Kariokor Leather Industry.

Inside the walls of the old-styled Kariokor Market thrives an enviable trade in leather products.

There were times when complex manufacturing processes were an exclusive reserve of heavily capitalized industries. In those days, most of the manufacturing plants in the country were either limited companies, parastatals or foreign-owned. There was little that locals could do with their potential unless they were employed in these industries.

In order to produce even basics like shoes, a factory had to invest in a whole line of manufacturing facilities ranging from tanning, dyeing, shoe design, stitching, and fitting of soles to mention but a few, all under one roof. Things have changed now, and those days might never come back. The drive today is towards smaller, more efficient, specialized, and cost-effective manufacturing facilities, both at the Juakali and corporate levels.

Kariokor Market in Nairobi is one such place where Juakali artisans have redefined the art of shoe manufacturing. No complex leather tanning or dyeing facilities – that can be done by specialists at the Industrial Area. The artisans do not have to manufacture shoe soles either – those too can be gotten ready to fix, once again from the Industrial Area. All what the artisans have are humble sheds and simple tools, coupled with the expertise and flair to convert rolls of leather into any top-of-the-range shoe, belt, or wallet design while you wait. What’s more, they will offer the product to you at a fraction of the cost of a similar one at leading designer shops in town.

Strategically placed at the far right corner from the market gate is Jaramba Leatherworks, owned by Dalmus Otieno, popularly known as Jaramba. With only two old sewing machines, three pattern designers, and assistants, Dalmus can produce up to 30 pairs of shoes per day. This can be in any size and design, ranging from moccasins, big shoes, to tough safari wears. And how much does a pair cost? We asked him. “About six hundred bob,” he replied buoyantly. We then sought to establish from him how they manage to keep the costs down. “To start with, leather, soles and other raw materials can be sourced cheaply from Industrial Area. There is also cheap availability of labor. A worker can get around Ksh. 500 when the business is good. There is stiff internal competition too, which works to the benefit of buyers. And still, the taxman hasn’t yet caught up with the Juakali sector.”

According to another leather products dealer, Mr. Musembi, the amount of rent per stall has also been fairly low, at Ksh. 400 per month. However, when we visited the market, there was unrest as the traders were organizing a demonstration against Nairobi City Council, who had proposed to hike the rent to Ksh. 1,500.

Another important factor that has contributed to low cost of goods is that a manufacturer does not have to do all the production work at his premises. There is a lot of outsourcing of some of the processes. For instance, one can have the shoe patterns designed by the best designer around, have the pieces cut out by yet another person who specializes in that area, before bringing the pieces back for stitching and fitting of soles.

Besides creating employment for a whole lineup of craftsmen, this method of production has promoted specialization and brought about expertise. This guarantees production of high-quality goods which can effectively compete with those produced by big industries or imports from abroad. Indeed, some of the pioneers in this trade had years of experience at various collapsed local shoe companies, though majority of the artisans have been trained at the market through apprenticeship.

Anthony Wambua, 29, and who runs a startup stall – No.29, is a good example. After school and armed with no life skills, he tarmacked for several years. In 1999, he decided to settle for leather craftsmanship. He was tutored in the trade at the market, learned how to rivet, design, and create patterns on wallets, belts, and other leather products, as well as how to fix buckles to belts. Recently, he started his own stall from scratch, with just a small wooden stool, a skiving knife, dye, and a display of samples of belts, holsters, and wallets that he has made.

And what an insightful revelation he gave us: “Most of those leather products you find on sale at the Maasai Market and other up-market African product exhibitions are made at Kariokor market”. Exhibitors buy such products in bulk from the market and either sell them locally or export them. At Wambua’s we bought a high-quality genuine leather wallet at only Ksh.50. A similar one would go for anything between Ksh. 150 and 250 once it left the market gates. “You have bulk orders for any of these or other leather products, come, we will make them for you at a price that will leave you smiling.” He urges.

A few stalls from Wambua’s is Mr. Musembi, who earlier told us about rent woes at the market. At his stall, a pair of men’s leather sandals cost Ksh.200, while ladies’ are Ksh.250. He explains that ladies’ sandals need extra embellishment in form of beads, shells or both. Their design is also unique and complex, unlike men’s hence the price difference.

The thriving Kariokor leather industry affirms one thing and negates another. It affirms that small-scale producers have what it takes – in terms of skills, innovation, and motivation – to make high-quality products that can compete within the region and abroad. With the level of specialization and interdependence demonstrated at the market – a caricature of the advanced Japanese production model – the Juakali sector is headed in the right direction.

However, it firmly negates the perception created by most leather product dealers out there that genuine leather products are expensive. It is clear that this is a way of justifying their hiking of price for such products. If a pair of shoes leaves Kariokor at a cost of Ksh.600, one wonders where on earth it gathers the extra value to warrant a price tag twice or thrice that value once it gets to the shops.

The sector is however faced with the menacing problem of second-hand shoes and low-priced imports from Dubai and other Asian countries. “Some of them might come with durable soles,” argues Dalmus, “but this is only a cover-up as the upper parts are usually made of thetic materials which wear out fast, leaving those made of genuine Kenyan leather weathering the storm”.

In retrospect, one wonders why many learned designers, engineers, and business experts choose to shun this sector. Most of them only talk of it in high places, in seminars on job creation and poverty alleviation, but few of them spare a cent to buy an item made by local art sans. Through sound business arrangements, the government and the private sector have what it takes to transform the Juakali sector into a modern and self-sustaining economic outfit. Instead, they have left our artisans to toil, with blunt tools, against a globalized world whose production processes are driven by laser technology.

As one leaves the market gates, he cannot help but long for the day he will return and find the artisans working with modern and more efficient tools, and perhaps having aligned their production units systematically according to one’s area of specialization to form a distinct production chain.

Without good mentoring in business, better facilities, entrepreneurial skills, and protection from unfair external competition, the sector might never make it to the Noah’s Ark by the time the floods of globalization finally break the gates and come rushing in.