Fashion is hungry for sustainability. It celebrates circular design, experiments with new biomaterials and promotes heritage craft as a marketing tool. Yet one of the most circular, heritage-rich tanning traditions, still alive in parts of southern Africa, rarely appears in these conversations. The practice is called letsoku tanning, and it uses nothing more than clay, water and…
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In a Botswana village, a pot of crushed bark and roots simmers over an open fire. A cowhide, scraped clean, is lowered into the dark liquid. Over the next few days, it will absorb the plant’s chemistry, transforming into leather. This scene, repeated for
The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Thailand 2025 final competition took place in style on August 25, 2025, at Victor Club, Samyan Mitrtown, in an atmosphere filled with creativity, inspiration, and innovation from Thailand’s rising design talents.
Farida Eid from Egypt is the RLSD Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase 2025 Most Commendable Designer. Her winning entry, the Zahw –Serpent Sandal, captivated judges with its striking symbolism, technical precision, and deep cultural resonance, setting a
The award ceremony for the China Mainland region of the 2025 Real Leather. Stay Different. Student Design Competition recently concluded successfully in Shanghai. The global campaign, organized by the Leather and Hide Council of America (L&HCA), saw its China
Taipei, August 30, 2025 – The 2025 Real Leather. Stay Different. Student Design Competition – Taiwan concluded today with a vibrant Awards Ceremony at Hana Space, Taipei, celebrating creativity, craftsmanship and sustainable design thinking.
Real Leather. Stay Different. 2025 International Competition Category Winners Announced! After a judging process made gruelling by the amazingly high standard of entries, the results are now in. Find out a bit more about our four category winners and their
Announcing the 2025 Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition category winners! After a judging process made gruelling by the amazingly high standard of entries, the results are now in. The competition featured three
The inaugural Real Leather. Stay Different. Vietnam awards ceremony wrapped on July 9 at the stunning Mai House Saigon hotel. And it was a night to remember. More than an awards show it was the revelation of the next generation of designers, propelling them
The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Thailand 2025 student design competition is more than just a platform for showcasing creativity – it’s a gateway to understanding the true essence of real leather through immersive, hands-on learning
The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) International Student Design Competition has unveiled its shortlist, With 1,483 projects submitted from around the world, this year's competition is our biggest yet.
Anna Melegh, winner of the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Design Competition Footwear Category in 2022, has made a name for herself by pushing the boundaries in footwear design. We spoke to her recently about life since her RLSD win.
The first round of judging for the 2025 Real Leather. Stay Different. Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase is now complete, marking an exciting milestone in this annual celebration of creativity and sustainable design.