Specialisation comes knocking

Unver Boduroglu, a well-known leather personality in Türkiye, has never been one to embrace fickle trends. His independent streak shines through in his new venture, Fini-Tec Deri Finisaj Teknolojisi San ve Tic Ltd, formed in 2000 with two partners, both leather technicianss. They focus exclusively on finishing luxurious, top quality upholstery leathers - some 250,000 sq ft annually. Doubleface garment production is so synonymous with Turkish leather that, as an upholstery producer, Fini-Tec is a rarity. Just two or three firms offer local competition. Boduroglu explains his philosophy like this: 'For many customers, leather is leather and, even with a yawning price range of $15 to $80 per sq m, some end users don't see the difference between split leather, full grain leather or the added value of a special finish.' After first experimenting with upholstery leathers in the 1970s Boduroglu has turned Fini-Tec into an established leader in classic, full-grain cow leathers with a clean, aniline finish. Leathers are tanned from crust stage and drum-dyed. Colours are meticulously hand-mixed. Subtle shades authentically replicate 3-D crocodile scales. Fini-Tec have upgraded creative embossing to an art form and the effects are stunning. Rustic leather is the top seller. Customers also like the stone-washed look, gold-leaf effect, crinkle finish and a soft, mellow waxy finished leather. Garment and shoe upper producers are also customers. Timberland recently toured the Tuzla showroom.