Leather is a flexible, strong, and durable material made from the tanning or chemical treatment of skins of animals and hides to make sure it does not weather away with time. As a common practice, leather is obtained from cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, pigs, and hogs, but with the rise of technology, we see the inception of new leather sources. Plant-based sources used to develop various kinds of vegan leathers are also now coming to the fore. All in all, leathercrafting is a developing niche and is attracting enthusiasts to invest in its future.

However, getting into the world of leathercrafting is not as easy as it may seem to people. Just because there’s a high demand for premium leather products doesn’t mean that every leathercrafting business is a successful one. There’s a particular methodology that you need to understand about the leather industry and the mindset of the consumers of these products.

This article takes you through all the nuances involved in setting up your own successful leatherworking business.

From the uses of leather in typical leatherworking projects to how you can apply fundamental leathercrafting skills and indulge in creating unique products, we cover all.

Uses of leather

Leather is used in many products like clothing (leather jackets are a favourite), footwear, bags, furniture, tools, and some of the equipment used in sports. Genuine leather lasts for many years if stored well and is taken good care of. Thus, leather is a very versatile and long-lasting fabric that can be used for an array of projects.

However, before starting your own leather business, make sure to have clarity about the product you want to serve your consumer base with.

Dreams can come true with leather.

Dreaming about setting up your own leathercrafting business? Then there are two different paths that you can tread along. One is putting up a range of premium leatherwear products like leather boots, jackets, a handbag, furniture, etc. Leather resonates with a feeling of luxury and success, and your ideal customer group won’t hold back when it comes to indulging in purchasing them.

The other path would be to manufacture base leather or get into the production process of leathercrafting and enter a saturated market with many well-established leather accessories manufacturers.

Regardless of any service you want to provide in the market, your customer base is the foremost thing to consider. You might want to create a supply of leather products in the niche where there’s a demand. However, offering products similar to what is already available in the market will not help your cause. Your product offerings should be unique and creative, something that resonates with your personality, and something that’s also out of the box.

How can you start with leatherworking?

We know the question that’s cruising your head – is leatherworking easy? Well, indulging in making leather or producing leather has a few steps that need to be followed. Thus, if you’re looking to begin working on leather but have little or no clue where to start, then this outline will go a long way in helping you come to grips with leathercrafting.

Pick A Project

If you’re new to leathercrafting, then the only thing you need to ensure is that the project you take up interests you.

Engaging in something that interests you will keep your passion alive. And this will motivate you about making sure you complete the project.

Your conviction to get into this process of manufacturing leather will help you focus on a few skills of leather making. And save you from the overwhelm. You can always begin with something small and simple, like a wallet or a watch strap. Indulging in these small hands-on projects and seeing them through to completion will give you the confidence you need to excel in the leather niche.

Acquaint Yourself With The Fundamentals Of Leathercrafting 

One cannot begin to do anything without preparation. You need to have the required skill set to excel in something and, in this regard, leather making. To understand the process of leather making, you must have an idea of saddle stitching, edge finishing, and cutting. Plus the various other fundamentals of leathercrafting.

Also, there are specific advanced skills which one needs to have an idea of. Some of the advanced abilities include skiving, knife sharpening, and stitching (box stitch). Invest your time in basic projects or projects requiring basic skills at the beginning stages of your leathercrafting journey.

Here’s a list of few skills that you should equip yourself with as you enter into the world of leathercrafting:

Saddle Stitching

The best way to stitch leather is saddle stitching. This style is done by hand. And is considered to out-perform other stitching methods as it creates a knot at each hole. In case the thread breaks at some point, the whole thing will not unravel.

Burnishing

Having finished edges can improve the quality of your work. Burnishing has the quality of finishing an edge by heating the loose fibres together via friction. It’s also the fastest way to do so.

Dyeing Leather

It’s fine to purchase pre-finished leather. But you must know to dye your leather. Honestly, it’s one of the advanced skills one needs to possess to progress in this business. This is also a good option if you cannot afford to purchase a lot of hides.

Glueing

Glueing might be more tricky than it sounds. You must undergo this if you want your edges to be together by stitching. Done properly, it can save you a reasonable amount of time later.

Skiving

It’s one of the most challenging skills for leather making. But it can improve the look and quality of one’s work, especially the edges. Skiving reduces the thickness and edges to either help level edges in varying thickness or edge turning.

Understanding The Basic Tools Of Leathercrafting

Understand the skills required to excel in leathercrafting. Once that’s done, you should familiarise yourself with the tools that help you execute these skills. As a bare minimum, a basic understanding of the leatherworking tools and leatherworking supplies is required. One should be experienced in handling equipment like a knife, glue, needle and thread, diamond chisels, a ruler, and a hammer.

CreateLab and LeatherCraft

Thus, once you’ve got a basic idea of the mentioned terms and decide what kind of leather you need for your project, you can embark on your leathercrafting ventures. We, at CreateLab, a leather goods manufacturer in the UK, offer you a holistic solution when it comes to any of your leathercrafting needs. From providing you with the base material required for your projects to providing consultation, leather goods sampling services, and even product design ideas, we go over and beyond our customer’s expectations to serve you with leather goods in the UK and beyond.

We are a team of experts waiting to provide our exceptional leathercrafting services.