Buy locally made genuine leather items

They make quality handcrafted genuine leather products and at Blackburn Leather everyone is considered family.

Nestled in Haenertsburg, the leathercraft was started under a shady tree 30 years ago by Colin Blackburn (52) in his 20’s.

It was a hobby to supplement his income while working on a farm in the Soutpansberg.

Colin’s wife, Janet told Herald that this was a self-taught skill, she added that Colin started by making “Rampashan’s” – a tough traditional sandal fashioned from leather and discarded tyre material for the sole.

“Funnily in more recent years, we discovered that Colin‘s great-grandfather, Joe Blackburn, from Bournemouth in the UK was a master leather crafter. Unfortunately, Joe was lost at sea in an 1885 shipwreck from the UK to Cape Town,” she said.

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To perfect his skill Colin practiced over the years and friends, family and associates started requesting custom items.

“Colin with a natural engineering ability inherited from his forefathers was able to create by experimentation,” she said.

Initially, their products were targeted at the hunting market, primarily supplying rifle slings and gaiters to the gun shops in Limpopo.

The influence of a wife and daughters saw the product branching out into fashion and décor items including bags, purses, sandals and jewellery.

Their best selling and primary items are belts, they have the largest range of genuine leather men’s, ladies, unisex, and kiddies belts in sizes 18- 54.

Smaller and larger ones are made on request. To ensure that their work standout they make their products colourful, with a twist of traditional and bright shweshwe as their trademark.

They also diversify by supplying top-grade Nguni hides at the best price possible.

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Realising that for the business to succeed need teamwork is what has kept the Blackburn family strong over the years.

Their dream is for the Blackburn Leather brand to continue for generations to come.

“The brand was taken from a hobby and implemented as a fledgling business three years ago which only opened over weekends. Colin was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s nearly a decade ago. We are working together as a family and a team to have a transfer of skills for posterity to ensure the brand for the next generation,” she said.

They consider themselves as a manufacturing retailer – direct to the public. Eight years ago Colin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but this has not stopped him from making the best belts in town.

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To pay homage to Colin and create awareness about the disease the Blackburn Leather has a signature leather disc and beaded safety pin attached to each item.

“It also signifies our pledge to donate a percentage of our sales to the plight,” said Janet.

Colin arrived in Haenertsburg in 1996 from Zimbabwe, he met his sweetheart and they got married two years later.

The couple is blessed with five children, three of whom are biological. Their shop is open every Wednesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00.