‘You can’t bring in robots’: the leather firm handmaking everything from wallets to cigar cases
Reported by The Guardian Business, not nibnow. We are not the publisher of this story, only the source is.
The story highlights how a small team in Walsall is keeping traditional hand‑crafted leather skills alive, which supports local employment and preserves niche manufacturing expertise.
In the third article in a series on high-end British manufacturing, we visit the Ettinger factory in Walsall ‘Our town is making jeans again’: reviving jobs and skills in Wales From feathers to pet portraits, Rolls-Royce rides high on custom craze “It is all down to attention to detail and everything we do is based around that.” Gary Billingham is demonstrating how the 28 pieces which make up an Ettinger wallet are cut from leather using a hydraulic press by the small team at one of Walsall’s la
Ettinger is a British luxury brand that produces high‑end leather accessories such as wallets and cigar cases, and its continued use of manual techniques reflects a broader interest in preserving artisanal manufacturing in the UK.
- •Follow any announcements from Ettinger about expanding its product line or workforce
- •Watch for broader industry reports on demand for handcrafted luxury goods in Britain
- •Monitor policy discussions on supporting high‑skill manufacturing jobs in regions like Walsall