Rachel Evans, the Countryside Alliance’s Director for Wales was privileged to be a judge for the awards and headed to nominee Coterie Leather in Pembrokeshire as part of the judging process.  

Nestled away in the peaceful village of Llawhaden between Narberth and Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Coterie Leather’s workshop and studio is situated in a beautiful stone barn bursting with creativity.  

“I walked down the stone path to an open door to find Tracy Watkins busy hand stitching a zip into a beautiful cream leather bag with milk chocolate coloured leather handles,” says Rachel. 

 The smell of leather hit straight away. “It was rich and raw, I just wanted to get stuck in and to make something!” says Rachel. The space was packed with Tracy’s work; bags, belts, leather notebooks and on display were a beautiful pair of sneakers. Rachel says: “I had been dying to make some of those for myself! I poked my head under the cutting table where I found gorgeous colourful rolls of rescued leather, so many colours and textures. I spotted the spools of stitching thread perfectly placed on the shelves, from earthy neutrals to vibrant, colourful shades. It gave me goosebumps as the potential of all these components coming to life and being made into something lovely was really exciting for me as I have a background in fashion and marketing.”  

Tracy was once a product developer in the furniture industry and so she was fully aware of the industry’s waste problem which left, as she described, a “mountain of unwanted leather”. Dismayed by how much leather was discarded, she left that world behind to repurpose the material that others saw as waste and in 2007 Coterie Leather was born.  

Driven by her passion for sustainability, Tracy began designing and handcrafting luxurious leather goods using remnants from the furniture and fashion industries that would otherwise have ended up in landfill. Her commitment to ethical sourcing doesn’t just make her products unique, it makes Coterie one of the rare businesses using another industry’s by-products as its primary raw material.  

Collaborations have been incredibly successful. Working with the local Welsh Organic Tannery and Welsh woollen mills has enhanced the collection and supported other businesses in the area. Bespoke projects in collaboration with other makers are in demand and Tracy is in her element bringing fellow creatives together to make unique high-quality products to share with the world.  

Coterie has grown organically over the years and you can now attend one of the many workshops where you can make your own sneakers, belts, tote bags, wallets, dog collars and more – under Tracy’s skilful and diligent guidance. These workshops mainly take place at her studio but recently she has started running workshops at a regular venue in Devon and other counties. Whilst being at her studio would be the ultimate experience, there is potentially that option to bring the studio to you and your group of friends. 

The workshops help ensure that these time-honoured skills are shared, allowing others to appreciate the joy of slow, mindful making and to feel great pride in making your own items. In a world dominated by mass production, it is refreshing to find a business so devoted to quality, tradition and a specific skill set, producing products that are made to last a lifetime. 

It’s not all about new products either as many treasured items, mostly family heirlooms, are revived in this delightful studio in Pembrokeshire. Repairs range from saddle bags to belts and even a stag’s head – many items have been rescued by Tracy’s skilful hands and her patience.  

While words like ethical and sustainable have become trendy marketing jargon, for Coterie they are the principles that formed its foundation. True to its ethos, for every sale conducted through the website a tree is planted, re-enforcing the sustainability ethics of the company.  

Rachel loved her trip into creative heaven and explained as she began the judging process: “It was hard to leave and I absolutely will be booking a workshop but I am torn: sneakers or tote bag? It just might have to be both. The creative buzz I got within seconds of stepping over the threshold of the workshop has stayed with me and I feel like I can still smell that leather!”