Our story
Scars tell a story.
The exotic leather industry is interested in perfection. At CHUMPF, we’re interested in interesting. We’ve left behind the mass-manufactured look and traded it for fine leather goods that tell the kind of swamp stories that people just can’t get enough of.
Handmade in the USA with genuine, ethically-sourced alligator leather, CHUMPF was founded on a story of it’s own. Bred in the South where alligators are about as common as a heat wave, CHUMPF was born when long-time friends Nathan Carter III and John Glosson decided to take their bond and add some bayou to it. By marrying Nathan’s experience in an alligator tannery and John’s 20-year tenure in retail and design, they began to create heirloom-quality products that are as fashion forward as they are classic.
CHUMPF Leather doesn’t do “perfect.” We’d much rather honor the scars and the stories of the American South. You can trust our team to bring the class, durability, and luxury of exotic leather goods into each one-of-a-kind CHUMPF product.
About the process…
raw skin
Ethically sourced from farms in Georgia, the skins are hand cured with salt to remove moisture. The skins are then “brined” for preservation and readied for the next steps of the process.
crust
The raw skin undergoes two cycles of “tanning” where they are churned in large steel drums where the skin becomes neutralized, removing any natural pigmentation. The tanners thin and dry the skin by hand, known as “crust.”
dyed & finished
Skins undergo a 24 hour dying process in small steel drums of the most quality oils, dyes and water. They are stretched, thinned and glazed to achieve the beautiful finish in matte or gloss.
product
The finished skins are then cut and made into the products you see here. All products are genuine American alligator made in the USA. The items are highly customizable so if you have an idea for a product you want, please let us know.
USA Handmade. Ethically Sourced. Durable. Stylish.
