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the
amaarkutir leather unit Amaarkutir society is a 60 year old craft center in Bolpur, Shantiniketan, West Bengal. The group had been involved in the freedom struggle in India and has provided training and employment to both leather and textile related craft. It has also been a great learning experience for us, working with really experienced craftspersons with an eagle eye for detail. |
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Amaarkutir they use a unique technique of hand embossing and painting
to decorate the leather, which has since become popular all over the
world. Naturally tanned goat skin (no chemicals) is used and the design
is embossed using a hand operated ball press. Colors are applied on
raised portions by hand while large areas are sprayed using a simple
mouth operated tool. The piece is rubbed hard with a smooth stone
to polish it and then the article is constructed. The designs are
influenced by the nearby Shantiniketan style and are usually floral
or paisley. During our several workshops there we introduced finished leather and used the embossed leather only for trims. This led to a more durable and refined product. We also worked with jute and leather combination bags. Most of these bags were aimed at the international market and we contemporarised the embossed designs to more neutral and geometric ones. We worked on the hardware too, to enhance the look and quality of the products. |
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