As you know, saffiano leather was first produced in one of Prada’s famous tanneries in Italy. It was patented and first used to make the Saffiano handbag (Prada’s first bag) in 1913.

Saffiano leather was invented by Mario Prada. The design house itself was founded in 1913 and located in the renowned Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade in the heart of Milan. From the get-go Prada only sold the finest and most sophisticated luxury travel articles and accessories. It wasn’t long until the European upper class discovered Prada and in 1919 the design house was appointed Official Supplier to the Italian Royal Household.

But, saffiano style bags by Prada are still popular today and adored for their beautiful strong leather, easy maintenance and durability. Even though the leather was used exclusively by Prada for decades, it found its way into the bag, wallet, and belt collections of many labels like Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Coach, and Longchamp to name just a few. The leather has gained such tremendous popularity because it combines exceptional durability and stain resistance with elegance and class.

As mentioned, Saffiano leather was first made by Prada in Italy which was originally made from calf leather. With time, leather production processes have evolved too. It now commonly made with other materials or blends of materials. These can include plastic coatings and finishes. They can also be 100% plastic compositions where there is no real leather like vegan PU materials. 

What started in one of Italy’s most famous tanneries as Prada’s signature has now made it to many factories all around the globe. If a material has the typical cross-hatch pattern, the end product is often referred to as Saffiano, no matter how or where it has been produced. It is really about the look and not so much the original method or materials anymore. This is why a bag, that is marked “Saffiano” could in theory be vegan, which makes it a little more difficult to answer the question: “Is Saffiano leather vegan or not?”

With these variations, modern-day Saffiano leather is more just a name referring to a style of finish. The materials used and qualities of the finished products vary so widely. So while lesser quality Saffiano “leathers” exists, some are still made using classic methods that produce a strong, attractive, fine-quality material.

The only way to know for sure, whether or not your Saffiano looking bag is vegan is to carefully read the label, when making the purchase.