Leather products are ubiquitous in our daily lives, from sofas to handbags, shoes, and wallets. While designer leather goods often boast of being manufactured overseas, a recent surge in the "Made in Hong Kong" trend has garnered attention for local handmade brands hidden in back alleys, upstairs shops, and industrial buildings. These original, hand-sewn leather goods retain a unique warmth and soul, making them well worth the effort to discover.
Material kit for making a simple handbag and turning old leather jackets into card holders
Tai Nan Street in Sham Shui Po is a must-visit for leather lovers, home to a plethora of time-honored leather shops. Among them is The Lederer, a less than 10-year-old tannery owned by its parent company, Shui Hing Leather Factory, a tannery with over 30 years of roots in Hong Kong. Kean Pak, the third-generation owner of one of Hong Kong's last surviving tanneries, wanted to find a way to keep the factory afloat. He founded The Lederer, a one-stop design and retail operation selling a wide range of leather-related products, including hand-sewing kits for wallets, card holders, and handbags, as well as leather materials, tools, and maintenance products. He also offers DIY hand-sewing workshops, hoping to provide knowledge beyond the products themselves, such as tool usage and leather care.
Unfortunately, due to numerous operational difficulties, while the leather factory remains operational, Kean cites the high cost of local leather production, citing the current products as primarily vegetable-tanned cowhide or sheepskin imported from Italy or France. The shop frequently features in-house designs, and leather enthusiasts can purchase hand-sewing kits to create their own, with instructional videos available on the website. For gifts or personal use, the shop can also purchase hand-sewn finished products. If you already have old leather goods in good condition, they can be given a second life by being remade into new items. Kean mentioned a customer who used an old leather jacket as material to create a new leather card holder.
Regarding maintenance products, he advises against using alcohol disinfectant or water to clean genuine leather. Instead, use a specialized leather cleaner, such as a leather mildew remover or antiseptic spray. Regularly applying oil every two to three months, applying a thin layer of oil to the surface of the leather, maintains the leather's texture, much like human skin requires cream to maintain its condition.
Text: Chen Zhenji | Art: Xie Weihao | Editor: Liang Xiaoling