SINCE THE LATE 80’S…
The Handmade Goods Company is a sustainable and ethical company working with dedicated artisans in Bangladesh to create beautifully crafted and colourful leather goods.
Since the late 1980’s we have worked with our Bangladesh-based artisans providing them an outlet for their skills and a steady fair income to support themselves and their families as well as educate their children.
The United Nations Decade for Women (1975-85) inspired three women including current Managing Director Claire Weldon to found Ambika Ltd in 1986 in London. Aiming to empower women in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Chile & Bangladesh to use their skills to earn a living selling their traditional handmade products.
Claire Weldon (second from the right) with her business partners in Africa. They founded Ambika together in 1988.
Female artisans at work in Kenya
These handicrafts included jewellery, baskets, textiles and Nakshi Kantha, a centuries-old variety of hand-embroidered quilt native to the Bengal regions of India and Bangladesh.
Realizing that more opportunities could be created for our craftspeople by focusing on a limited range of crafts and one region, Ambika Ltd began to focus exclusively on Bangladesh in 1988. Specifically promoting Nakshi Kantha, leather goods and other local artefacts.
Claire Weldon in front of hand-embroidered Nakshi Kantha depicting a boat race
Bengali women embroidering a full size bed cover
Over the following years, Ambika continued working closely with the local craftspeople to develop their skills and promote their crafts, eventually shifting focus entirely to bespoke sustainable and fair-trade leather goods. Increasingly, the business shifted towards producing bespoke leather packaging for the jewellery trade and gift items for museums throughout Europe, North America and the UK.
This shift led to the creation of two subsidiary companies. First in the late 90’s, The Jeweller’s Box Company and shortly after in 2000, The Museum Leather Company to better focus efforts on each area of the business.
Founder Claire Weldon with local Bengali artisans and their families
In 2001, Ambika Ltd was renamed to Leather UnLimited to reflect both the brand’s sole focus on leather goods and the range of products being more varied and less focused on traditional handicrafts. Throughout the years and changes the same craftspeople have remained a vital part of our business and through our fair-trade practices have been able to rely on a stable income to uplift and educate themselves and their families. As we grow, we continue to employ additional craftspeople in Bangladesh.