Product Overview
Veg-Tan 2.8 is a specialized leather-safe product developed to reverse oxidation discoloration in vegetable-tanned leather, particularly when it darkens from water damage, sweat, or aging. This treatment helps restore the leather’s original pale, neutral tone without harsh bleaching or damage.
Oxidation Stain Removal
- Veg-tan leather contains natural tannins that are highly reactive to alkalinity in sweat and unknown water.
- Over time, these reactions cause permanent-looking dark stains.
- Redox Treatment 2.8 breaks these bonds, chemically reducing the oxidized compounds and lightening the stains.
Restoring Original Appearance
- Maintains the natural pale, nude, or biscuit tone of unfinished veg-tan leather—crucial for saddle-makers, luxury crafters, and restoration professionals.
- Prevents the need for sanding or bleaching, which can degrade the grain structure.
Leather-Safe Chemistry
- Maintains the amphoteric pH-sensitive nature of leather (ideal pH between 3-5).
- Works synergistically with Leather Doctor’s acidifier and hydration-fatliquoring systems to prevent structural damage and preserve suppleness.
What is Veg Tan, Bark Tan, or Vegetable Tanned Leather?
- Veg Tan, a short name for vegetable-tanned leather, utilizes organic tree bark and its all-natural tanning agent “tannin” to produce a hide substance capable of absorbing water and swelling as required for tooling, case-forming, and carving leather as belts, wallets, saddlebags, holsters, rifle cases, body armor, saddles, tack, and leather orthotics.
- It is also known as saddlery, bridle, equestrian, craft, or tooling leather, as in bags, boots, and furniture.
Why Browning on Veg Tan?
- When new, Veg Tan has a pale biscuit color.
- When exposed to sunlight or UV light, the natural vegetable tannins take on a suntan color, just like our pale skin.
Why Water Spotting on Veg Tan?
- Veg Tan has a lower pH-neutral point between 3 and 4 than most other tanning types, and any solution above a pH value of 7 will water spots the pH-sensitive Veg Tan leather, behaving like litmus paper.
How to Prevent Existing Cracks from Accentuating on Veg Tan?
- Veg Tan is fatliquor thirsty more than other leather tanning types, so when existing cracks are apparent, the leather is already too dry of its fat and oil content to take another wet-to-dry conditioning, as empty shrinkage without sufficient fat and oil will further accentuate the existing cracks.
- Veg Tan fat liquoring topping up to prevent existing cracks from accentuating and magnifying when leather dries empty of its fat and oil.
- Veg Tan is not recommended to be dried from a wet stage without sufficient fat and oil content.
How to Remove Dark Greasy Stains on Veg Tan?
- Veg Tan, when turning dark with usage and evidence of cracks in most cases, especially in constant body contact areas like headrest, will require a degreasing process using Degreaser 2.2 followed by Acidifier 2.0 as a rinse with a Brush 1 and an Eraser 4 for better frictional removal of the greasy soiling.
When to Soften Veg Tan?
- Veg Tan fat liquoring commences when leather is still damp from the Rinse 3.0 or Acidifier 2.0.
- Hydrator 3.3 relaxes the leather before fat liquoring with Fatliquor 5.0 to replenish the diminishing essential fat and oil.
When to Treat Browning Veg Tan?
- Veg Tan browning requires a Redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction treatment when the leather is dry.
Instruction:
- Veg Tan 2.8 concentrate 1: 3 is mixed with distilled water before use: (43g for 2oz, 170g for 8oz and 681g for 32oz).
- Veg Tan 2.8 is applied for a darkening effect, extracted with a dry towel for an even appearance, and left to dry.
- Treatment is recommended after fat liquoring on leathers with a high percentage of fat and oil content.
- The treatment result is inspected when the leather is dry.
- Surface residue is dry brushed or wiped off with Rinse 3.0 to end treatment.
Updated: March 31, 2025 | July 12 2025 by Roger Koh
