Handmade leather has no future, where will the real craftsman go.

The Prospects of Handcrafted Leatherwork: A Discussion and Analysis

The future of handcrafted leatherwork, a subject frequently raised in various forums, intrigues not only beginners and passionate enthusiasts but also seasoned practitioners. Today, I'd like to delve into and analyze this topic.

Future potential? Financial rewards?

When we talk about "future potential," what we often mean is financial gain. I will be straightforward and bold in saying that yes, both the potential for the future and financial returns are there.

Why do I mention "boldness"? Because we often hesitate to acknowledge our true intentions, avoiding the confrontation with selfishness, greed, and material desires that reside within us. As a craftsman, the first task is to learn to coexist with oneself, daring to face one's authenticity, encompassing even the callous, selfish, and deceitful parts, as they are an integral part of you that you must accept. Hence, if you seek a future with potential and financial gains, you must confront your true self, laying the foundation for becoming an outstanding leather artisan.

Future Potential

In recent years, the number of handcrafted leatherwork enthusiasts has surged, along with an increase in leather and tool merchants on e-commerce platforms, and a wealth of material kits have become available. "Making leatherwork at home" has become a possibility. If this is your goal, congratulations, you have discovered a craft that truly enriches the soul.

Low barrier to entry: With just a few hundred dollars for some tools and leather, you can embark on your leatherworking journey. By redirecting time spent gaming, drinking, or scrolling through social media to create something tangible, you will experience immense inner satisfaction.

An endless pursuit: The knowledge involved in leatherwork is vast, and even after a year or two, you might feel you've seen it all. But five years down the line, you'll realize there's so much more to learn: leather, techniques, patterns – each of these three aspects alone is a profound field of study, not to mention dyes, treatments, tools, hardware, and other details.

Handcrafted leatherwork is a tradition worth preserving

Desirable working environment: Handcrafted leatherwork is clean, not physically demanding, and doesn't require outdoor space. Set up a workbench at home, hang your tools on the wall, and in your spare time, sit down, look at your tool wall, play your favorite music, and focus on creating – this is a deeply satisfying experience.

Concentrate on making things you love

Practicality: Regardless of your skill level, you can generally ensure that what you produce is usable. You can keep your creations for personal use, gift them to friends and family, and as your craftsmanship improves, you may even sell your work, recouping your expenses (a concept in the leather community known as "replenishment").

Financial Rewards

Nowadays, many in the leatherworking circle seek financial gain through their craft. Some are enthusiasts who see business opportunities and possess the skills but lack marketing and sales knowledge. Others are entrepreneurs who recognize the value of handmade goods and shift their business focus to leatherwork without understanding the technical craftsmanship. The result is often overpriced products from the former and counterfeit goods from the latter, leading to consumer disorientation and diminishing the charm of genuine leatherwork.

Drawing on my five years of industry experience, I'll share some ways to make money through leatherwork:

Customization: This is a path most practitioners (including workshops) take when they don't fully understand the industry and have a small investment. They make products and take custom orders, which are mostly unstable (lacking systematic marketing), difficult to price (due to varying costs across different orders), and inconsistent in quality (due to inexperience). The solution is to find your specialty, focus on one direction for many years, ensuring consistent product quality, strong competitiveness, cost control, and a unified style that consumers recognize. Years of accumulated reputation will bring sustained orders.

Material suppliers: Tools, leather, hardware, dyes, treatments, equipment, patterns, cutters, threads, books, exhibitions – all involved in leatherwork have significant market prospects, especially tools and leather. Some successful businesses have started customizing leather in Italy and developing their own branded tools (especially for leather carving).

Training: Training is recognized as the most profitable in the leather circle, hence the internet is flooded with tutorials from self-proclaimed masters seeking to recruit students. This requires keen discernment from beginners. How should one start learning leatherwork, what are the expected costs, and what issues should be considered? These will be detailed in the next content release, which I invite those interested to follow.

Experience DIY: Domestic leather studios, regardless of their quality, do not excel in offering DIY experiences. This is closely related to the nature of leatherwork itself. Novice experiences need to consider difficulty, patterns, tools, leather, as well as duration and final product quality. Masters with patience and skill would rather make more products themselves. Studios focusing on experience classes often neglect the primary importance of product quality, misleading participants into thinking leatherwork is nothing more than cutting and stitching.

Where to Go From Here

Interest is the best teacher, so if you're passionate about handcrafted leatherwork, you can find your place here. However, you will confront your true self. Before perfecting a piece, one must first become a skilled "artisan," focusing on the work itself to earn respect.

Tailor Your Content If you're interested in leatherwork, want to learn it, or encounter confusion during your studies, feel free to message me. I guarantee a 100% response. Comments and private messages for customized content are also welcome.