Rehan Leather

My workshop is located in Dharavi, specifically at 1st A Cross on J C Road. It is right in the heart of where everything happens. You can smell the leather as soon as you turn the corner. I have been working with hides and skins for most of my life. The space is small and filled with the sound of sewing machines and cutting tools. I keep the raw materials stacked in the corner and the finished goods on the small wooden table at the front. It is a dusty job, and my clothes always have bits of thread on them. Dharavi is a place where everyone is making something, and I am just one of many. People come here because they know this is where the real work gets done. I don't have a fancy display or glass windows. It’s just an open door and a lot of hard work. Sometimes the heat gets intense, but we keep the fans running. I mostly focus on wallets and belts, but I do other things if someone asks. The lane is narrow, so we have to be careful when moving the bigger pieces of leather around. It’s a simple life, focused on the craft. If you find J C Road, you’ll find me. I’m usually there from early morning until the sun goes down. Most of the people I work with have been my friends for decades. We just keep making what people need. It is honest work that keeps us going every single day.