HIDE THE LIGHT

Category: Accessories

This project focuses on expanding the product portfolio of Jawaja leather craft by designing contemporary products using naturally tanned leather that can be manufactured with the artisans' existing materials, tools, and traditional techniques. The objective is to create practical, scalable, and commercially viable products through simple, time efficient production processes that improve productivity, reduce manufacturing complexity, and enhance artisan profitability. The design approach emphasizes working primarily with naturally tanned leather, minimizing the use of allied materials wherever possible. By utilizing leather's inherent structural properties, stiffness, and shape-retaining ability, the project explores the creation of strong, self-supporting forms without additional reinforcement. This simplifies production, reduces costs, and preserves the authenticity of the material and craft tradition. The development process is based on the artisans' existing skills and workshop capabilities, ensuring that the products can be seamlessly integrated into current production systems without new machinery or extensive training. Where functionally required, hand-skived leather waste, generated during the thinning of leather, is repurposed as an allied material, particularly for the lamp base, demonstrating an innovative and sustainable approach to material utilization while minimizing waste. The project also celebrates the natural texture, durability, and warm aesthetic of naturally tanned leather. A key outcome of the project is the introduction of leather lighting as a new product category. By exploring the translucency, formability, and light-diffusing qualities of naturally tanned leather, the designs offer a contemporary interpretation of traditional craftsmanship. Overall, the project promotes sustainable material use, product diversification, and design innovation while preserving the cultural identity and heritage of Jawaja leather craft and strengthening artisan livelihoods.