The history of the origin of the ROHLEDER leather aprons

ROHLEDER presents high-quality, handmade leather aprons that reflect a passion for this material through their excellent quality and natural texture. But what lies behind the creation of these quality products? Is there a specific story or inspiration? My name is Paul Ortner, and in this blog post, I would like to tell you the story of ROHLEDER, which is a significant part of my life.

The origin of the idea for our own leather manufactory

I have always admired the unique properties of leather. I learned to appreciate the durability and ease of care of this environmentally friendly natural material at a young age during cozy barbecues. Over time, I developed comprehensive expertise in it, and my passion became a personal calling. One day, I came across leather aprons in a Swiss department store that, upon closer inspection, were of disappointing quality. This encounter made me think about the quality of commercially available leather aprons. To my surprise, I found that most leather aprons were stiff and heavy, even though their prices were surprisingly high. This realization strengthened my idea to develop a special leather for leather aprons and have it produced in Europe.

The path to the ROHLEDER leather apron

The idea became reality when I teamed up with two friends in 2019. One of them created the unique design that remains a characteristic feature of high-quality ROHLEDER leather aprons to this day. We went to Italy to work with a tannery to develop leather according to our specifications. The result was a light and supple leather that not only looks good but also meets the highest quality standards. Finally, we found a small family business in Portugal that crafted our leather aprons by hand to the desired quality. From the initial inspiration in Switzerland to the design in Austria, and the leather production in Italy and processing in Portugal – every ROHLEDER leather apron is a unique European product. Since our 100% cowhide is not coated with unnecessary lacquer, all individual natural characteristics are preserved. When you purchase a ROHLEDER leather apron, you are always receiving a true one-of-a-kind piece with its own story.

[Update 2023 - Today, the aprons are produced entirely in Austria.]

The further development of a high-quality leather product

We have designed high-quality and attractive packaging so that our leather aprons are also ideally suited as gifts. Nevertheless, we are always striving to improve and expand our range. Therefore, we now also offer personalization for our leather aprons. Customers have the option of having text and logos embossed according to their wishes, or having the high-quality leather products embroidered with colored logos. The personalized leather apron underscores a brand or company with its unique quality and, through the embossing or embroidery, becomes an integral part of the unique item. Since the personalized leather apron is only one of many further developments of our quality products, our story merely represents a milestone.