Update On The Women’s Leather Cooperative
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Leather handbag workshop
The Tuareg women’s project to produce leather items for the western market is progressing, but rather slowly. Hadija, Elhadji’s step-mother, her daughter Garfa, Digila, Elhadji’s sister-in-law, and several other women have been working to bring the quality of their work up to western market standards. Unlike the men who have been making jewelry for many years it is challenging for the women to make handbags and other leather pieces in shapes that are not familiar to them. However, it is essential that they use their traditional skills and designs to create things that will sell in the United States and Europe.
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Garfa making a handbag
I am writing this story as I watch them put the finishing touches on the decorations for three new sample handbags. I brought some bags from the United State to show them how they are made. This goatskin leather is not cured in the traditional way so it does not have the characteristic odor of African leather goods. The women first wash the skins in clean water and hang them to dry. Then they twist and work them to make them soft. The next step is to apply dye to make the background colors. Two of the handbags have a rich amber background. The third one was dyed twice, first with amber and then rubbed with red dye to make a stunning iridescent color.
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Large handbag
Some of the motifs are created by dipping the back of a knife in dye and drawing on the leather. The amber bags have geometric designs in red and green. All of the work is done freehand, although they do get inspiration from a lovely large Tuareg pillow I bought a few years ago in Abalak. The red gold handbag is decorated with turquoise appliqués inset with red cutwork. There are three appliqués on each side of the bag. It is finished with black designs applied with the knife.
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Medium handbag
The women usually do all of the sewing by hand, laboriously making each hole with a large needle and then stitching the pieces together. This time we took the pieces to a tailor who sewed them together on his treadle sewing machine. The bags are stronger and it is much less work for the women. The tailor also sewed the interior pockets and zippers and lined the bags. Some of the bags have silver loops which attach the handles to the bags.
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Appliqued handbag
We will use these sample bags to take orders from both retail and wholesale customers. Since leather things are too heavy to ship DHL we will initially have to depend on Elhadji and others to hand carry them to the US. This may mean that delivery can take a few months. If the project is successful we will find another way to ship them.
In addition to the handbags the women have created some leather pillows that make beautiful accent pieces in almost any setting from starkly modern to traditional. These are smaller versions of the ones that Tuaregs sit on during the day and cushion their heads in sleep.
The women are also making leather tassels. Tuaregs use them to decorate camels and donkeys for festivals. However, they make wonderful key rings. They are beautifully made and are easy to feel in the bottom of a large purse. Who wouldn’t want a way to be sure that keys never disappear!