What to bring from morocco. Handmade leather bags from Morocco Silver and gold jewelry

Beautiful and original handmade leather bags from Morocco have their customers, people are happy to buy and wear rare items of Moroccan craftsmen. But they hardly think at the same time how much labor was invested in their manufacture, how incredibly laborious the process of leather dressing in Morocco is.
Fez is famous all over the world as a city of craftsmen and the main craftsmen here are tanners. Their workshops are easy to find by the specific smell of rot and dampness. In this fetid atmosphere, the artisans of Fez process valuable raw materials.

More than a thousand years have passed since the appearance of leather workshops in Fez. During this time, the technological process of leather processing in Morocco has hardly changed, as well as the process of directly sewing leather bags and other products from ready-made raw materials.

Local craftsmen pass on the secrets of leather tanning from generation to generation, as they did a thousand years ago, and work only with the skins of those animals, the use of which is permitted by the Koran. Pigs can be calm, in Morocco they are engaged in the processing and manufacture of cow, camel, sheep and goat skin.

Leather is one of the first materials to be processed and used. Different peoples had many traditional ways leather dressing. But all the methods can be reduced to three or four, as a result of which completely different products are obtained. Raw leather - minimum processing, rawhide - dressing without tanning, rawhide tanning - mild alum tanning, tanned leather - fat-tanned or tanned with vegetable and later artificial chemical tannins.

Even in the 21st century, Moroccan artisans work without synthetic substances, using tanning technology, both with plant tannins and minerals. Tanning takes place in so-called tannery.

To clean the skin from wool, local craftsmen use quicklime, and to make the skin soft, ordinary salt and chicken, dog or pigeon droppings are used. Before tanning, the skins are soaked in a concentrated salt solution for about 30 days, then in clean water. The remains of fat, tissue and hair are scraped out by hand with a knife. After most of the salt has gone from the skins, they are transferred to a limestone solution.

Chromium is used in mineral tanning. The leather will turn out to be stringy, very soft and is used for making clothes.
The skins are gradually transferred from a solution with a lower concentration of tannin to a more concentrated one.

Depending on the desired dressing, the skins can be infiltrated with oils, waxed, shaved and of course dyed. At the Krasilnaya Souk (market square), there is still a water mill that grinds the seeds from which they produce natural dyes for the skin. All dyes for leather are exclusively natural. They are made from plants. For example, to get yellow color use saffron and pomegranate skins. For green - mint, brown - mimosa bark. Well, to get a red color, you need paprika. It takes one week to paint sheepskin and goats. For dyeing cow leather - two, and camel skin spends a whole month in dyeing baths.

In the process of transferring from one bath to another, the skins are viewed and all visible defects are removed with a knife. From time to time, the skin needs to be kneaded so that the dye is evenly distributed over it and penetrates as deeply as possible. Therefore, apprentices come to the dye-houses, get into the baths and trample the skin with their feet. After the dyeing process is completed, the skin is rinsed for a long time, and then laid out to dry under the sun. As for sheep and goat skin, it dries in less than a day. A cow dries up in a day and a half, the skin of the same camels dries longer than anyone else. Skins are dried on the roofs of nearby houses.

They sell ready-made leather goods near the dye-houses in the Old Town quarters; in small shops, the range of leather goods is huge - from tiny wallets to impressive bags. Bags of all types and styles, leather ottomans and famous Moroccan grandmothers are also sold here - leather shoes without backdrops. In Fez, they are worn by every second local resident, and visitors are happy to buy them for souvenirs.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to travel by yourself to beautiful and exotic countries and buy souvenirs and leather goods for yourself and as a gift to your family and friends. But it is not at all necessary to deny yourself the pleasure of touching and using Moroccan products made of genuine leather, unique in beauty and manufacture! For your convenience, we have brought a piece of Morocco here, and without leaving your home, you can order handmade leather bags and Moroccan leather ottomans and much more in the online store.

A tune was poured over the hill, similar to the singing of a starling: phew-oo-oo, oo-oo ... It played a shepherd boy sitting on a gray boulder at the top of a hill on a homemade flute-algaite. He ecstatically swayed to the beat of a simple melody composed, apparently, by himself. On all sides the hill was surrounded by a wide strip of savannah with islands of thorny bushes and lonely flowering acacias, like huge bouquets of bright red carnations. From the foot of the hill to the near border of the bush, large-mouthed, sedate zebu and restless goats scattered in the thick grass.

What would be easier, without any tricks to approach the shepherdess. But I decided to sneak up behind me unnoticed, like a hunter to a black grouse singing during the spring current. Previous meetings with Nigerian shepherds forced me to recall my hunting skills: as soon as they saw me, the shepherds hid in the bush or fled to the savannah, dragging the herd along with them. After several unsuccessful attempts, I guessed that hermits are not afraid of me personally, by the appearance of an ordinary white tourist, but of a stranger in general.

And the meeting was extremely necessary, otherwise my trip could be in vain.

Several months earlier, I had visited neighboring Togo. There, in the city market in Lome, I was lured into his shop by a fidgety merchant dressed in a cheap European suit.

- Oh, my friend! There is a very suitable thing! Especially for you, he held it back, '' he persuaded in a mysterious half-whisper

In a semi-dark shop, made from the body of an old camper van, the "merchant" fished out from under the counter a red morocco cover for a medium-sized book. The soft leather shone like patent leather and felt velvety to the touch.

- Morochen! - explained the trader and began to praise his goods in every way.

The same cover, though faded with time, I have already seen in one of the ethnographic museums. An explanatory tablet read: a piece from Morocco, made by an unknown artisan in the 16th century. By the way, by the name of this African country, morocco of the best quality began to be called - in English, "merocoe".

In Nigeria, I have not come across a "meroco". Therefore, returning to Lagos, not without pride, he showed his Nigerian colleagues - journalists the purchase. To my surprise, none of them showed much interest in the cover, or rather, the material from which it was made.

- Are you sure that the "Moroccan leather" comes from Morocco? - Remy Ilori, a chubby, robust fellow with a reputation for polymath in local journalistic circles, cooled my delight.

Of course, I was sure of this. Moroccan moroccan moroccan has long been considered the best in the world. I read the confirmation from the famous writer Melnikov-Pechersky, a recognized expert in folk crafts. Therefore, he replied that he was ready to wager.

- Consider that you bet "Moroccan leather" is made not in Morocco, but here in Nigeria. I could tell you more about this, but since you persist. Look for yourself! Although to begin with, on occasion, visit our northern state of Sokoto.

He spoke in riddles, and they always excite the imagination, push to search

But more than one month passed until I was going to go to Sokoto. The fact is that livestock in Nigeria is bred mainly in its northern part, where the savannah occupies vast areas. It was there that one should look for people directly related to the dressing of leather and crafts from it, shepherds, tanners and merchants. I expected to quickly follow this chain and solve the riddle of Ilori. However, an unexpected obstacle arose, the persistent unwillingness of the shepherds to meet with me. That is why I crept so carefully through the grassy jungle to the shepherdess on the hill in the hope that this time I would be able to interview him.

Suddenly, the "musician" turned sharply in my direction. The flowing melody was interrupted, and the shepherd boy struck a piercingly sharp note, like a robber's whistle. Immediately, the zebu and the goats with extraordinary agility - as if they had been whipped at once with a whip - rushed into the bush.

- Sannu and the wound! - Good afternoon! - I greeted the shepherdess.

- Sanna and Rana!

- Kauvo mi nor rauvo? - Do you have water? - I smiled, defiantly licking my lips. However, I was really tormented by thirst. The thermos, filled in the morning in the roadside shelter, had been empty for a long time.

The shepherd boy was cautiously silent. At first glance, I would give him fifteen years, although in fact, judging by the thin, slender figure, he was probably three or four years younger. He grew up with a masculinity of posture and a stern expression of an elongated face, whose sun-scorched skin seemed to absorb the color of the local reddish brown earth. A thin nose and lips, at the eyes a mesh of early wrinkles beyond his years from the constant shepherd's squint, hair that did not know a comb curled from under a flat knitted hat. A flexible, sinewy body was covered up to the knees by a brown "rig" - loose clothing representing a symbiosis of a shirt and a dressing gown. Before me, undoubtedly, was the Fulbe - a representative of one of the large nationalities living in the northern part of Nigeria and beyond.

I repeated the request.

The shepherd nodded in agreement and, without letting go of the algate from his right hand, walked to an islet of bright grass at the foot of the hill, where, apparently, a spring was gushing.

The dissimilarity of the Fulbe to other Negroid peoples at one time caused a lot of controversy about their origin. Some anthropologists considered the Fulbe a very mysterious race, almost space aliens. Other researchers mistook these people for the descendants of the gypsies expelled by Tamerlane, the ancestors of the Roman legionaries, Basques, and even people from the Malay Peninsula who settled in Africa. Now the typically African origin of the "mysterious race" has been proven, this nation belongs to a special ethnic group, akin to the Ethiopian race.

The Fulbe penetrated into the territory occupied by present-day Nigeria in the 13th century, mixed with the Hausans living here, adopting their language and culture. True, it was mainly the Fulbe who settled in the cities that were assimilated. Borojs, nomadic pastoralists, have largely retained the patriarchal way of life and still adhere to the customs and traditions inherited from their ancestors.

The shepherd returned with an earthen jug and gave it to me.

I drank the life-giving spring water, having emptied the jug almost halfway. Word for word, we said once, since my new acquaintance Shehu Tamid quite well - for such a "hinterland" - knew English. Silent in solitude, he began to willingly initiate me into all the details of the shepherd's life. Before that, I had already read a lot about the life, traditions and social structure of the Borodzha. And yet, a lot in the teenager's story turned out to be new to me.

The Fulbe, like other African peoples engaged in cattle breeding, has a proverb, the meaning of which can be expressed in this way, in addition to the seven circles of hell, there is also an eighth, more terrible than all the others. This circle is a nomad, and it is forced to pass by the harsh everyday necessity.

The well-being of each family depends entirely on a generally small herd (ten to fifteen zebu and several dozen sheep and goats). It is the only source of livelihood for a large family, which includes representatives of two or three generations. But cattle need food and water. Finding them is not an easy task, considering that only in Nigeria there are several hundred thousand borozhi.

They roam as a family or in small related clans, using only those pastures for grazing livestock, on which their grandfathers and great-grandfathers walked with their herds. And these hereditary pastoralists live in the same way as their ancestors lived. For example, before setting up a "rugua" - a temporary camp, they make a fire and watch the smoke, if it swirls or spreads on the ground, you can safely settle in a new place, but if the smoke goes into the sky in a column, it means that "bori "- an evil spirit, and you need to get farther from here.

On each river, nomads set up huts-temporary huts. To do this, a circle with a diameter of five to six meters is drawn on the ground with a shepherd's staff, and long thin poles are stuck along it at regular intervals. Their ends, standing on the back of the zebu, are tied into a bundle with a rope or a bundle of grass, and the frame of the hut is ready. The walls are made of reeds, sorghum stalks, or even just grass - what is at hand, the earth inside the hut is covered with skins, then mats, and the house is built.

From time immemorial, the family has a firm distribution of responsibilities. Its head - an older man - is engaged, so to speak, in "intellectual work" - he determines the routes of cattle driving, finds out from the surrounding residents where the places are not affected by the "aura" - the tsetse fly, decides how long to stay in one pasture. Women run the household, prepare food. No special culinary skills are required from them, because the menu is monotonous. From "madara" - zebu milk - boroji prepare "nono" - cottage cheese and "mei" - cheese. The same products, along with meat - the Fulbe themselves eat little of it, except on the days of ritual holidays - as well as wool and skins are taken to the nearest market to the region and they buy salt, grain, vegetables with the money they earn. But the most difficult and responsible work - caring for the flock - is entrusted to sons, and only in families where they are not, fathers do this.

Shekha was assigned seven years as a shepherd, or rather a shepherd; it is customary for the borodzha to introduce children to labor from an early age. True, at first he went after the herd with his father, who taught him the secrets of this difficult profession. After all, the shepherd must understand all kinds of herbs, know the diseases of livestock and be able to treat them. He must have the endurance of a marathon runner and the skills of a pathfinder along subtle landmarks - folds of the terrain, scattered clumps of trees, or even just by the sun - to unmistakably lead zebu and goats to watering and good grazing.

Borrojs do not make pens for livestock, because the herd is in motion all the time, all the time on the move. Keeping track of every animal is also impossible. The only way out is to establish an invisible connection with the herd with the help of gestures and sound signals, to subdue, wherever by affection, where with a scourge, zebu and goats to their will. This kind of animal training lasts for months. It happens that the shepherd takes the flock away from the well or the river, and then, inviting him to play the alayt, leads to a watering hole. Barely letting her lips moisten, she again drives her into the savannah, from there - again to the water. And so on countless times. Sometimes the shepherd drives the zebu and goats from place to place all day until they almost fall off their feet. Then he brings armfuls of grass to the exhausted animals, feeds, speaks affectionately, teaching them to understand their speech. Cruel. But this cruelty, according to the Borodzhi, is justified by the whole way of their harsh life.

A license to drive a car can be obtained after six months of training in a driver's course. Learning the shepherd's secrets takes much longer. Only after two years of staying in shepherds, the father handed Shekh a polished staff - a kind of certificate that gives the right to be a shepherd.

Choosing the moment when Shehu fell silent, I showed him the morocco cover I had brought with me.

The teenager opened it like a book.

- I've seen such! Our majemi (tanner (hausa).) do.

- You're wrong. Moroccan artisan work, there is such a country of Morocco. That is why the skin is so called - "marokou" - I objected.

“Don’t tell me. Any majemi in the same Sokoto - the city is nearby - you will see this "merokou" as much as you want (without knowing it, the shepherd suggested to me the next place of search). And do you know what it is made of? Kumba! Yes, before! - called Shekha.

Two goats with short hair strewn with thorns ran up to us, bleated plaintively, obviously begging for a handout.

- Here it is, "Moroccan leather"! - Shehu said proudly.

Unlike our goats of the middle strip - white, black-and-white - their hair was brown, as if they had been rinsed in a vat with a decoction of onion husks.

- These scum? Yes, they have bones, and look, the skin will be rubbed.

- No, - the shepherd boy took my words seriously, - the skin of our goats is not worse than that of a rhinoceros, though thin, but strong.A good goat is more expensive than a large bijimi (Bull (hausa).). Goats of this breed are called - Suddenly Shehu fell silent, listening to something, then picked up an algate.

Savannah was still chirping, whistling, rustling. In this discord of sounds, I did not catch anything disturbing. However, Shehu became even more alert, stretching out his thin neck like a cobra.

And then a teenager came out from behind the ridge of the hill with a staff, a flute, in the same clothes as Shehu's, followed by a thin young African in a shabby European suit, with a small leather bag in his right hand.

“A neighbor has come,” smiled happily at Shehu, lowering the algorithm he held at the ready at his lips.

Neighbor Shehu - Diko, as I assumed, was also a shepherd. And his companion Angulu Fari turned out to be an important person by local standards - a traveling veterinarian. Angul Fari is not yet thirty. He graduated from the Faculty of Animal Breeding at the University of Zaria, and spent a year at the Sokoto State Department of Agriculture. But the "call of the blood" made itself felt (Angulu Fari's ancestors were boroids, and their parents moved to the city), and now he helped the nomads save cattle from diseases, measuring tens of miles across the savanna for weeks.

Shehu, apparently, turned out to be a good shepherd, the inspection of the herd ended quickly, and judging by the conversation, they were satisfied with the results, and the owner and the veterinarian Nigerians approached the boulder where I settled down Angulu Fari sat down next to me.

“You never said what your goats are called,” I reminded Shekh.

“The goats of this breed are called“ red sokoto, ”Fari answered for him. Apparently, the shepherd boy has already conveyed to him the content of our conversation. - Where they came from is still unknown. It is believed that they carried a fulbe with them. Another thing is important. This breed has taken root mainly here, in northwestern Nigeria. People have noticed for a long time that only leather of “red sokoto” goats and only from these places is obtained of the highest quality. We tried to breed "red sokoto" in other regions of Nigeria and even in other countries where the climate is milder, there is no fifty-degree heat, harmattan, dust storms, where there is plenty of grass and water.

The goats took root well, bred, but their skin is not the same, it cannot be compared with the local one. Probably, it's all about the local conditions - dry, in general, the climate, a kind of grass stand, the presence of certain microelements in the grass and water.

Having found out that I needed to get to Sokoto, Angula Fari asked for a companion, he needed to visit the ministry. I readily agreed that the veterinarian should know the secret of "Moroccan leather".

Alas, the speedometer went the third dozen miles, and Angulu Fari was stubbornly silent.

- Do you have many red sokotos in Nigeria? I asked to strike up a conversation.

- Decent! In the state of Sokoto alone, two million, all in the care of teenagers.

- Not an easy burden on weak youthful shoulders, - I agreed, remembering Shekha and his neighbor the shepherdess.

- Weak? You should have seen how these teenagers, by no means a mighty addition, handle the bijimi.

Once a year, before the beginning of the dry season, before migrating to the river valleys, the Borojs gather in tribal clans for their holiday - “gauta uvasan”. Everyone from young to old dress up in traditional clothes. Each family does not skimp - they prepare a meat dish. From morning to evening, music sounds in the circle, dances do not stop, in which the guys choose their brides (among nomadic pastoralists, marriages are allowed only within one clan). And yet the main event is the youth games, called, like the holiday, "gauta uvasan" and somewhat reminiscent of a rodeo, during which young men show their strength and dexterity.

"Gauta uvasan" is set up on a small area, the size of a volleyball court, not fenced in by anything. A hardened zebu bull with steep horns is brought out onto it, its front and hind legs are entangled with ropes. The ends of the ropes, five or six meters from the zebu, firmly hold the men, preventing him from moving. Then an old shepherd enters the site and invites the teenagers to engage in single combat with the bull. The daredevil is usually found. He kneels in front of the zebu within the reach of the formidable horns and begins to tease him with pinches of his nostrils. The bull, not accustomed to such treatment, naturally becomes enraged and tries to pry the offender on his horns. But this does not work: the shepherd boy, bend his torso in all directions, deftly dodges, and men are on the alert - they do not allow the animal to move. Bringing the zebu to white heat, the teenager runs from the side, jumps on his neck, grabs his horns. The ropes are released at once, and then the breathtaking spectacle begins.

The bull rushes from side to side, whirls, kicks, violently, shakes his head, trying to throw off the rider. So ten to twenty minutes pass, and all this time the shepherdess, like a grasshopper at the very top of a blade of grass, swayed by a strong wind, mercilessly shakes and hurls.

Gradually forces leave the bijimi. Feeling the weakness of the zebu, the teenager, using the horns as levers, begins to twist his neck. Apparently, at this time the zebu suffocates or loses orientation. In any case, the bull's movements are weakening, and finally to the enthusiastic shouts of the fans. He, like an exhausted traveler, reluctantly sinks to the ground.

The spectators make way, and the zebu, jumping up, heavily trots into the savannah. A fresh bull is brought to the site, and a new shepherd enters the confrontation. Well, the winner is the one who puts the bull on its shoulder faster than others.

Sokoto amazed me with the abundance of Kupami trees and alone, they were everywhere - on the streets, squares, in yards. However, as it soon became clear, there was nothing unusual here: its northern outskirts of Sokoto rests on a deep river.

Sokoto, founded by some aborigine and inheriting his name, dates back to the 12th century. In a modest village, open to the wind, for a long time there were about two dozen round huts, where nomads occasionally visited to exchange their products for agricultural products. Today Sokoto is the capital of the state with the same name. Its population has exceeded one hundred thousand (in Africa, such a city is considered quite large). There is a cement factory, a tannery and weaving factories, schools, hospitals, cinemas have been built, and shops have been opened. In the evening, garlands of electric lights flash on the streets and squares, still arousing the admiration of old people who remember the times when Sokoto lived with smokehouses and candles.

The city reluctantly came to its senses in the afternoon numbness. The red-hot streets were still sleepy, only occasionally passers-by appeared on them and cars drove by. We stopped under a shady tree

- Here we are! Angulu Fari opened the door.

If it weren't for the harsh, sickening smell of rotting skins in the air, the majemi quarter would not be any different from other quarters in Sokoto. To the right stretched a deaf adobe fence about two human height, and at first glance it might seem that this is the wall of one large dwelling. However, the "zaknvaye" are thin, like straight elephant tusks protrusions on flat roofs dividing the "soro" (Dom (hausa)), like boundary pillars - and the doors indicated that we were in front of separate houses, closed with each other with their outer walls without windows.

Ducking my head, I followed Fari into a passage in the wall, from behind which a rhythmic sound was heard, as if someone was rubbing clothes on a washboard. We found ourselves in a "zaur" - a small room, something like a walk-through or a hallway. As my companion explained, from here you can go to the soro only with the permission of the owners.

Angulu Fari coughed loudly. It became quiet, and a short Hausan man in a leather apron, worn directly on his body to the waist, came out to us. With the back of his right hand, he brushed off the sweat profusely covering his high forehead, and only after that he ceremoniously greeted. When Angulu Fari introduced me and explained that I had specially come to Sokoto from a distant country to get acquainted with the art of local tanners, the majedi, after a little hesitation, invited us to go into the house.

To the left of the zaure, in the courtyard, there was a leather dressing workshop. Along the wall, skins were drying in the sun on a rope like linen. Two iron barrels of water stood nearby. A wide inclined board was immediately fitted - the main "machine" in the tannery Umar Sule. One end of it lay on a block of wood as high as a table, the other rested against a peg near the ground. A goat's skin was spread out on the board, and an iron scraper with two wooden handles was leaning against the block. Nearby, in two round pits, blanks were soaking, bulging like the sides of hippos. In four tanks, each bucket for five, kept "spices".

From the zaure a well-trodden path led through the courtyard to the house itself - three clay boxes: in the center was the owner's dwelling (according to Hausan customs, it is located separately from the family); on the right - his wife and children, on the left - a storage for leather Umaru Sule did not invite us to his "room", apparently he was ashamed of her poor decoration, but offered to settle on the blockhouses standing in the shade against the wall, replacing chairs, and began to tell in detail about the secrets of his profession.

Umaru Sule is a hereditary majemi. True, his grandfather lived in the city of Kano, then moved to Sokoto, where the hides are brought in for sale. Now in Nigeria there are also tanneries, and their products provide a considerable share in foreign exchange earnings. But the products of artisans are still in great demand. As in the past, leather dressing remains extremely simple. However, this simplicity, Umaru Sule warned, is deceiving: if you overexpose the skins in the sun or in a pit of water, remove the extra layer with a scraper, and everything will go down the drain. The skin will lose its natural pattern and become brittle like straw.

For centuries, Majemi has worked out, if I may say so about his primitive workshop, a complete cycle. First, raw hides hung from a rope are roasted in the sun. Then, oddly enough, they are put in a barrel of water overnight. In the morning, wet blanks are rubbed on both sides with a powdery mixture of wood ash and katsi (Indigo tropical plant (haisa).) and kept for two days. Then Umaru Sule removes the pliable woolen cover on the board with a scraper (which he was doing when we arrived at his house) and thoroughly rinses the skins. This completes the primary processing.

The skins are then placed in a pit filled with an aqueous solution of local acacia pods for tanning for 24 hours. Only after this is the finishing treatment performed with a scraper, and again the skins are immersed in the same hole for another day. Then half a dozen more operations follow - rinsing, drying in the sun, rubbing with peanut butter "repeated rinsing in a barrel of water, the final one. Tanning, which usually takes ten days. Now it remains to give the skin the desired color. By tradition, Nigerians prefer red, yellow, green colors, and Umaru Sule prepares the paint himself. In a wooden mortar he pours the peel from the cobs of maize, adds there the stems of a plant called "baba" (Indigo (hausa).), Ash, pounds everything with a heavy pestle until it turns into a fine powder, which is poured into the same pit with water. Then the skin is laid there, which after two or three days acquire a red color. After making sure that they have absorbed enough paint, Umaru Sule rinses them, alternately pulls them on the board and evenly taps with a wooden mallet, thereby making the skin soft and elastic. Then he dries them in the shade.

Majemi gets its yellow dye from the roots of the Kurudi shrub and cotton seed. Factory-made green is usually bought at the store, but adds pounded cotton seeds to it.

Having told us about the process of tanning and dyeing, Umaru Sule took us to the storehouse, offered to look inside: in the semi-dark closet, dressed leather was “ripening” on ropes stretched from wall to wall.

- Will they post as much as necessary and to the market? I asked.

- Uh, no! This is not a product yet. You won't charge much for them. “Umaru Sule entered the vault and brought out an armful of leather goods, which he carefully laid out on the ground. What was not there! Red, green, yellow bags, embroidered with fanciful ornaments, pillows, belts, book covers, wallets Umaru Sule did not study political economy, but to its basics - the finished product has a higher price than raw materials - he came to his own understanding. He also learned the craft "baduku" (tanner (hausa).) (here he went beyond his father and grandfather, who were only majemi) and with the help of only a sharp knife, a needle and a set of threads different colors manufactures a variety of top quality products. Moreover, having accumulated a batch of goods, he himself takes it to the market.

- I'm not the only one doing this now, but all our artisans - Umaru Sule collected his products, took them to the pantry. Returned with handkerchief-sized morocco scraps

- This is for you! Take it as a keepsake. The first time I have a Bature (White Man (Hausa)) visiting.

The morocco was as fresh as a leaf washed in the rain. White cobweb streaks ran out in fancy patterns beneath the grainy, polished surface.

- How so: the goats are Nigerian, the majemi are also Nigerian, and the skin is Moroccan?

- It takes a long time to tell, but the work is worth it. If you want to know thoroughly, go to Kano. From there it all started ...

I will not describe Kano, although this ancient city is worth telling about it in more detail on occasion. After some questioning and searching, I made my way to the western edge of the local Kurmi market. Trucks, delivery vans, and cars have become silent in the parking lot. Next to this wheeled vehicle, on a trampled platform without a single blade of grass, the drivers were stationed with their lean dromedaries - one-humped camels. Leather sacks full of goods lay near them. The drivers - young and gray-haired Hausans in white and blue coats - were in no hurry to carry their load to the market, they were waiting for someone. They turned out to be friendly people, talkative. Like artisans, their profession is hereditary. Sitting in Turkish on the ground, they spoke with regret that the need for drivers and camel transport was no longer needed and that they were no longer shown the honor and respect that their grandfathers enjoyed ...

Kano was written to become shopping center... Blacksmiths, armourers, weavers, fabric dyers, tailors who settled in the city itself and in the immediate vicinity have formed a powerful clan of artisans, who have perfected their skills for many generations. Their artistry excelled those of other Nigerian cities' artisans, and the Kurmi market became an attractive hub for both casual shoppers and wholesalers. Over time, a surplus of goods began to be felt in the market, and local enterprising merchants began to build roads to other regions and lands. The only way to the Mediterranean cities was through the sultry Sahara. The first caravan from Kano made its way there through the sands at the beginning of the 13th century. For some time, trade with the Arab states was carried out sporadically. But already in the 15th century, King Muhammadu Ramfa, realizing the importance of communication with other peoples for the Hausans, established regular trade contacts with the Arabs.

My interlocutors collected sticks, pebbles, built a map on the ground.

“This is Kano,” one of the drivers pointed to the round one. - To the north - Agadez, to the left of it and above - Insllah. From this city there is a direct path to the Moroccan oases of Dra and Tafilalet. From Agadez, if you go to the right, the trail leads to Chat, then to Muzuk, then to Tripoli.

The drivers did not flaunt. The caravan paths through the Sahara, judging by their story, were as familiar to them as the Arbat to Muscovites, and Nevsky Prospect to Leningraders.

- For a long, very long time - six to seven months - the caravans went through the quicksands of the Sahara. Unbearable heat, constant thirst, dusty hurricanes, the absence of any landmarks made each journey incredibly difficult and dangerous. Hausan merchants had difficulty getting to Tafilalet or Dra, where they were intercepted by local dealers. Exhausted, exhausted by the long journey, the Hausans did not bargain much, although they knew that they could sell their goods, especially those made of morocco, with greater profit in Fez or Marrakesh. It was in the hands of dealers. From Tafilalet and Dra, they carried the Nigerian morocco to the sea - to the port cities, from where it spread all over the world, but under a different name - "Morocin".

- Would we have reached Morocco now? I asked.

- What's so special about that? We would go! - answered the elderly Hausan firmly. - Yes, it’s not worth it. We have many competitors

A covered truck drove up to the drivers. They interrupted the conversation, fussed about untiing the sacks. A sleek Hausan man climbed out of the cockpit, straightened his sturdy gray suit. He lit a cigarette and flicked a gold lighter. He was a local businessman of high rank.

The drivers began vying with each other to offer products from "Moroccan leather" they had brought from the Majemi.

Back in Lagos, I met with Remi Ilori.

“You were kind of going to argue,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

I silently showed Remy Ilori a souvenir - a piece of the "marokou", the one that Majemi Umar Sule gave me in Sokoto.

Morocco is a country where Arabian and African exoticism is mixed. Tourists come here to admire the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, see the endless Sahara and get acquainted with the local life. And in order to preserve the impressions received from the trip for a long time, they often bring home original souvenirs, traditional clothes and other items that uniquely reflect the nature of this amazing country.

Every year tourists leave about 8,000,000,000 US dollars in Morocco.

Guests of the country often feel dizzy from the abundance of a wide variety of souvenir goods. It would be a big mistake to bring a standard set of postcards and magnets from Morocco. Let's get acquainted with the list of what you should pay attention to in the first place, how not to overpay and where it is better to choose this or that product for yourself and your loved ones.

Where and how to shop in Morocco

It is better to come to the country with dollars or euros. At the airport, exchange the required minimum for the local currency - dirham (Dh, for $ 1 you will get about 3.5 dirham), and exchange the rest in the city in small amounts.

Don't change all your money at once

Morocco's national currency cannot be exported from the country. Keep receipts received at an ATM or exchange office in order to be able to exchange money back.

It is best to go in search of souvenirs to local markets (Moroccans call them bitches). Tourists get the impression that every city in the country is one big market, because shops, shopping carts and carpets with goods just spread on the road are found almost at every turn. But there are places with the greatest concentration of merchants. It is better to come to such areas for souvenirs.

There is a division in the markets of the country, which is clearly visible to the naked eye. The streets are more decent for tourists, more neglected for the locals. Tourist parts of Moroccan bazaars are worth seeing, and buying souvenirs is better in shopping areas for locals. This simple rule will save you a lot. Traders spoiled by tourists often try to cheat buyers or extort money for all sorts of trifles. Be as careful and vigilant as possible with them.

Knowledge about the origin of the goods will also help to save money. Souvenirs brought from another city are always more expensive than local ones. Sellers often do needlework right in the shops - everything they do with their own hands is sold cheaper than in another city and even on the next street. But in order not to go around the markets of all major Moroccan cities in order to save money, remember the following list:

Marrakesh... The city is very rich in products of local craftsmen. At Rabiya market, you can buy wool products, on El Btana - crafts made from goat and lamb skin, Hadadin market offers to buy products from local blacksmiths and potters.
Fez... The list of goods produced by local residents is also quite extensive. From leather goods, it is better to pay attention to bags, suitcases, belts and national shoes - grandmothers. It is also worth considering purchasing tea sets and other ceramics.
Rabat... It sells interior items, including oriental poufs, bedspreads, wool and lace carpets.
Essaouira... In the markets of this city, it is better to buy leather goods - interior items, clothing, and more. Much cheaper than in the markets of other cities, here you can buy jewelry made of gold and silver (but the most the best option the purchase of silver will be the city of Tinzit, which is described below), made in the Spanish-Moorish style.
Tinsit... The most varied assortment of silver items. But the market only works once a week. Which one - you need to find out on the spot.
Agadir... It is worth coming here for spices, coffee and national clothes. If you have arrived, then visit one of the local fish restaurants.
Casablanca... Fragrances, perfumes and glycerin soaps.

Be sure to bargain. Even when it seems to you that you have thrown off enough from the original cost, you can fold more. Usually, the first price quoted by the seller is overpriced by five times.

Cosmetics

Category of goods worth bringing from Morocco, suitable for girls and women. Moroccan markets and shops are full of cosmetics. There are rare and even exclusive species of it - those that can be purchased only in this country.

Argan oil

The argan tree grows only here. Oil from it is also produced only by local residents. And let the purchase of this unique product hit the tourist budget pretty badly, the oil must be brought home from Morocco.

There are two types of argan oil: food and cosmetic. Each is very useful for a person (this is a scientifically proven fact, not a bike for luring tourists), even in small quantities:

food argan oil lowers blood cholesterol levels, helps with rheumatism and skin diseases;
argan oil used in cosmetic purposes, helps to smooth wrinkles and strengthen hair follicles, promotes the growth of healthy hair.

Argan oil is very expensive. To bring it from Morocco, it is worth expanding the budget in advance, because for one liter you will have to pay about 600 Dh, which is about 4000 rubles.

Never buy argan oil in markets, shops or even supermarkets

For this, there are specialty stores that sell argan oil-infused beauty products along with the pure product. The ideal option is an excursion to the production factory, where you will be allowed to buy a fresh and 100% natural product. In all other places, the oil will be of very poor quality at best, at worst it will be vegetable oil with the addition of argan until a specific nutty smell appears. There are no exceptions. Don't be fooled.

Natural glycerin soap

One of the most common souvenirs brought from Morocco is glycerin soap. Aromatic essential oils are added to its composition - a natural product formed in plants. Glycerin soap moisturizes and rejuvenates the skin well, eliminates flaking and has other useful properties... But be careful when using it, as this natural product does not work with some types of makeup and can be harmful if abused.

Due to the relatively low cost and variety essential oils glycerin soap is a good souvenir for colleagues. In view of its cost, you can buy a lot, and each will differ from the other in its special smell and appearance. One piece will cost you about Dh 30 (200 rubles).

Moroccan hammam set

Hammam is not a place, but a ritual of ablution. It can also be done at home after taking a hot bath. It is enough only to have the means necessary for this.

For a classic Moroccan hammam you will need:

black soap- a completely natural product that cleanses, moisturizes and softens the skin;
kiss- a special mitten, with the help of which particles of old skin are removed;
henna- used as a face mask;
ghassoul- healing volcanic body clay.

The whole set will cost you about 40 Dh (260 rubles). Henna and clay are sold not in portions, but by weight.

The hammam set brought from Morocco is used quite simply:

black soap is applied to the steamed body;
after a while, the soap must be washed off and several times to wipe the entire skin with quiss, washing it with hot water;
then you should apply ghassul on the body, and henna on the face;
after ten minutes, the masks must be washed off under hot water.

Solid perfume

Small cubes with a strong plant scent are a great souvenir. What else can you bring from Morocco if not this amazing product? They perfectly scent rooms, linen closets, bags, car interiors. But most often they lightly rub the skin of the wrists or neck to give it a light but persistent scent of flowers.

When transporting, tightly pack the fragrant cubes in several plastic bags so that the whole suitcase does not smell like them.

Most often, they buy solid perfumes with the scent of roses, sandalwood, jasmine, musk and amber. But there are more exotic options, as well as their combinations.

Gastronomy

Moroccan restaurants have not lost their popularity over the years. They are found in almost every metropolis on the planet. But real national dishes (and not their European adaptations) can be tasted only here in Morocco. And, if you wish, bring recipes and necessary ingredients home.

Spices

Most of the spices widely used in Moroccan cuisine can be bought at any supermarket in Russia. But bought in Morocco, they have an incredible scent because of their freshness. If you cook dishes at home using paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom or cumin, then be sure to stock up on them in local specialized stores for future use (there is an opinion that the quality of spices in the markets is somewhat lower).

One of the hallmarks of Moroccan cuisine is the tagine dish. If you like it and want to repeat it at home, buy a ready-made spice mix ras el-khanut... Homemade tagine will awaken fond memories of a great vacation.

Saffron is also sold here. A cheaper option is a yellow powder that is practically tasteless, but very aromatic. And whole saffron stamens are very expensive and sold in grams. It is only worth buying for those who know exactly how to use it.

Tea and coffee

If you or someone close to you are a lover of tea or coffee, then be sure to bring them from Morocco. It is better to buy tea and coffee in the markets by weight - it will be cheaper this way, and the quality of the goods will be no worse (or even better) than that of the packaged product.

Moroccan coffee is very rich and strong. It has a special taste that is different from coffee beans from other countries. It is cooked in a Turk with the addition of spices: black pepper, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and others. The presence and quantity of spices depends on the tastes of the author of the drink. But the fortress is an essential attribute of Moroccan coffee, for which most tourists may not be ready. A considerable amount of hot milk helps to reduce the astringency of the drink.

Tea in Morocco is an essential part of any meal and can be bought at almost every corner. But, you see, the tea bag brought as a souvenir does not look very presentable. And together with the national tea set, consisting of a teapot and small glasses, it will be an excellent gift.

Nuts and dried fruits

You can't save here. Prices for nuts and dried fruits in the country are almost the same as in the CIS countries. But there is a significant difference - they are not processed with substances that increase their shelf life. In addition to readily available dried fruits, dates and other dried exotic fruits that have not been imported to Russia on a large scale for a long time can be brought from Morocco.

For a kilogram of dried apricots you will have to pay about 80 Dh (about 600 rubles), and for the same measure of a walnut - 120 Dh (850 rubles). It is better to purchase dried fruits in specialized stores.

Local sweets

The first sweetness that I would like to offer as an edible souvenir is Amlu... It contains grated nuts and edible argan oil. The complete list of ingredients is kept in the strictest confidence by the Moroccans.

If you want to bring Amlu from Morocco for yourself, then buy it on the market. It is stored there in large containers (by the way, they say that it never deteriorates, although it is unlikely to lie on the shelves) and is sold by weight. For friends, Amlya is best bought in tourist shops. They sell the same product there, but it is packaged in beautiful souvenir bottles. Presentable sweetness will be a great gift for your loved ones. The cost of Amlu on the market is about 80 Dh per kilogram (600 rubles). A prepackaged Amlu will cost you the same amount, but for a hundred grams.

Another sweet to bring from Morocco is the local hand-made biscuits. It is of two types:

Regular shortbread... Despite the lack of filling, biscuits have different tastes. Ask the dealer to try one if you buy cookies by weight. The cost starts from 70 Dh (500 rubles).
Filled cookies... The filling is a mixture of nut butter and essences of various colors. Pounded almonds are placed in the dough itself, which is why the price per kilogram starts from 120 Dh (850 rubles).

Cookies can be purchased by weight or in beautifully wrapped gift boxes.

Garments

National clothes perfectly convey the spirit and traditions of any country. In Morocco, they tell the story of handicraft (leather goods) and cultural development (cloth garments). Let's take a look at those that can be brought from the country as a souvenir:

Traditional Moroccan grandmothers- leather shoes without a backdrop with a pointed toe, bent inward or upward (like the ones worn by the cartoon character Aladdin, if you remember). In the ranking of popular tourist souvenirs from clothes, grandmothers take the first place. Everyone wears them: for a man, yellow or white colors, for women and children - multi-colored embroidery. There are also fabric grandmothers with leather soles, but this is a more modern version, made for tourists. The cheapest can be bought for 40 Dh (300 rubles), but wearing them is not recommended, as they will quickly become unusable.
A hooded fabric dress worn by Moroccans to protect against sandstorms and direct sunlight - djellaba... Due to its wide cut, djellaba perfectly cools the body during the heat. Both men and women wear such a dress. The average price on the market is 200 Dh (1,500 rubles), but you can sew to order for 2,000 - 5,000 Dh (15,000 - 43,000 rubles). Exclusive jellab will be decorated with handmade embroidery. Better to order in Medina.
Leather belts, bags, wallets and shoes the locals do quite well. Moroccan leather is very soft, high quality, with a beautiful texture. Another reason to bring leather from Morocco is its cheapness. The cost of belts starts from 50 Dh (350 rubles), sandals - from 80 Dh (600 rubles), bags (fake famous brands available in very large quantities) - from 400 Dh (3500 rubles). If you liked a brightly colored thing, then be careful: there is a possibility that, upon contact with water, the paint will flow or go with streaks. This is especially common with cheap things.

Shawls, scarves, men's ties and other chiffon, silk and cotton products sold in the markets are imported to Morocco from other countries. They are not suitable as a souvenir reminiscent of the country. But the prices for such products are incredibly low - the cost of a shawl starts at 20 Dh (150 rubles) - so you can think about purchasing if you are wearing such things.

Decorations

The situation with gold and silver jewelry very peculiar. On the one hand, low cost. On the other hand, there is an unusual design style. Moroccan women love jewelry that is more massive, larger, with large precious or semiprecious stones... This is how bracelets, earrings, pendants and rings are made.

Another caveat is the almost ubiquitous absence of the hallmark of the sample. When buying jewelry made of gold and silver in Morocco, you run the risk of stumbling upon a fake. If you really want to buy jewelry in the Moroccan style, then pay attention to the gilding with semi-precious stones. Inexpensive jewelry is less likely to be fake.

Interior elements

Here the choice is infinitely varied. Interior items that can be brought from Morocco will not collect dust in a dark closet or in boxes under the bed. But such a souvenir is difficult to find for friends or colleagues, relying on the choice according to your own taste. But in your home, the skillful work of local craftsmen will remind you of a great vacation for a long time.

Light fixtures

There are a lot of types of design and types of materials from which Moroccan lamps are made. From lighting devices you can buy sconces and floor lamps; ceiling chandeliers will also serve as decoration of the room. You can choose a lamp from:

Ocher leather. The thin, dyed camel skin that covers the lamp creates a cozy atmosphere and sets the oriental mood. The stand for such lamps is often made of metal, less often of wood. The option with a metal base will cost 30 Dh (200 rubles). Sometimes the skin is stained with pomegranate juice.
Colored glass. The most common design option for home lamps. The most common glasses are green, red and yellow. The cost depends on the size, engraving availability and the number of metal elements. The price of a small-sized souvenir that can be brought from Morocco starts from 100 Dh (700 rubles).
Carved bronze. Possess the most spectacular glow. Holes are cut in the hollow bronze mold to create a beautiful pattern. Light from within casts delicate shadows on interior items and walls in the room. The price starts from 800 Dh (6000 rubles) for a functional product. Expensive, but very colorful.

The cheapest option - a leather lamp - is suitable as a souvenir that can be installed on the bedside table. A lampshade made of carved bronze will become a real decoration of the interior. And it will serve you for many, many years.

Carpets

Carpets are sold in various colors and sizes. The weaving art of local residents has been passed down from generation to generation since the days when the kingdom of Morocco did not yet exist. But today in the markets you run the risk of being deceived by purchasing a substandard or even imported carpet. Here are a few things to consider when choosing:

Do not believe if you are told that the carpet has any historical value. All carpets sold in the markets are woven by the locals and immediately sent to the sale. The merchants only charge up the price by calling the product antique, even if the carpet looks worn, and the seller tells you its amazing and long story.
A natural wool carpet will not cost less than 3000 Dh (21,000 rubles). And this cost is fully justified, because each stage of production is carried out manually. One carpet takes a lot of time, materials and effort. If you see a price lower than the indicated one, then this is not real wool and not handmade.
Local carpets are decorated with geometric patterns. If you see rounded patterns, then the carpet was brought from neighboring countries. This is the same production method and real wool, but no longer Moroccan work.

You will definitely be happy with your purchase. Moroccan carpets are very high quality, pleasant to the touch. In addition, the carpet you purchased will be one of a kind. You will not find the second such. If you can afford such a purchase, then do not miss the chance to bring a real carpet from Morocco.

Mirrors

The mirrors made in the Moroccan style (not the reflective surface itself, but its frame) are more like shuttered windows. Small mirrors look more modest, but they still have inlay, painting or ornamental carvings.

Frames for mirrors are made by hand. The material is leather, wood, metal. The leather is dyed, the metal frame is encrusted with precious metals, stones, bone and other materials of value to Moroccans.

It should be borne in mind that the Moroccan mirror is not suitable for every interior. You can bring a small pocket mirror from Morocco as a souvenir. It will look no less beautiful than a full-size one, but it is much easier to transport, and it will cost you only 50 Dh (350 rubles).

Kitchenware

In almost every country there are dishes, the preparation of which is typical only for local residents. Morocco is famous for its tagine. But taste is one of the components of the national cuisine. The setting in which the food is prepared is also important. Crockery becomes not so much functional elements as objects of art. Such items are ideal as a souvenir brought from Morocco, for those who spend time in the kitchen with pleasure and like to experiment.

Teapots

Moroccan metal teapots come in two varieties: miniature souvenirs and full-size teapots. The first ones are suitable to give to friends or put on a shelf at home as a decoration (30 Dh - 200 rubles). Secondly, you can brew tea (200 Dh - 1500 rubles). Teapots with legs are designed for brewing over an open fire; for home use, purchase kettles without legs.

They are made in a very elegant local style. Each teapot is decorated with original coinage. Partially painted teapots are often found, less often - inlaid with bone, precious and semiprecious stones, precious metals.

Moroccan utensils for cooking the dish of the same name. It makes sense to buy real tagine only if you are going to cook it (then you need to stock up on the spice mixture, which we wrote about above). Moroccan tagine is made from meat and vegetables (onions, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and others) stewed in their own juice for several hours. Sometimes honey, berries and fruits are added to the dish. The ideal recipe for yourself is best spied on the streets of Morocco.

As an alternative to real tagine, you can choose numerous products made in the form of national dishes. You can bring home from Morocco ashtrays, sugar bowls, boxes, sauce bowls and much more. These small and inexpensive items are perfect gifts for friends and colleagues.

Thuja

Thuja wood is a material available to Moroccans, from which many things used in everyday life are made. The kitchen is no exception. Although you will not find anything fantastic from this tree on the market, you can bring home as a souvenir:

carved boxes;
cutting boards;
boxes for storing spices;
trays;
coasters for hot dishes;
small figurines as decoration.

The cost of thuja products starts from 5 Dh (35 rubles). You will have to pay 20-25 Dh (150-200 rubles) for the boxes.

Ceramic tableware

It is better to buy ceramics in Fez. You can bring from Morocco deep bowls, jugs, wide dishes, vases, large containers for spices, pots. The variety of ceramic tableware in the markets is very large. Inexpensive saucers can be purchased in large quantities, if you are sure that during the flight it will not break. The dishes are painted with geometric patterns of an unusual shape. Traditional colors are white, blue and yellow. But today the counters are full of much more bright colors... A small bowl can be bought for 20 Dh (150 rubles).

Morocco is an exotic, unconventional and rather interesting country that can give a lot of positive emotions. There are many attractions here that can attract tourists: their own distinctive culture, unique landscapes and, of course, old bazaar - medina.

If you are in Morocco and you have a long shopping trip, do not forget that at the moment you are in eastern country, in which bargaining is customary, is part of the local tradition. Go to the nearest bazaars for shopping, and bargain boldly, most importantly, do not hesitate :). You could always buy a lot in Morocco valuable and interesting things that will subsequently be able to please their owners more than once, but remember the fact that each city can specialize only in certain products. For example, some urban artisans offer tourists excellent leather bags, while in other cities they will not deserve attention. As a rule, most experienced tourists recommend buying clothes or leather goods from Morocco. Many people may not be able to afford to travel to Morocco, so our store site invites you to buy the best products from this wonderful country, without leaving home.

Speaking about leather products, one cannot forget about their best qualities, in particular, Moroccan leather is distinguished by its unusual gentleness... Each artisan uses his own, ancient method of leather dressing, as the craft, referred to as leatherworking, has been developed here since the most ancient and ancient times. Leather bag, leather wallet, handmade leather bracelets and other accessories are always of high quality and natural. One of the main advantages is the really low cost of Moroccan leather goods.

Every leather bag from Morocco is pretty for a long time serves its owner. When buying such a product in our store, you should understand that due to handicraft, the inside of the bag may be visible streaks or imperfectly glued skin. In fact, the purchase will be able to prove to the future owner uniqueness and uniqueness purchased from us leather products.

As mentioned a little above, Morocco is actually the only thing from places in the world where leather is processed in large volumes using traditional, ancient methods, using vegetable tanning. Buying a leather bag from Morocco involves purchasing an interesting item, so some of the buyers will want to know about the Moroccan leather processing process.

So, not all buyers leather bag from Morocco know about the processing of this material. Natural leather is tanned with herbal extracts and, as a result, takes on a full-fledged individual look. Vegetable tanning by Moroccan artisans uses organic acids and natural tannids. The leather is rolled by far from whole skins, namely, parts cut out for bags, thanks to this, an uneven thickness of the skin is obtained.

Leather is one of the most ancient materials for making clothes.

This natural material- processed animal skins.

Tanners have their own secrets of how to turn raw hides into beautiful leather so that it retains all its natural properties. It is elastic and durable, breathable and windproof. Each leather has its own typical structure and, depending on the methods of processing and dressing, can be soft, velvety, shiny or fleecy.

Some types of skin have dark spots and capillary drawing. Usually, in the manufacture of leather clothing, the skin of various animals is used. This explains the difference in its structure (thickness, direction of breaklines, etc.). Various sections of leather are used to make outerwear, shoes, gloves or bags.

There are many ways to handle leather. Hence the many types of leather. Porous soft leather such as nubuck, suede, velor, very thin glove leather such as laika or patent leather for making shoes, bags and other accessories and, of course, sheepskin coats - all this is leather. And each of its types requires specific care.

How is leather made in Morocco?

The tanning process of leather is to oxidize the leather with tannin to prevent decomposition and impart color.
Tanning takes place in so-called tannery. In Morocco, old technology is used and leather is tanned in tanneries built in the 16th century.

Before tanning, the skins are soaked in a concentrated salt solution for about 30 days, then in clean water. After most of the salt has been removed from the skins, they are transferred to the limestone solution. In Morocco, pigeon droppings are used instead of limestone and are collected throughout the city. Limestone softens the skin and accompanies hair loss. The remains of fat, tissue and hair are scraped out by hand with a knife. After that, the skins are transferred to baths filled with tanning agents.

Tanning substances are divided into 2 types: vegetable and mineral.
Vegetable tanning uses tannin - a tanning agent found in the bark of trees such as chestnut, oak, spruce and others. Vegetable tanned leather becomes elastic and is mainly used for sewing furniture and bags.
Chromium is used in mineral tanning. The leather will turn out to be stringy and very soft and is used for making clothes.

The skins are gradually transferred from a solution with a lower concentration of tannin to a more concentrated one.
Depending on the desired dressing, the skins can be infiltrated with oils, waxed, shaved and of course dyed. Saffron, ocher, henna are used as dyes.

I want to note that all this is done manually. In the process of transferring from one bath to another, the skins are viewed and all visible defects are removed with a knife.

The hellish labor of artisans and tanners. Appreciate their work in our product!

From notes about Morocco through the eyes of a Russian woman,

"Morocco has long been famous for leather dressing. Traditionally, travel bags, cushions, soft grandmothers have always been made of leather. Now, in addition to traditional products, you can find leather items for every taste. Elegant women's bags, clothes, hats, all kinds of accessories, belts, gloves. .. From the abundance of styles and colors, eyes run up. But the dressing of leather is still produced, as in the old days. One of the largest and oldest leather dressing workshops has survived in the medina of the city of Fez. This is a kind of mini-factory under the open sky.

By the way, old recipes are used for leather dressing. All secrets, of course, are not disclosed, but it is reliably known that bird droppings are used to soak the skins. If you are able to abstract from the eerie smell, you will see an unforgettable picture. In large stone vats filled with a multi-colored liquid lie skins. They are soaked in the "special solutions" mentioned above - the skin becomes unusually soft, and then immersed in containers with natural dyes. From above, these vats look like cans with multi-colored paint. Moreover, there is no mechanization of labor. Everything is done manually. They drag mountains of skins on themselves, load them into barrels, dilute dyes, remove wool ... From time to time, workers themselves plunge waist-deep into barrels to straighten and morning the skins. It’s hard to believe that such technologies could survive to this day.

Nevertheless, it is so. The craft is inherited. This is how their grandfathers and great-grandfathers lived, and this is how they live. After a few days, the skins are taken out, dried and sent to tanneries. "

After that, there will be a lot of laborious manual work on sewing leather goods for the whole world.
Now you know how to dress and then sew your bag or sneakers from natural Moroccan leather. The work of these artisans is not very well paid. The craft is passed down from generation to generation. Not in pursuit of money, but as a sign of respect and devotion to their ancestors.

How does Moroccan leather differ from industrial leather?

Morocco is, perhaps, the only place in the world where leather is processed in a large volume in the traditional, ancient way and using vegetable tanning.

An average person buying natural leather of industrial production hardly knows how such leather differs from the Moroccan method of dressing and how it is unique and of high quality. Therefore, in spite of your (perhaps again, currents for an amateur!) Not always a special look, you get whole leather, tanned not by chemical, but natural ones, handmade and at a very favorable price!

So, after the skin is removed from the animal, it goes through certain stages of processing, tanned with plant extracts.

Vegetable tanning uses natural tannides and various organic acids.

In industry, as a rule, the chrome tanning method is used, the main of which is chromium sulfate, sodium sulfate and carbonate. Let's pay attention to the inner side of the skin. Often, in industrial production, the skin is plastered, that is, this loose layer is cut off. Modern laser production allows you to spread the skin into several layers, each of which subsequently has its own price.

In our case, the skin is not plastered, not polished ... The only thing is that it is rolled to seal between the rollers.

Moreover, not a whole skin is rolled, but already cut parts for bags. Therefore, as it is written on authoritative sites, handicraft leather can be heterogeneous in thickness.

In the end, we have a product made of absolutely solid, non-laminated genuine leather.

If you have doubts about the naturalness of the leather products we offer, you can safely contact the experts. We are so confident in 100% naturalness of our leather that in case of official confirmation of your suspicions, we will refund the cost with delivery and the costs of examination.

We have selected for you only the best natural products from Morocco!

Glad to see you again and again!