J. & F.J. Baker

What J. & F.J. Baker does

J. & F.J. Baker & Co Ltd is a privately held, family-run oak bark tannery located in Colyton, Devon, United Kingdom. Operating continuously on a site used for tanning since Roman times, the business was acquired by the Baker family in 1862 and is now in its sixth generation of family ownership, led by fifth-generation Managing Director Andrew Parr. It is the only remaining traditional oak bark tannery in Britain. The company employs 11–50 people and sells globally, with a documented policy of not shipping to Russia and handling US orders via a dedicated agent.

The firm's core product is leather produced via a 12–15 month traditional oak bark tanning process powered by a 400-year-old water wheel mechanism. Hides are suspended over tan pits for three months and then layered flat with bark for a further nine months, after which they are dressed using a proprietary library of nearly twenty natural grease blends ("dubbins") made on-site from food-industry by-products. The product portfolio comprises five core lines — Russian Leather (a six-year R&D reproduction of 18th-century Russian leather based on Metta Catharina shipwreck findings), Equestrian Leather, Interior Leather, Shoe Leather, and Vegetable Tanned Leather — each subdivided into specific cuts (butt, shoulder, belly, bends) and bespoke colour orders.

The business operates a predominantly one-time transactional revenue model, selling leather by the piece to a diversified base of luxury footwear makers, saddlers and equestrian craftsmen, leather goods producers, interior designers, and specialist trades (bookbinding, film, boat building). Distribution is via direct telephone/email orders with pro-forma invoicing, walk-in purchases at the Colyton tannery, international courier shipping (with a £350 minimum order for non-UK customers), and a US sales agent. Marketing is almost entirely organic — website/blog content, an Instagram account (@bakerstannerycolyton), and earned media including BBC television features and Leather UK 'Leather Advocate' recognition.

Name

J. & F.J. Baker

Legal name

J. & F.J. Baker & Co Ltd

Website

https://jfjbaker.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J. & F.J. Baker is a sixth-generation family-run oak bark tannery in Colyton, Devon — Britain's only remaining traditional oak bark tannery — producing premium, slow-tanned leather for bespoke shoemakers, saddlers, equestrian craftsmen, interior designers, and specialist leather workers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tanned Leather Manufacturing

NAICS

Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (31611), Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (3161)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Retanning, Dyeing & Fatliquoring (IMAOAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hide & Skin Beamhouse Operations (Soaking/Liming/Deliming/Bating) (IMAOAGAB)

Keywords

• Oak bark tanning
• Vegetable tanned leather
• Shoemaker leather supplies
• Equestrian saddlery leather
• Luxury leather goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Colyton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Leather Product Sales: Direct one-time sales of oak bark tanned leather products including hides, cuts, and pre-cut sole pieces. Products sold in various cuts: butt, shoulder, belly, bends. Revenue is transaction-based with no recurring component.
2. Bespoke Colour Orders: Custom colour orders outside standard range available with minimum order requirements. Made-to-order items include Dark Havana leather.
3. Leather Splitting Service: Custom splitting service to provide leather at specific thicknesses requested by customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

J. & F.J. Baker is Britain's only remaining traditional oak bark tannery, producing luxury oak bark tanned leather hides and cut pieces primarily for shoemakers, saddlers and equestrian craftsmen, interior designers, and luxury leather goods makers. Each piece of leather takes approximately 12–15 months to produce via a traditional water wheel-powered oak bark tannage, preserving natural hide fibres for superior strength and durability.

Product overview

J. & F.J. Baker is Britain's only remaining traditional oak bark tannery, producing luxury leather since 1862. The company offers a focused portfolio of leather products across four main categories: Russian Leather (a recreation of 18th-century Russian Leather using oak, willow, and birch barks), Equestrian Leather (including Bridle Butt, Bridle Backs, Harness Backs, Stirrup Butt, Bellies, and Girth Straps for saddlery and equestrian equipment), Interior Leather (for furniture, flooring and paneling), and Shoe Leather (including sole bends, insoles, toe puffs, and cut soles for bespoke shoemaking). They also offer Vegetable Tanned Leather hides as an alternative product line. The company uses a traditional 12-14 month oak bark tanning process powered by a 400-year-old water wheel mechanism, producing leather that is stronger and more durable than modern alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Russian Leather Reproduction of 18th-century Russian Leather tanned using oak, willow, and birch barks, finished with birch oil for water resistance and a distinctive smoky aroma. Available in Traditional Brown and Black. Targeted at luxury leather goods makers such as Equus Leather and bespoke bootmakers.
• Equestrian Leather Pit tanned equestrian leather dressed using traditional methods for extra tensile strength and longevity. Includes Bridle Butt, Bridle Shoulder, Bridle Backs, Harness Backs, Stirrup Butt, Greasy Oak Bark Stirrup Butt, Bellies, and Girth Straps in various colours. Targeted at saddlers, harness makers, and equestrian craftsmen.
• Interior Leather Oak bark tanned leather suitable for furniture, flooring, panelling and household items, stronger and more hardwearing than other leathers. Includes Shaved Bends, Bridle Butt, and Panel Hide options. Targeted at interior designers, furniture makers, and furnishers.
• Shoe Leather Leather suitable for bespoke and top-of-the-range shoes. Includes Russian Leather, Sole Bends, Shoulders, Stiffeners, Toe Puffs, Cut Welts, Cut Sole, Cut Insole, and Heel Lift in various sizes and thicknesses. Targeted at distinguished bespoke shoemakers and luxury footwear brands.
• Vegetable Tanned Leather Vegetable tanned leather hides including Bridle Butt, Bridle Shoulder, and Stirrup Butt available in multiple colours (Black, Australian Nut, London Colour, Russet, Dark Havana, Green, and Blue). Targeted at leather goods makers seeking vegetable tanned alternatives.
• Leather Splitting Service Custom splitting service providing leather at the specific thicknesses requested by customers to tailor hides to bespoke shoemaking and leather goods requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leather lasts a lifetime with proper care

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leather UKminorOthersJ. & F.J. Baker is a member of Leather UK, a trade association for the British leather industry. The company has been featured as a 'Leather Advocate' in Leather UK's promotional content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ilcea S.p.A. Italian vegetable-tannery (est. 1930) producing traditional vegetable-tanned leathers for luxury leather goods and footwear. Comparable heritage vegetable-tanning process and similar luxury/footwear customer base to Baker.
• Conceria Volpi Concerie Italiane: Italian vegetable-tannery producing traditional bark-tanned leather for luxury leather goods and footwear. Comparable to Baker as a heritage vegetable tanner serving European luxury brands and bespoke shoemakers.
• Badalassi Carlo: Tuscan vegetable tannery producing traditional pit-tanned leathers (e.g., Pueblo, Veg Tan) used by luxury leather goods makers and bespoke craftsmen. Comparable as a slow, traditional vegetable-tanning supplier to a similar artisan customer base.
• Sedgwick & Co: UK traditional saddlery and harness leather maker (est. 1900, Walsall) producing bridle and saddle leather for equestrian customers. Direct comparable for Baker's equestrian leather line and shared UK heritage-tanning customer base.
• Wickett & Craig: North American vegetable-tanned leather tannery (est. 1867) specializing in traditional bark tanning for saddlery, belting, footwear and leather goods. Closely comparable traditional vegetable tanning process and customer base in equestrian, shoe and luxury leather goods.
• Horween Leather Company: One of the oldest continuously operating tanneries in the United States (est. 1905, Chicago), producing Shell Cordovan and traditional vegetable-tanned leathers using heritage processes. Highly comparable to J. & F.J. Baker as a family-run, heritage tannery selling premium specialty leathers to bespoke and luxury end users.
• Tempesti 1938: Italian vegetable-tanning specialist (Tuscany, est. 1938) producing vegetable-tanned leathers for luxury leather goods, footwear and accessories. Comparable traditional vegetable-tanning process and luxury/craftsmanship customer overlap with Baker.
• Tanneries Haas: French traditional tannery (est. 1842) specializing in vegetable-tanned calf and side leathers for the luxury leather goods industry. Comparable as an established European vegetable tanner serving high-end leather goods and footwear brands.
• Hermann Oak Leather: St. Louis-based vegetable-tanner (est. 1881) producing traditional oak-bark and harness leather for saddlery, footwear and leather goods. Comparable as a long-established US oak-bark tannery serving similar equestrian and shoe-making customers.

Others

• Leather UK: British trade association for the leather industry of which J. & F.J. Baker is a member and 'Leather Advocate.' Included as an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor — comparable in that it represents and promotes UK tanneries but does not produce leather itself.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bakerstannerycolyton
• Xx.com/bakerstannery
• Facebookfacebook.com/bakerstannery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about J. & F.J. Baker