Advancing Craftsmanship Through Continuous Learning at KIRDI

At Blueberry Leather, we believe exceptional craftsmanship begins with a commitment to continuous learning. This week, our team had the privilege of participating in the Leather Product Manufacturing Training – 3rd Edition under the MARK UP II Programme at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI).

The hands-on training covered every stage of leather product manufacturing, from pattern making and hand skiving to leather splitting, machine stitching, edge finishing, product assembly, and quality control. Beyond learning new techniques, the programme reinforced an important principle that continues to shape our work: quality is built into every step of the process, not inspected at the end.

As part of the practical assessment, each participant handcrafted a leather cardholder from start to finish, applying the skills learned throughout the training. We are proud that our Blueberry Leather prototype was among the strongest-performing products during the quality control evaluation, scoring 10 out of 14. The exercise highlighted the importance of precision, consistency, and attention to detail in creating products that are both functional and market-ready.

Completing the programme and receiving our certificate represents more than the end of a training course. It reflects our ongoing commitment to refining our craft, embracing best manufacturing practices, and continually improving the products we create. We are grateful to KIRDI, the MARK UP II Programme, the trainers, and our fellow participants for an enriching learning experience.

As we bring these insights back to our workshop, we remain dedicated to creating thoughtfully crafted leather products that proudly showcase Kenyan craftsmanship to the world.