KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — A former civil servant, Faisal Mohamed discovered a love for leather craftmanship out of necessity. He wanted to replace his leather watch strap but just couldn’t find any that he liked. He literally took matters into his own hands by making his own strap.

As he researched more about leather craftsmanship and sourced for tools and leather from the US and UK, it started becoming a passion. “Back then, I didn’t know anyone who did leather crafting in my circle. I am self-taught, relying on the Internet for information. It was a hobby for me which started in 2010,” he said. “I didn’t have anyone tell me if I was doing it right or wrong. I just tried making things. In the beginning, it didn’t really look that nice but I continued practising anyway. I don’t come from a creative background.”

Watch straps were the first few leather products Faisal experimented with.

What Faisal discovered was how the leather industry in Malaysia had been squeezed out in the 1990s by the more competitive pricing of leather goods from China. This also affected leather tool suppliers and leather tanneries which then became scarce.

Two years after he started his hobby, he decided to get serious by launching his business PesaKRAF. “The name PesaKRAF is a play of my nickname. My friends call me Pesa,” said Faisal.

Leather crafting is actually tougher than it looks, according to PESAKraf founder, Faisal Mohamed (left). Faisal Mohamed is very detailed in his stitching and craftsmanship (right).

Initially, it was a part-time business that he only did during weekends. “I turned it into a full-time job in 2015 when it started to get popular. I even ship my products to places like Japan, Turkey and the United States,” said Faisal. Customers find out about PesaKRAF through word-of-mouth recommendations, Instagram and Facebook. Faisal has a website but he is in the midst of rebuilding it.

If you are interested to see his work, do check out his Instagram account. A small portion of PesaKRAF’s products are ready made but most of it is made-to-order. He does a lot of custom work. PesaKRAF’s products range includes wallets, card cases, key holders, belts, aprons, phone pouches, tablet pouches, messenger bags and so on. The style of his leather products features impeccable stitching, clean lines and look really classy.

For a sophisticated look, check out this saffiano card holder (left). Small leather goods by PESAKraf are not just affordable but timeless in design (right).

Most of PesaKRAF products are for men, but there are unisex products too. His customers are usually young, working adults who are interested in independent brands and handmade items. With the pricing from RM150 to over RM1,000, the products are affordable compared to buying designer leather products from high-end shopping malls.

Faisal also offers personalisation services such as hot stamping and debossing for each leather product. So you can put your name on it or put your loved one’s name on it for a unique gift. The sky’s the limit as to what Faisal can custom make. Once, a customer who is a chef requested for a knife roll to store his knives which comes in different sizes. Faisal has also made a cigar holder.

This phone case can be used to store cards and slips of paper.

To ensure that his products are of high quality, Faisal sources his leather from local suppliers as well as suppliers from the US and UK. Finding the right leather is important and local suppliers can only offer a small selection due to the low volume. Usually, he would order the leather overseas if he wants a wider variety.

Lately, Faisal has started to make leather products for door gifts at corporate events, weddings and other functions. He can also offer personalised hot stamping and debossed services at the event so each guest will have a special gift to take home.

For existing designs, Faisal takes about 10 to 14 days to complete each order. Custom orders take longer as he likes to discuss the look, what the customer wants and also the time to make it as it would be the first time Faisal makes it if it is not part of his existing collection.

When asked about what he thought about other upcoming local leather crafters, Faisal feels that having more people in the industry is a good thing as it can create awareness about leather artisans in Malaysia. As of now, he knows of 10 other leather artisans in the country. He recently collaborated with Attached Leather Co. to teach a beginner’s workshop on leather crafting. “I feel that the different brands cater to different customers. There are various price ranges to choose from and if you notice, we all have a certain look that differentiates us. There is variety when it comes to price, craftsmanship and design,” he said.

Leather tools are expensive as they are usually bought overseas and shipped here.

This year, Faisal will be collaborating with more local artisans. “Malaysia has a large pool of talent and I’m excited to work with them to create something new,” he said.

Since he is an expert in leather, would he be able to repair leather goods too? Faisal said he has had requests asking him to repair leather products but he only does them on a case-by-case basis. If something piques his interest, he will work on it. One thing Faisal feels is common with most Malaysians is that they think if something is locally-made it should be cheap. If something is made overseas, it is okay to be pricier. He hopes to change that mindset and show people handcrafted local products can also have the same quality as those that are made abroad.

In countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, artisanal leather crafters have been around for many years and their business is booming. Malaysia is still a little slow compared to these countries when it comes to artisanal craft, observed Faisal. PesaKRAF’s studio is located in Puchong and he plans to turn it into a showroom one day.

Find out more about PesaKRAF at www.instagram.com/pesakraf or email Faisal at pesakraf@gmail.com