International Leather Maker

While marketing is a thing of ancient history, this quote from Adam Smith – written in the year of American Independence, 1776 – does explain a core foundation of marketing; the way to succeed involves a careful consideration of the customer’s needs. It is a simple thing, but one made complicated by the vast changes […]

As society deploys all its human and physical energy, along with eye-watering financial commitments, into the digital world of artificial intelligence (AI), the objective appears to be the short-term one of capturing the high ground to win the spoils. So-called database “learning” and “scraping” are more involved in accessing all manner of data free of […]

When multiple industry bodies published a Leather Manifesto to coincide with the 2021 Glasgow COP26 meeting, it was to use the opportunity to spread the messages about leather’s value to a wider audience. So many conversations were going on from which the leather industry was excluded, and facts and opinions were being presented about leather […]

One of the most important markets for leather is luxury. Leather dominates some major luxury areas such as bags and footwear but seeps into almost all other categories as a major or minor but essential component as with furniture, luxury vehicles, yachts and even watch straps. In luxury experiences, leather is often used in furniture […]

The leather industry has become very marketing oriented in its promotion of leather in recent years. It was long overdue. A lot of emphasis is put on the patina of leather, its longevity in use and the fact that it is remarkable for wearing in rather than wearing out. When leather articles are repaired it […]

Making leather is sometimes called a manufacturing process, and occasionally we call tanneries “factories” to escape association with environmental sins of the past. This should end – most of those “sins” are only so defined by looking backwards with modern knowledge of science and medicine. Responsible tanneries today, the overwhelming majority, are celebrating environmental responsibility […]

As the leather industry congregates in Milan, I hope they will spend time looking at the opportunity afforded by the convergence of consumer revulsion to plastics, supply chain restructuring caused by America’s trade policy and a need to reverse the loss of hides and skins going to landfill and gelatine. There is a second set […]

This summer has raised my sprits quite unexpectedly. For the second year, I was invited to join the judging for the RLSD Africa Showcase and more than I ever imagined I found it an utterly uplifting experience. Judging in design competitions is not an area in which I am skilled. A glove design competition in […]