Leather Goods Maker

A leather goods maker designs and fabricates leather items such as bags, wallets, belts, and accessories using hand tools and machinery in a workshop or manufacturing setting. They select and prepare leather, cut and shape components, assemble pieces using stitching and adhesives, and apply finishing techniques to produce durable and aesthetically finished products. The role requires knowledge of leather types, pattern making, and traditional and contemporary construction methods.

Select appropriate leather grades and hides based on product requirements, colour, and texture specifications. Prepare leather by cleaning, conditioning, and treating hides to remove defects and achieve desired finish. Develop or interpret patterns and templates for leather components using paper, cardboard, or digital design tools. Cut leather pieces using hand tools such as knives, bevellers, edge cutters, and stamps to achieve precise dimensions. Operate leather-working machinery including skiving machines, edge bevellers, and embossing presses to prepare components. Stitch leather components together by hand using needles and waxed thread or operate industrial sewing machines for seams. Apply adhesives and binding materials to join leather pieces and reinforce seams and edges. Burnish and finish leather edges using edge slickers, polishes, and protective coatings to achieve professional appearance.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The work is physically demanding on your hands, wrists, and back from repetitive cutting, stitching, and standing. Pay is modest and capped unless you start your own label. Most jobs are in small workshops with limited career progression, and competition from cheap overseas imports means steady work can be hard to find.

Remote work is rare; you need to be in the workshop.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Process Improvement Identification
• Purchase Order Processing
• Record Management
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Team Collaboration
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026