A leather bag can look simple from the outside, yet its story often begins long before the final stitch is made. The material has to be selected, the pattern developed, the pieces cut and assembled, and the finished object designed to work as part of everyday life. For Zelma Kraft in Latvia and Papillon in Estonia, that process still takes place close to home.
The two makers come from different backgrounds and have developed distinct identities. What connects them is a commitment to producing leather goods in their own Baltic workshops rather than separating design from production. It is exactly the kind of connection between maker, place and product that we want to make visible at Evoiro.
Zelma Kraft: A New Generation of Latvian Leather Craft
Zelma Kraft was founded in 2014 by Latvian designer Zelma Pīgožne in the Latgale region of eastern Latvia. Her connection to leather craftsmanship began much earlier, as she comes from a family with its own tradition of working with leather and represents the second generation of that craft. After studying design, she returned to her home region and developed her own approach to leather goods through the Zelma Kraft brand.
That background is visible in the way traditional craft and contemporary design meet in the collection. Zelma Kraft produces leather bags and accessories in its workshop in Rēzekne, combining practical construction with restrained shapes and a strong focus on everyday use. The result is not an attempt to reproduce historical objects, but to carry knowledge of the material and its possibilities into contemporary design.
The connection to earlier generations is more than a brand story. Zelma Pīgožne trained in leather goods modelling and later completed higher education in art, interior design and fashion design. Her family's work with leather and her own formal design education have therefore developed alongside one another, creating a bridge between inherited craft knowledge and modern product design.
Material use also provides an interesting example of how small-scale production can approach resources differently. Zelma Kraft has documented the use of leftover leather stocks from manufacturers and design houses, while its own current material policy also refers to using surplus materials and producing on demand to reduce unnecessary waste. Rather than treating this as a broad sustainability claim, the more useful point is the concrete practice itself: existing material can become part of a new product instead of remaining unused.
This approach is particularly visible in Zelma Kraft's bags. Saddle-inspired forms, backpacks and everyday leather accessories combine traditional material with practical details intended for modern use. In Evoiro's selection, the Natural Leather Saddle Bag Large – Green illustrates that balance, combining a distinctive saddle-shaped design with everyday functionality and production in Latvia.
Papillon: Leather Goods Made in Tartu Since 1994
Travel north from Rēzekne and the second story takes us to Tartu, Estonia. Papillon's manufacturing company has been designing and producing leather goods there since 1994, with the Papillon name used for its leather collection since 1998. More than three decades later, the company continues to state that its products are designed and manufactured at its own factory in Tartu.
Papillon's collection is rooted in familiar objects rather than seasonal novelty. Bags, briefcases, wallets, folders and smaller leather accessories form the core of its production. Their purpose is practical, but the use of natural leather and local manufacturing gives even straightforward everyday pieces a clear sense of origin.
Longevity in manufacturing matters for another reason. A workshop that has continued producing leather goods for decades accumulates knowledge that is difficult to communicate through a product photograph alone. Cutting, stitching, construction and understanding how leather behaves in daily use are practical skills developed through repetition and experience.
The Large Shoulder Bag No. 38 in Evoiro's selection is a good example of Papillon's approach. It is made from natural leather and designed with an adjustable leather shoulder strap, several compartments and a straightforward form intended for regular use. Most importantly for us, its origin is clear: the bag is designed and handmade in Estonia.
Two Makers, Two Places, One Clear Origin
Zelma Kraft and Papillon demonstrate two different ways in which European manufacturing knowledge continues to develop. One grew from a second-generation craft tradition into a contemporary Latvian design brand. The other has maintained leather production in the same Estonian city for more than three decades.
Neither story needs to be made larger through vague claims about responsibility or sustainability. There is already something valuable in knowing who makes a product, where it is made and what materials are used. Those facts allow the customer to understand the object beyond its appearance and make a more informed choice.
This is also why origin matters so much to us at Evoiro. A label that simply says European design tells only part of the story, while knowing that a Zelma Kraft bag was made in Latvia or a Papillon bag was made in Tartu connects the finished product to a real workshop and a real manufacturing tradition. Transparency turns origin from a marketing phrase into useful information.
The Baltic region may be small on the global fashion map, but makers such as these show why scale is not the only measure of relevance. Skills can be passed between generations, workshops can continue producing locally, and traditional materials can be adapted to contemporary needs. For customers looking beyond anonymous mass production, that makes the story behind an everyday bag worth knowing.
