The artistory of Leather Craft
The ancient craft of using animal hide for a variety of products like animal saddles, belts, water storage, shoes etc…is evolved partly out of a need to find a material which was sturdy, weather resistant as well as comfortable. In addition to this it helped in recycling the skin of dead animals.
Over the years the craft has honed and newer techniques have been incorporated to keep up with the stylistic trends of the market but the essential processes remain the same…of skinning, removing the hair, liming, hammering, tanning, drying and then the cutting, crafting, stitching and adding the embellishments to give them the unique identity.
New products like diaries, journals, book covers, baggage tags, wallets, hand bags have been added over the years and traditional craftsmen are exploring both local and international markets where Indian leather craft is highly valued because of its tough handmade quality and its vibrant designs
The traditional craftsmen rely totally on their hands and are not dependent on any gadgetry, making the industry sustainable and affordable. They swear by these methods which keeps the investment low and keeps them free of any dependency… either on big machines or the erratic electric supply in their village. The entire family including the women are involved in the making of the products.
Mahesh of Udaipuria, a village near Jaipur is following his father’s traditional profession of making leather diaries. He is willing to accept fresh inputs and expand his product range and styles.
He is now creating theme diaries with tiger pug marks as a message to save the tiger and embossing messages of peace, compassion and other human values on business diaries.