Minimalist Leather Beltbag by LAMA Leather Goods in Berlin

Join the designer-maker of LAMA for a full introductory guide into leather work, by making one of her signature pieces: The Frida or the Callaqui beltbag.

In this project you'll get to go home with a long lasting object with a safety closure & made from sustainable materials. You'll learn the basics about leather, the different types of tanning, how to tell them apart, and how to take care of your leather goods to make them last longer. This bag will probably last at least a century if well taken care off, so you'll be able to pass it on when you don't use it anymore.

First you'll get to choose a colour from our varied palette, and Dani will guide you through the process of cutting the leather by hand, punch, dye cut, set rivets, and then sand, paint, wax and burnish all the edges by hand. Lastly you'll be assembling the hardware and the pieces of leather, and you'll finish off by cold stamping any word you want to personalise your bag.

You don't need previous experience in leather work, but! I do recommend that you feel comfortable using a cutter, leather hammer, dye cutters, press, and other tools.

Please let us know beforehand if there's a specific colour you have in mind, as the availability varies.

About the materials:
I only work with Italian vegetable tanned leather, premium quality material and one the most eco-friendly and ethically responsible option in the market.

What is vegetable tanned leather and why is it sustainable?
Vegetable tanned leather is made with an ancient tanning technique that uses from vegetable materials such as bark, wood, leaves and fruit, which don’t pollute the environment or sicken those who are exposed to it, as opposed to Chrome-based tanning, which is cheaper and faster to produce, and one of the top 5 of world’s worst toxic pollution problems.