Business ideas for working with genuine leather. Manufacturing of leather accessories as a business

Good afternoon I opened a production facility. And now I don’t know what to do next...
I'll start from the beginning. I am a designer leather goods, more precisely - bags and shoes. The shoes were swept aside immediately - since shoe tailoring is difficult to organize. I settled on bags.

There is education and experience in production, there is also equipment. I bought special equipment for my industrial sewing machine - I won’t go into details, but sewing leather is more labor-intensive than sewing clothes, and a straight-stitch industrial machine is not enough.
At first I sewed exclusively to order, because it was constant money and there were almost always orders. But I had to set a low price for the finished product, because otherwise people were not willing to pay. They will go to the store to look for a ready-made bag if I overprice it. But this is hellish work, every time I draw a new drawing, develop patterns, etc., in general, after six months my nerves gave way and I decided to sew in batches, so that I could then hand them over to stores.
I developed models, made patterns, purchased materials, and together with the seamstress we began to work. They sewed a number of models, but then I realized that I simply didn’t know where to take it all. All my life my work has ended with finished product and other people were involved in sales.
Now I’m at a crossroads - while I’m shopping and offering to take the goods for sale. I'm worried that they'll ruin it, but I don't see any other way out.
How else can you sell the product?
I didn’t register an individual entrepreneur, an LLC or a closed joint-stock company either, because I thought that first the business should start making a profit.
Large stores require me to have a legal entity or a registered trademark.
What advice can you give to a beginner? I can always return to custom tailoring, but this is an extreme measure that I really don’t want to resort to

08 Nov 2016

08 Nov 2016

08 Nov 2016

It’s a vicious circle, you don’t want to legalize - stores don’t want to take goods from someone unknown.

But there is still an ambush; it is not a fact that stores will accept them at all.

Have you considered online platforms like crafts fairs and eBay?

You are right about registration - it’s not a fact that they will take you with registration

From time to time I think about mastering some other niche... but I have no thoughts.

By the way, they say in Moscow sales are good at exhibitions... in St. Petersburg, the population is apparently much poorer

09 Nov 2016

The Crafts Fair is a very specific platform. Almost everyone I know has tried to sell there and nothing... Selling bags there is extremely difficult. These are not beads - the price is different. Plus, our level of trust in products from craftsmen is zero. It seems like a self-propelled gun. And if you can give 500 or 1000 rubles for beads, then they won’t give 5000 for a bag. They will go to the store and buy it there. I myself have never bought anything at the fair, although I still seem to be a loyal buyer, at least because of my activities. For the majority, the stereotype of a factory - good, from a master - self-made seems to me to be in their heads.

Lera Drepak told in an interview with Kontur.Zhurnal how the market of small workshops for the production of leather goods is developing in Krasnoyarsk, how consumers feel about unique goods and what prospects are opening up for manufacturers.

How it all began

Another bag from a mass market fell apart, and I felt sad - you spend a month looking for a suitable thing, but only wear it for six months. And although the bags are inexpensive, buying them every six months is expensive. I had an urgent need for a bag that would serve me for at least a couple of years. And I decided to make it myself.

This experiment required only 4,000 rubles. This amount was enough to go to Novosibirsk and buy the minimum - a small piece of thick leather, an awl and thread. There are no suppliers of saddle leather in my city, but in Novosibirsk I got acquainted with the wide range, took samples, made friends with suppliers so that I could place an order by e-mail and not have to travel a thousand kilometers each time.

I had not worked with leather until that moment, but I knew how to handle thread and needle since childhood. My grandmother, like many women of the older generation, sewed clothes for herself and sewed clothes for the whole family. In times of shortage, fabric was easier to acquire than ready-made clothing. I loved watching the finished product emerge from under the old Singer. I observed, learned and participated in the process. Later I started creating clothes for myself: measuring, cutting, sewing.

After graduating from university, I tried myself in many fields. I worked in my profession as a photographer, sales representative, art director, salesperson, but I was only really interested in sewing. I stopped wasting my time and started making custom clothes. I drew a lot of sketches, participated in competitions for fashion designers and added bags everywhere, because they make the image look complete.

When I made the first bag, I was pleased, because it turned out the way I had planned. But I was surprised that other people were interested in her. Friends and acquaintances asked me about her. People on buses, in stores, on the street asked where I bought this bag. So I started making custom-made bags. The first orders barely covered the costs of materials, but thanks to them I learned to work with leather.

With each new product, interest in our bags increased, and their quality increased accordingly. I tried complex designs, darkened and lightened the skin with beeswax, polished the edges to a shine with various products that I brewed at home, and used processing methods that I found on the Internet and came up with myself.

I invested all my income in purchasing new tools and materials. The volume of production was growing, and I thought about renting premises. Guys who also worked with leather approached me and offered to rent a room for three. We worked in this composition for six months, after which everyone went on a free voyage. It was a valuable experience.

Range

It surprises me that Russian manufacturers skins are not interested in new clients. Managers had to beg for samples or send couriers to them at their own expense. In Europe and the USA, companies are more interested in cooperation; they sent us samples for free and delivered them faster than they do in Russia.

It may seem that appearance bags depends only on the material, but this is not true. Bad fittings turn a bag from expensive Italian leather into cheap consumer goods. I tried to work with different suppliers in Russia, China and Europe, but in terms of quality and price I was more satisfied with manufacturers from the USA.

Now we make not only bags, but also wallets, belts, cases for barbers, cardholders, bracelets and even jewelry. On average, we produce from 40 to 80 items per month, it all depends on the complexity and size.

Our main bags are made from thick saddle leather, but I like to experiment with materials. I made bags in combination with wood, large soft shopping bags made of thin draped leather. And in Lately I'm drawn to the combination of soft, textured leather with firm, smooth leather. I'm preparing a new range of bags that will be noticeably different from anything I've made before and from what you can find in stores.

Competitive environment and sales

Handmade bags take a long time to produce. Of course, if we are talking about high quality work. It takes a craftsman four to five full working days to make one briefcase. All parts must be measured to the nearest millimeter, the edges must be smooth and polished, the mesh surface must be sanded and coated with a protective agent, all parts must be stitched by hand. The saddle stitch does not unravel even if it breaks. One stitch can be cut with a knife, and it will not tear further, like a machine stitch. We make something that will last 10-20 years and can be passed on by inheritance. Working with machines is inferior in terms of durability. Therefore, the most expensive and sought-after bags in the world are handmade bags.

Due to increased demand, we are working 80% for pre-orders, 20% for stores.

We treat the brand with care and work only with interesting stores. And further important point- percentage of markup. Most stores operate with a markup of 50%. We can’t cut the price in half and work at a loss.

There are competitors in every field and in every city. In our price category there are a lot of famous brands that produce bags. If we look globally, we compete with both jewelry workshops and gadget manufacturers. What to give your girlfriend on her birthday? Bag, ring or iPhone. As for local leather goods manufacturers, many of them have recently appeared in Krasnoyarsk, but only a few can demonstrate high quality. Personally, I like that new workshops are appearing, because what more people deals with leather, the higher the interest of buyers in handmade products.

One of the promotion methods we use is a guarantee and free service. We take care of the bag, renew the color of the leather and cover it with protective agents.

To provide after-sales service to customers from other cities, we recently created a leather care kit that will come with the bag.

On the Internet, we make the most sales through Instagram. This is a very convenient social network with a clear, minimalistic profile. In addition, with the help of photographs you can show how and with what it is better to wear a particular bag.

Future plans

Today, the main goal is to increase production capacity, since the demand for bags already exceeds supply.

We have three people working simultaneously on the creation of bags. We plan to take on two more specialists to the team, distribute tasks among all specialists and increase the volume three times. I am currently developing a training system for new employees. After all, how we work with skin is not taught in universities and colleges.

As for the long-term prospects, our plans are to launch an online store, release new collection, purchase of sewing machines and machines for the production of a new budget line of machine-stitched products. I would also like to pay more attention to promotion, because we do cool things and people should know about it.

But the most important thing we want to do is next year, is to enter the international market. Thanks to social networks, we have orders from Europe and America. Selling bags for dollars is now very profitable.

Leather products have not lost their relevance since ancient times. Despite the presence of large production facilities for sewing leather goods, it is no less popular handmade, since the products are unique.

The following accessories are made from leather: wallets, belts, bindings for diaries and books, jewelry, as well as bags.

You can buy genuine leather not only in specialized stores, but also in studios, and also order through an online store. If you plan to make small products, then it is not necessary to buy whole pieces of leather, but try to negotiate with the same studio where they will sell you scraps at a low price. In general, the cost of leather depends on the type (pork, veal, goat), thickness, and quality of dressing. Approximate price kg of leather scraps 200-300 rubles.

When working with leather you will need the following tools:

• scissors
• hole puncher
• rulers (narrow, wide, triangle)
• vice and clamp
• French knife

A French knife is designed to perform an operation called polishing. Rulers are needed to cut the required pieces evenly and safely. To glue several parts together, they are clamped with clamps. Using a vice, leather products are fixed.

Making leather accessories is not such a difficult matter, but initial stage Many questions may arise about tools and sewing technologies, but over time, such an activity will bring both money and pleasure. Before buying expensive tools, first consult with qualified people who do something similar to avoid unnecessary expenses.

You can start a leather accessories business at home. The room should be spacious and ventilated, since you will have to work with glue. The cutting table should not be slippery, otherwise it will not work properly. It is advisable to lay linoleum or hardboard on the table, because when cutting, the knife will constantly move to the sides due to the wood fiber.

At the initial stage, it is better to make simple leather accessories so as not to spend a lot of time on work. You need to learn this craft, and after purchasing expensive equipment you can produce complex things. Experienced craftsmen give recommendations on setting a markup of 25-30% of the cost. Subsequently, having made a name, so to speak, promoted the brand, you can build more.

To sell leather accessories, it is rational to use not only traditional sales through trade stalls, shops, but also via the Internet. It is advisable to immediately create a group in in social networks, place products on bulletin boards, and you can also make your own website. Website development can be ordered, the cost varies between 15-50 thousand. rub depending on the technical specifications and other details. The production of leather accessories must partly be of a specific nature, i.e. engage in the production of original items to order. This is very important because on various holidays people are always looking for unique gifts on the Internet.

What to achieve large quantity sales via the Internet, you need to take high-quality photographs, which means you will need a good camera. The more photographs there are, the better, because a person cannot evaluate the product remotely, touch it, etc.

The good thing about the leather accessories business is that it is not seasonal. Leather products are always in demand, so you will always have orders.

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It’s wonderful when a person not only does what he loves, but also manages to make money from it. The production of bags could be such a promising business for you.

This accessory is loved not only by women: men also appreciate good-quality briefcases or laptop bags. And kids love bright, original backpacks. So, with proper promotion, you are guaranteed clients.

How to beat your competitors

You could argue that the market is oversaturated with cheap goods from China. It’s difficult to compete with him, since he can interrupt from the very beginning low price almost impossible.

However, you don’t need to chase outright cheapness. You have the power to attract people with quality. It is the lack of this property in Chinese products that discourages many from thinking about buying them. You can offer a product that is more expensive, but of impeccable execution.

Sale of leather bags

In most cases, entrepreneurs organize a sewing line leather bags. Natural and artificial leather are most often used in the production of these accessories.

And consumers are more willing to buy products made from the mentioned materials.

To reduce the cost of goods, it is best to rent a room (you can even do it on the territory of a former garment factory), put several sewing machines, an ironing press, and equipment for installing accessories there.

The production of bags is divided into technological stages, each of which is carried out sequentially by employees. As a result, you receive a batch of new products that will be sold either in company store, or through other retail outlets.

New trend – eco-bags

If you can’t yet afford to launch a large-scale enterprise for the production of bags, then try your hand at the currently fashionable environmental trend. We are talking about textile “string bags”. Polyethylene bags greatly pollute the planet. They can lie in the ground without decomposing for centuries.

Therefore, in Europe, America, and here in Russia, it has become popular to carry canvas bags with you. They fold easily and do not take up much space. They won't tear. And they are comfortable to carry on the shoulder, thanks to the long handles.

Fabric for sewing bags is purchased in bulk. Usually it is polyester, thick cotton, denim, corduroy. That is, the material must be durable and yet easy to wash.

The production technology for such products is simple; the only fittings on them are a button. Therefore, it is quite possible to use the labor of home-based seamstresses. Your responsibilities include cutting and distributing blanks among the craftswomen. Then you need to go pick up the finished string bags and sell them.

By the way, many large retail chains have begun to offer their customers not disposable plastic bags, but fabric bags. Therefore, it is quite possible for you to get a regular customer who will purchase wholesale quantities from you regularly.

Handmade designer bags

This segment usually employs craftsmen who make exclusive, expensive models based on individual orders. As a rule, this is sewing bags at home. Here, success depends on the ability to come up with something truly original. True, not every client will be able to shell out a tidy sum for a manual design work. Therefore, many designers take on the task of creating sketches and patterns for mass production.

Registration

If you have decided what niche you will occupy in the production of a popular accessory, then begin the process of registering your business.

You can choose the status individual entrepreneur. Or start organizing a limited liability company. The latter is much more complicated and will require more time from you to complete the process.

In addition to choosing a business form, you need to decide on the taxation system. Typically, this is a simplified system that will not require you to hire whole state accountants.

If you intend to rent premises for the production of bags, you will need to obtain permission from the fire inspectorate and the SES.

If you wish, you can issue quality certificates for your products. This requirement is not mandatory, but it significantly increases your credibility in the eyes of potential buyers. To obtain a certificate, you must provide a sample of your product, technical documentation to a specialized center, go through the examination procedure and receive the long-awaited confirmation of quality.

Equipment

To start production from scratch, you need to purchase and install the required minimum equipment. This includes:

• sewing machine for bags;
• ironing press (or at least an iron and ironing board);
• cutting table;
• machine for punching buttons.

It is clear that craftswomen cannot do without scissors, needles, and hand punches.

If we're talking about about the manufacture of leather products, then do not skimp on the purchase of a glue-spreading machine, a device for cutting edges, and devices for embossing. As your enterprise grows, you can expand the list of equipment and increase the degree of automation of processes. This will significantly reduce the cost of your products.

The sewing machine for bags should be an industrial type. Household models will not withstand stress, and they do not cope well with leather or other dense materials. At the initial stage, you can select used production machines. They cost much less.

It is important to immediately agree with suppliers about the service. Then, in the event of a breakdown, you won’t have to look for spare parts suitable for your model, and you won’t need to invite outside experts.

Technological processes

The technology for sewing bags is the same for leather models, and for textiles. As someone responsible for production, you need to understand what stages it consists of.

• The first stage is to develop a sketch of the future product.
• The second is the creation of patterns. How accurately each detail is calculated depends final result. Often, to test a new model, it is made trial version. You can clearly evaluate possible mistakes, correct them and rework the patterns, taking into account the identified miscalculations. It's better to spend a little time making adjustments than to ruin a whole batch.
• Then cutting is done according to the patterns. When working with genuine leather, you have to be extremely careful and resourceful. It is necessary to arrange the parts on the material as economically as possible, avoiding areas with defects.
• After this, the parts are sewn together.
• At the same time, the lining of the product is also assembled. Then the necessary fittings and decorative trim are installed.

At the exit, it would be nice to organize some kind of quality control. This will protect your reputation. You simply will not allow defective goods to be sold.

Assembling a team

Only a master who creates exclusive accessories to order can cope alone. But full-fledged production of bags cannot do without hired workers.

The number of seamstresses is determined by the scale of the enterprise and the volumes you are targeting. Workers can be placed in the workshop, or homeworkers can be used. The latter option is, of course, cheaper.

Then you need to think about who exactly will create sketches of the bags for you. The services of a professional designer are expensive. But you can always use the services of freelancers. You just need to make sure of their abilities and artistic taste. Studying the submitted portfolios will help with this.

It’s great if the designer has design skills. Because based on the sketch, someone must draw a pattern.

As the enterprise expands and enters the market, a sales manager for finished products may be needed.

Sales of goods

Making bags is not an end in itself. Your goal is to successfully sell your product. A business plan for the production of bags necessarily contains information on ways to sell finished products.

There are two ways here.

In the first option, you launch an online store and open it in a large mall branded point of sale. But then you need a salesperson. Even in the case of an online store, a person is needed to process and send orders arriving on the site.

The second method involves sales through third-party retail outlets. You offer your goods in wholesale quantities to large and small shops or boutiques. In this case, you are freed from the need to hire additional staff, rent space or pay for website creation services.

Leather goods are integral parts of clothing. In addition to their utilitarian function, they also play aesthetic role, being an addition to the costume. Leather products are popular among buyers, which means that a profitable business can be made from their sale or production.

Natalya GULATKAN

The greatest demand among buyers is for belts, wallets, binders for diaries, cases for mobile phones. You can start their production in your own apartment, doing all the work yourself. However, first you should undergo training from a master, since this craft requires deep knowledge.

Leather goods maker Petr Kuku said that from an early age he helped his father in the leather making workshop. outerwear made of leather and fur. “For some time,” he says, “he worked in workshops making bags and shoes, gradually honing and polishing his skills. At the same time, he studied at Technical University, then opened my own business.”

Alexander Khentov, deputy director of the Maalex Group, says that before the company decided to start own production leather bags and clutches, the business was built on the sale of bags from abroad. “To learn how to sew leather goods, I worked for some time with a master, then received secondary specialized education in this profession, because without knowledge in this area it is almost impossible to work,” he said.

Before you open your own workshop, acquire an entrepreneurial patent - a state certificate that certifies the right to engage in the type specified in it entrepreneurial activity during certain period(Article 1, paragraph 1 of the Law on Entrepreneurial Patent No. 93-XIV of July 15, 1998). This document is issued by the mayor's office and the territorial tax office.

Material quality

Quality is the main thing that a master should pay attention to. The number of satisfied customers, and therefore your image, depends on the quality of the products. Determine what material your products will be made of - natural or artificial leather. Although genuine leather will be more expensive, its quality is better.

To ensure that your production does not stand idle, acquire permanent suppliers. When choosing them, pay attention to the company’s image, the quality of raw materials, and how it meets delivery deadlines. Suppliers sell leather not in sheets, but in skins. One square decimeter of leather (goat, calf or pork) costs about 1,000 lei. More exotic species are more expensive.

However, genuine leather also varies in quality. For example, cheap belts are made from pigskin, but the durability of such raw materials is poor. The most popular material is calfskin. Sheepskin is also used, and goatskin is used for expensive designer belts. As for bags, it is better to make them from hard leather. If you are using soft leather, you need to use duplicating linings made of dense material to give the shape.

Equipment installation

Many craftsmen started their business with single orders, which they completed at home. However, if you want to enter production capacity, you will need space for a full-fledged workshop. All equipment necessary for the technological process will be located there. In the room you will place a convenient table for cutting, racks for workpieces, materials and accessories. If you want to reach the required volumes of product production for sale, the production of leather products will have to be automated. Without equipment, you will not be able to perform technological processes efficiently and without defects.

Initial capital

The amount of investment in this business depends on the number of personnel, the material used, as well as on the equipment. So, Eduard Donchila, director of the Trenwood company, says that you can buy a sewing machine for 1 thousand €, or you can buy it for 5-6 thousand € (German). Naturally, the more money you invest in production, the better.

According to Alexandra Khentova, minimum amount required to enter this business is $10,000(about 150,000 lei). It includes the costs of renting premises, purchasing equipment, materials, staff salaries, and paying for utilities.

We select personnel

Considering that it will be difficult for one person to manage the business, it is better to hire a second master, who, naturally, must have the necessary skills. If you decide to sell products through your own outlet, How Alexander Khentov, you will have to additionally hire a sales consultant, on whose efforts your profit will depend. “The more professional the seller, the more buyers he will be able to interest in your product, therefore, the faster you will recoup your investment in the business and begin to make a profit,” he says.

Difficulties

According to Peter Kuku, there are many difficulties in this business. “You must be able to correctly convey information to the client, and, accordingly, understand him correctly. You also have the responsibility for finding quality materials and for properly organizing the work of the workshop. And finally, as someone once told me experienced master“We need to collect the best from different technologies and methods of making objects and apply it in practice,” shared Petr Kuku.

Eduard Donchila draws attention to the lack of specialists in this field: “There are almost no real professionals. And we need thinking people who love to work with their hands and are ready to perform different operations every day. In addition, specialists must comply with the requirements for product quality, which is again very difficult for them. Another question is whether potential employees want to be trained. Unfortunately, I don’t see any particular enthusiasm on their part.”

Other difficulties that arise in this business include the high price of the material. Eduard Donchila reported that component materials, as well as leather, which he orders from Europe, become more expensive every year, sometimes several times. In addition, there are problems with equipment, because no one imports it to Moldova, so we have to order it from Italy.

“The products we sell and manufacture compete with products from China. In addition, we have a small market - the city of Chisinau. At the same time, it cannot be said that we strongly feel the competition,” noted Alexander Khentov. At the same time, he noted that many companies that have worked in this market for about 10 years are closing due to unprofitability of the business.

Promotion

“It is necessary to constantly develop, participate in exhibitions that are held in Moldova, as well as abroad. Also, in terms of promotion, “word of mouth” works effectively when people recommend you to their acquaintances or friends,” added Alexander Khentov.

“If you choose between television advertising and online promotion, the latter is much more effective for leather products. However, do not forget that advertising is Long procces, and before you work up a constant client base, it will take about 5 years or even more,” warned Eduard Donchila.