Founded in the Middle Ages and long disputed by Florence, Lucca and Pisa, Santa Croce is considered the world capital of leather, headquarters of the most important manufacturing district dedicated to leather production.
This is where 35% of Italian leather production comes from and 20,000 artisans are employed in 900 small and medium-sized companies.
The first tanneries were opened at the beginning of the 18th century, while a real district took shape in the mid-1800s. The boom in the tanning business dates back to the Sixties when traditional Santa Croce manufacturing gained fame around the world.
To get a closer look at the superiority of this unique manufacturing district, you can travel the “Via del cuoio” (Leather Road), a real route that winds through the main tanning companies and among the most skilled artisans in this iconic place featuring Tuscan-made excellence.