Beautiful. Durable. Classy.
All words used by reviewers on Amazon to describe products from Coastal Pet's Circle T line of high-end, hand-crafted leather collars and leashes.
The line includes a variety of leather finishes and styles to give dog (and cat) owners a choice of sophisticated accessories that provide a timeless look that lasts a long time.
We're proud of all the hard work that goes into creating our Circle T products, so we're pulling the curtain back to give you a peek at what goes into making this popular lineup of refined accessories.
(Also, check out our nifty glossary of terms below that will help you select the Circle T product that is right for your pet.)
100% U.S. Sourced Leather
Making the best leather collars and leashes starts with sourcing the finest leather. We only use full grain leather, which is considered the highest-quality grade of leather.
And, as a U.S.-based manufacturer, we only work with U.S. sources.
Our sources use a less common form of tanning, called vegetable tanning, a natural, eco-friendly process that takes upwards of 6 weeks or longer. The lengthier, labor-intensive process produces leather recognized for its depth of color and rich patina.
High-End Finished Products Require Upfront Quality Control
Before we begin the detailed process of handcrafting our Circle T collars and leashes, we need to ensure the leather we're using is of the highest quality.
We'll admit, we do get some high-tech help with the aid of a specialized piece of equipment that can detect even the smallest cuts and blemishes in any piece of hide we put through it.
It also measures the thickness so we can choose the right pieces for the right products. Collars and leashes each need a different thickness. As do the different styles we offer.
Leather that is too thin is discarded as we can't guarantee the finished product will be durable. Leather that's too thick also isn't usable because it's too bulky and difficult to work with.
Hand-Crafted for That One-of-a-Kind Look
Each product in the Circle T line is hand-crafted by tradespeople in our Alliance, Ohio facility. All have been trained by highly-skilled leatherworkers who have been working with Coastal Pet for many years.
They’re experts in hand cutting, creasing, splitting, painting, riveting and sewing each leather product we offer.
Of course, the entire process isn't done by hand. We use computer-operated machinery to assess each piece of leather for cuts, marks and blemishes. And, we use precision laser cutting machines to cut the leather, which reduces waste.
Glossary
To help you pick which of our Circle T accessories is right for you, here's a glossary of terms we use when describing our products.
Full Grain: Full grain leather comes from the top layer of the hide, which is considered the strongest and most durable part of the hide of an animal. To be considered full grain it cannot be sanded, buffed or snuffed. This ensures the finished products will display more of the natural characteristics of leather.
Latigo leather: A type of leather made using both vegetable and chrome tanning methods. Latigo leather is known for being particularly supple and pliable, while maintaining its durability. It is resistant to moisture and sweat and is less likely to bleed. Circle T products made with Latigo leather include a round dog collar with solid brass hardware and twist dog leash with solid brass hardware, among others.
Oak-tanned leather: A type of leather made using a traditional English tanning method that uses oak bark and stream water. It's known for being lightweight but strong. Circle T products made with oak-tanned leather include a town-style dog collar and a dog leash available in three colors.
Round Collar: A "round' style collar has been sewn most of the way around, giving the collar a modern, rounded shape.
Town Collar: A "town" style collar is flat all around for a traditional dog collar look that wouldn't have looked out of place 100 years ago.