The workshop
Where every Ostler is made
01 — Process
Ten days from hide to bag
One maker takes each piece from start to finish. This is how the time is spent.
Days 1–2
Choose the hides
Hides arrive from two family tanneries. We check each one by hand and mark around any weak spots.
Days 3–4
Pattern and cut
Card patterns are traced onto the grain and every panel is cut with a round knife, so the grain runs true.
Days 5–8
Saddle-stitch
Two needles, waxed linen thread, seven stitches to the inch. If one stitch breaks, the seam still holds.
Days 9–10
Finish and sign
Edges are bevelled and burnished, brass is fitted and the maker signs the label inside.
Fig. — Full-grain, vegetable-tanned hide before cutting.
02 — Materials
The spec sheet
Every material is chosen for how it ages and how easily it can be mended, not for how cheaply it can be made.
Component
Specification
Why it matters
Leather
Full-grain, vegetable-tanned
Darkens and softens with use, and can be re-stitched for decades.
Thread
Waxed linen, saddle-stitched
Seven stitches to the inch, stronger than any machine lockstitch.
Hardware
Solid brass, never plated
Nothing to flake or rust. Buckles and rings swap out in minutes.
Edges
Bevelled and burnished
Sealed with beeswax so they polish up with wear instead of fraying.
Lining
Left unlined
The flesh side is smoothed and sealed, so every seam stays reachable for repair.
03 — Repairs
Repairs for life. On us.
Broken strap, tired stitching or a buckle that took a knock? Send it back and the bench will fix it free, for as long as you own the piece.
1
Email us a photo of the damage
2
Post it to the bench. We cover the return
3
Back with you in two to three weeks
Repair ticket
Nº 0417
Piece
Weekender, 2019
Work
Re-stitch handle, new D-ring
Maker
Arthur
Turnaround
16 days
Cost
Free
Repaired free
04 — Visit
Unit 4, Tannery Row,
Sheffield S3 8GG
Come and handle the leathers, watch a bag take shape and talk to the person who will make yours.
Monday to Friday
10am to 6pm
Saturday
10am to 6pm
Sunday
Closed
Fig. — The stitching corner, where the machines live and the hand-work starts.
Ostler
Join the workshop letter: new pieces, leather care notes and stories from the bench. One email a month.
Collection
OSTLER
© 2026 Ostler Leather Co. Sample content for demonstration.