In small, family-run workshops scattered across India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Madagascar, the art of making leather bags is passed down from generation to generation. These small factories, often run by entire families, are the heart of local craftsmanship, where each bag is the result of painstaking handwork.
The process begins with traditional tanning of the skin - in India, natural extracts from the bark of trees, especially acacia, are used, which give the leather its characteristic color and durability. Raw hides are soaked in special pools filled with plant solutions, where for weeks the process of transforming the raw material into flexible, durable leather takes place.
The skins are then dried in the sun, stretched out on wooden frames under the open sky. This natural drying process, using the power of the tropical sun, can take from several days to weeks, depending on the thickness of the material and weather conditions.
Each bag is then hand-cut, sewn and decorated by experienced craftsmen who have honed their skills over decades. It is this unique combination of traditional techniques, family secrets and completely handmade production that makes each product carry the soul and history of the place where it was created.
