Charm-duzi: Iranian handmade leatherwork

What's made

Hand-stitched bags, wallets, shoes and belts; tooled and stamped covers for books and Qur'ans; painted leather boxes and saddlery for tribal use.

Hand-stitched signs

• Saddle stitch with slight angle and even spacing
• Edges bevelled, burnished and dyed by hand
• Vegetable-tanned leather that darkens with age
• Stitching that continues even if one thread breaks

Care

Condition vegetable-tanned leather occasionally with a neutral cream. Keep away from heat and direct sun. Let wet leather dry slowly.

A note on this guide

This is a general introduction written by the CraftPersia editorial team and has not yet been reviewed by a specialist. Workshop practice varies between towns and families; treat dates and figures as approximate and confirm details with makers, museums or published scholarship before relying on them.