Böle Tannery

Pite river water

Pite river runs outside the windows of our tannery. Pite river water is what we mix with spruce bark to tan our hides.

Pite river is one of the major rivers in northern Sweden. It runs 400 kilometers, covering an area of 11,200km², through Sami land down to the Bothnian coast. It is almost untouched by hydropower industry. Its surface freezes in the winter and it can be very upset during the spring melting. It is no longer used for floating of (spruce) logs to the coast, but it is ideal for cooling and washing off after a day in the tannery or an evening in the sauna.

From a tanning perspective, Pite river water it is very suitable since it has stable acidity. And from a drinking perspective it tastes excellent throughout the year.