The art of working leather: tradition and technology at the service of leather goods

Abstract

This study takes a pedagogical approach to the art of leatherwork from a creative and technical point of view, with the intention of illustrating through the teaching experience of the writer, how leatherwork has developed throughout history and what are the perspectives of the same when including new technologies in the artisanal task. It begins with a historical overview of the development of this art from its beginnings in the Muslim world, until its arrival in the new world, and how these traditions still influence the techniques and designs that are currently practiced by leather artisans in Colombia. This reality where tradition dialogues with new automated production technologies is presented through a parallel of processes and results, ending with a reflection on how both can contribute to a sustainable leather production model based mainly on the concept of slow fashion