cases that perfectly complement your Crown Northampton collection.

Here’s a closer look at the five reasons how and why this collection is possible:

1. Crown Northampton Community

Without the shared understanding and like-minded beliefs of our amazing customers, we wouldn’t have this business. Every product is crafted to order and shipped directly from our factory to you, allowing us to offer the most incredible materials in the world at prices free from middlemen. This direct relationship drives us to continually explore new ways to bring exceptional, hand-crafted products into your hands. The Off-Cuts collection is a gesture of thanks - a way to return the favour by creating well-made products from the same world-class leather that goes into your sneakers.

2. Horween Leather Co. – Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel

We have an amazing relationship with Horween Leather Co., which allows us to utilize both their Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel leathers. Since 2018, we’ve used Chromexcel in our sneakers, stocking seven colours ranging from black to natural. For Shell Cordovan, we currently stock four colours and release a limited edition drop every three months (to gain early access to these exclusive releases, we invite you to join our mailing list).

Horween is a business that shares our values, producing what is considered the finest Shell Cordovan and pull-up leather in the world. The process of creating these leathers takes months, making them difficult to source. Each Off-Cut is a by-product of the same high-quality leather we use for our footwear - just waiting to be repurposed into something equally special. That's why we ensure no part of these premium materials goes unused and make every leftover piece count!

3. Clicking – The Art of Cutting

Clicking, the precise process of hand-cutting leather, is essential for crafting our sneakers from both Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel. The term comes from the sound of the knife as it leaves the brass-edged pattern. Cordovan shells, which vary in size, thickness, and shade, often leave behind off-cuts too small for sneaker patterns, especially for whole-cut styles. Similarly, Chromexcel, which we source in its thickest form for durability, also produces small remnants during clicking.

In the past, these off-cuts had limited use, often repurposed as key rings. But with the Off-Cuts collection, we’ve given these high-quality materials new life, turning them into small leather goods for everyone to enjoy.

4. Crafting – Mastery in Every Detail

With over 40 years of experience, our team continues to create remarkable products. The addition of new staff and machinery at the start of 2024 has enabled us to repurpose off-cuts into beautiful small leather goods. While their craftsmanship also extends to products like belts, the Off-Cuts collection focuses on transforming Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel remnants into something equally special and useful. When we tasked Adrian and the team with using these materials, the brief was simple: experiment and let your talent shine. The result is a collection that showcases decades of skill and creativity.

5. Price – A Gesture of Gratitude

We want to offer our customers something truly special as a thank you for your ongoing support. The Off-Cuts collection wouldn’t exist without the demand for our sneakers, and that’s why we don’t charge for the material itself. These items are made from the off-cuts generated during sneaker production - a true collaboration between you and us. For every five pairs of cordovan sneakers made to order, we have just enough Cordovan for one card holder. That’s £2000 worth of leather going into a single product that wouldn’t exist without you!

The price of each item reflects only the labour and associated costs, with no additional charge for carriage as these items travel with your sneakers.

Access for existing customers that already have their Crown footwear:

If you have already purchased footwear from Crown Northampton, you also have access to the Offcuts collection. Please email info@crownnorthampton.com with the products you are interested in.
Max of one of each chromexcel product per pair purchased.
Cordovan card holders are available to customers with cordovan sneaker purchases. The colours are selected by our craftsman from the 20 options we have used over the years. Each is a one off!
A waiting list is available when materials run low.