Amber Bear
Leather workshop · Łódź Hand-stitched since 2025

Sewn by needle. Not machine.

Handmade leather wallets, bags and belts in vegetable-tanned leather. I cut, stitch and finish them myself in one workshop. Every piece is one of a kind and looks better every year.

Order made to measure See the collection
Workshop table: leatherworking tools, thread and leather pieces on a cutting mat
One of a kind
every piece made individually
Construction

A stitch that won't unravel

Every stitch is pulled tight with two needles, so one worn thread won't take the whole seam with it.

Material

Leather that matures

Over time it darkens and picks up a sheen. The longer you use it, the better it looks.

Aftercare

Repairs, for life

I'll repair the stitching no matter how many years have passed. The first conditioning is included.

About the workshop

I make every piece myself, from the first sketch to the last stitch.

Maciej Trela Maciej Trelafounder and maker

I have always been drawn to leather and wood: their smell, their texture, and the way they grow more beautiful with age. In 2024 I started collecting tools and learning the craft, and at the end of 2025 I finished my first bag. Today I design and stitch in Łódź. There's no production line and no sewing machine.

  1. 01

    Vegetable-tanned leather

    Tanned with tannins from bark and leaves rather than chrome. It is dense and springy: stiff at first, it slowly moulds to your hand. It can be shaped, dyed and stamped, and with basic care it lasts for decades.

  2. 02

    Patina

    Sunlight, touch and daily use leave their mark: a deeper tone, a soft sheen, wear where your hand rests most often. After a few years, your wallet will look like no other.

Technique

Saddle stitch

I mark the holes with a wing divider and punch them with an awl. Then I run a single thread through with two needles, one from each side of the leather. A machine stitch interlocks two threads, and when one breaks, the seam can unravel further. In a saddle stitch, every stitch holds on its own.

A machine is faster. A hand-sewn seam lasts longer.

8stitches per inch
2.5 mmleather thickness in bags
2 needlesfor every stitch
0sewing machines

From the workshop.

Full collection →
5 photos

Tote bag

in stock

Thick 2.5 mm Russia leather, so it holds its shape even when empty. 38 × 35 × 14 cm, with room for a 14″ laptop and the groceries.

900 PLN Order

Three-row wallet

Three rows of card slots, an ID window and a snap-closed coin pocket. A classic for years to come.

from 320 PLNmade to order
Ask me to make one

Slim wallet

Four card pockets and room for notes. Disappears into a front trouser pocket.

from 240 PLNmade to order
Ask me to make one

Card holder

from 70 PLN

Thin goatskin. It holds six cards and is barely thicker than one. A good first leather gift.

Ask me to make one

Prices exclude shipping. The cost depends on the destination country and is added separately.

In some of the product photos the background was generated with AI; the others are unedited. The pieces themselves are real, though their colour may differ slightly from the photo depending on lighting and your screen.

Made to measure

Have an idea, a size or a photo that inspired you? We'll choose the leather, thread colour and details together.

  1. 01

    Conversation

    You tell me what you need and how you'll use it. I'll ask about the things that are easy to forget: how many cards, which phone, which shoulder.

  2. 02

    Design and quote

    You get a sketch, a suggested leather and thread, and a price. At this stage you pay nothing and commit to nothing.

  3. 03

    Making

    Cutting, dyeing, stitching, burnishing the edges. It usually takes up to two weeks, depending on the piece and how many orders I have at the time.

  4. 04

    Delivery and aftercare

    I ship across Poland and abroad, with shipping charged on top of the price. Each parcel includes care instructions. If the stitching ever wears through, I'll repair it.

Good questions

Care in brief

  • Condition the leather every few months. I do the first one for you.
  • If it gets wet, let it dry away from radiators and direct sun.
  • Wear marks and darker spots are patina, not a flaw.

How long does an order take?

Usually up to two weeks from approving the design. Pieces in stock ship right away.

Can I change the colour, size or details?

Yes. Most pieces are made to order, so we choose the leather colour, thread colour and dimensions together.

What does the design cost?

Nothing. The sketch and quote are free, and you decide only once you know exactly what you'll get and for how much.

Do you ship abroad?

Yes, across Poland and abroad. Prices don't include shipping. The cost depends on the destination country and is added to your order separately.

What if the stitching wears through?

Send it back and I'll fix it. There's no time limit, because a saddle stitch can be rebuilt stitch by stitch.

Does it make a good leather gift?

Yes. Tell me who it's for and I'll help you choose the piece and colour.

Contact

Tell me what to make

A few sentences or a reference photo is enough. I reply within two working days.

contact@amberbear.studio email 666 860 960 phone