The Leather Collection, Incorporated

A Manufacturer and Distributor of Genuine Leather Bags and Accessories
The Leather Collection, Incorporated was established in 1991 as a designer, product developer, manufacturer and distributor of genuine leather bags and accessories for personal and corporate use and/or gift-giving. Our products are handcrafted by Filipino craftsmen following the European tradition of fine leather craftsmanship. Each product is designed with both form and function in mind.

We are part of the GREAT Women initiative, and distribute two of our collections under the brand - GREAT Women by The Leather Collection. GREAT Women is an acronym which stands for Gender Responsive Economic Action for the Transformation of Women.

In the design and production ofThe GREAT Women Textile Collection and the GREAT Women Woven Leather Collection, we have included marginalized groups of women artisans in our supply chain.

Textile is Hand-loomed by the Bagobo Tribeswomen
For the GREAT Women Textile Collection, the textile is hand-loomed ("inabal" meaning handwoven) by the Bagobo tribeswomen, an indigenous tribe who live in the foothills of Mount Apo in Southern Philippines. They dye and weave abaca (Manila hemp) fibers which are indigenous to their locale. The patterns they use are also traditional. The "ine" pattern is traditionally used for women's clothing. In the native dialect, "ine" means "mother". The tie dye or "tenangkulo" pattern is a relatively new innovation.

For the GREAT Women Woven Leather Collection, we have trained artisanal weavers of "banig" (mats) and "bayong" (market baskets) using native fibers "buri" and "pandan" to weave using leather which has been specifically processed and tanned for weaving purposes. We have designed new weaves inspired by "banig" and "sawali" artisanal patterns in a variety and combination of colors and textures. These leather "mats" and "baskets" made with the aid of jigs and molds to ensure consistency of quality are then transformed into genuine leather bags and accessories for the global market.

This is our contribution to the initiative for inclusive growth with particular focus on narrowing the economic gender gap. Our objective is to provide not just increased and sustainable incomes for marginalized women's groups, but also to preserve and enhance traditional crafts, particularly artisanal weaving.

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