The Croctique Story
Our History
The skins used in the manufacture of our leather goods are sourced exclusively from Hartley’s Creek Crocodile Farm in Far North Queensland, Australia. Our crocodile farm operates in conjunction with the world-famous eco-wildlife tourist attraction, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.
Our tourism business was established in 1934 and is renowned for its daring crocodile shows, giant Saltwater Crocodiles, and the largest collection of native wildlife in Northern Australia.
The commercial crocodile farm commenced operations in 1990 and is approved by both Queensland State and Federal government to raise crocodiles for skin and meat, and export crocodile products globally. The crocodiles at Hartley’s Creek Crocodile Farm are raised to standards meeting world’s best practice in relation to husbandry and welfare. It is fully compliant with all State and Federal Regulations as regards to commercial crocodile farming which in turn is undertaken in Australia under a CITES approved management plan.
Our Crocodiles
The Journey They Take
Of the 26 species of crocodilians, the Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodile produces the leather most sought after by high end French and Italian fashion houses. The skin is recognised for its attractive symmetrical pattern of small, raised scales with ‘buttons’ on the outer edge and square scales towards the centre. It is the most aesthetically pleasing of all.
The raw skins from the Hartley’s farm are exported to Japan for tanning into leather, which is then manufactured by artisans into a range of bespoke fashion goods.
The model selected for each Croctique handbag is determined by the individual characteristics of each finished hide, to take full advantage of the scale pattern which makes the Estuarine crocodile, the world’s most coveted exotic skin.
Croctique works closely with Tokyo based artisans, renowned for their superior workmanship to produce bespoke leather goods for the discerning buyer, experimenting with both neutral and bold colours, novel finishes, and custom designs. Our fashion goods are deliberately produced in small batches with limited styles in each colour range, ensuring a high level of exclusivity for Croctique’s ever growing followers.
The Croctique range can be defined as ‘understated luxury’. The products are the ideal fashion accessory for someone looking to secure a genuine hand-crafted creation with known provenance. Stylish crocodile accessories never go out of fashion and with proper care, can last for decades. Whether it is gift for a loved one or a self-reward for hard-won success, a crocodile handbag or leather good, can be both a functional work tool and glamour item.