Arfi Leathers

Down on 90 Feet Road in Dharavi, you’ll find us at Arfi Leathers. We are specifically in Gopinath Colony No. 1, right near the Khambadevi Temple. It’s a very active area. You can hear the sounds of the temple and the traffic all day long. The shop is A/3265, and it’s packed with leather. The smell of leather is the first thing you notice when you walk in. It’s a strong, earthy scent that we’ve grown to love over the years. We have hides piled up and finished goods hanging from hooks. It’s a small space, but we make every inch count. Working in Dharavi means being part of a huge community of people who make things with their hands. We don’t have any corporate office or fancy reception. It’s just the workshop and the small area where we talk to people. Sometimes it gets really hot, so we keep the fans going as much as we can. The 90 Feet Road is always moving. We spend a lot of time sorting through the different grades of leather to find the right pieces. It’s hard work and your hands get tired by the end of the day. We just stay focused on the leather and the temple bells that ring throughout the day. It’s our little corner of the world. We have some old photos pinned up by the door, mostly just memories of the neighborhood. Arfi Leathers is our whole life, really, and we're here almost every single day.