Love our Leather: Sustainable Manufacturing in Ethiopia

Today, one of our Apprentices, Gilyn Gibbs, is taking over the blog. Gilyn, take it away!

I don’t know about y’all but I am a sucker for a good leather bag.

I remember standing in Allen’s Boots as a child, surrounded by that wonderful smell of leather, walking down the aisles and touching all of the handmade items the store had to offer. I still wholeheartedly believe that there is nothing better than the smell of brand-new leather.

As an adult, I have found myself wondering where each piece of leather comes from and what processes it has gone through to become the gorgeous final product that it is.

With our Passport Wallets and new Dopp Kits we do not have to wonder any longer!

Both of these items come from our artisan partner, Connected in Hope, which is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty in Ethiopia by empowering women through education. We are so happy to share that all of their leather is manufactured LOCALLY and SUSTAINABLY by Hafde Tannery in Ethiopia.

Hafde Tannery’s main goal is not to just employ their artisans, but to empower them through opportunity. All of their leather is sourced from small, family farms in Ethiopia and manufactured by skilled individuals who are considered by Hafde Tannery to be “masters at what they do”. They care about their employees and about supporting the local economy, but they are particularly passionate about environmental sustainability.

Hafde Tannery is known as one of the world’s most progressive tanneries because of its commitment to maintaining the environment. First of all, sourcing the leather from small farmers eliminates the environmental degradation that is caused by large-scale agriculture. Secondly, they are one of the only tanneries in the world that has a system for recycling chrome-3, one of the main chemicals used to manufacture the leather. They are passionate about their cause and committed to becoming even more environmentally responsible as they grow.

I love that Hafde Tannery is so ethically and environmentally conscious about their product and I am even more impressed by how great the quality is every. single. time.. It’s the best of the best!

Shop our ‘For the Fellows’ Collection now and get some of these great items before they run out!