The Koninklijke Lederfabrieken Oisterwijk was founded in 1871 and grew into one of the most important leather factories in the Netherlands. At a time when North Brabant was the center of the Dutch leather industry, the company benefited from local expertise, water resources, and access to raw materials.

In the early 20th century, production shifted from traditional pit tanning to mechanical and chemical tanning methods. The factory produced sole leather and technical leather products and became a major employer in Oisterwijk. In the 1920s, the company received the prestigious “Royal” designation.

After the Second World War, the factory modernized once more, but from the 1960s onward the Dutch leather industry faced increasing foreign competition, the rise of synthetic materials, and stricter environmental regulations. In the 1980s, the factory closed permanently.

For more than a century, the Royal Leather Factories Oisterwijk played a significant role in the industrial development of the Brabant region.