Spanish tannery Incusa received the technology award at the recent ‘Best of APLF’ ceremony which was held in Hong Kong alongside the exhibition. The prize winning product is a gilt leather known as ‘Mecil’ which combines 15th century Moroccan tanning traditions with 21st century Spanish technology.
The name Mecil comes from Guadamecil, a 15th century art of decorating leather. The surface of the gilt leather is generally polychromed in oil on the silver. The result is a translucent colour which allows the polished silver metallic base to be seen. The gilt leather production method involves the application of a fine coat of metal (generally silver) to the leather which is then covered with a yellow varnish to imitate the appearance of gold. In the 16th and 17th century, the prestigious and opulent Guadamecil adorned palaces and churches. The Mecil range from Incusa combines respect for this elegant ancient art with 21st century tanning and finishing technology. It is available in nappa ‘Iris Mecil’ and shrunken ‘Ruat Mecil.’
