About leathercrafting

Leathercraft is one of the most ancient professions in history.

Processing of leather can be traced back far in human history. Our ancestors made use of all parts of hunted animals. The properties of leather made this material indispensable very quickly.

It is durable and can be easily shaped, so no wonder why it is still popular in our time. Old masters of leather have always adjusted themselves to the needs of times and made everyday objects, clothes, shoes, water-bags, sabretache, horse trappings and many more.

As the objects around us, the profession itself has also gone through changes. In the old times, leather crafters made all steps in leather work from tanning and preserving the raw material to the ready-made product. In time these phases became individual professions. In the beginning, needs were satisfied by little leather tanneries. Mass production came later. With time new trades such as bootmaker, harness and saddle maker etc. occurred.

As leathercraft became an organic part of our culture it also found its inspiration in it. From a time, everyday objects have become richly decorated with folk motifs containing an additional message beyond the simple usage.

These motifs and symbols carry a definite meaning and talk about the faith and identity of their wearer. An item was the best when it was designed together with the craftsman.

A leather crafter does not use machines, only handiwork and uses only top quality leathers and natural accessories. So the process of creation is extremely time consuming, especially with uniquely designed items and it is reflected in their price. Working with folk motifs does not follow the latest fashion but can be still trendy.

The difference between leather crafter and leather worker

Leather worker is a product of modernity. This profession has been developed simultaneously with artificial leather production. The quality of the artificial leather is improving so mass production supported by specialized machines and equipment has become available. These products follow the latest trends, cheap but not long-lasting.  My philosophy is different. I use only the best quality leather and make everything by hand but of course, I use leather worker techniques, too.