Ettinger continues hand‑crafted luxury leather production at Walsall factory

Ettinger, a luxury leather goods brand founded in 1934, continues to produce its items largely by hand at its factory in Walsall, near Birmingham. The plant, which has operated since the 1890s, employs roughly 20 people, most of them women, who cut, thin, turn, glue and stitch each piece of leather manually. The process for a single wallet involves 28 individual leather components that are cut with a hydraulic press before being assembled by hand.

Robert Ettinger, chief executive and owner of the family‑run business, stresses that the majority of the manufacturing steps cannot be automated. He argues that robots cannot replicate the attention to detail required for the brand’s high‑end products. The company’s clientele includes members of the British royal family, with King Charles and Queen Camilla holding royal warrants for Ettinger’s goods.

Background

Ettinger’s origins trace back to its founder, who fled Nazi Germany, spent time in Paris and the film industry, and established the leather business in the United Kingdom in 1934. Over the decades, the West Midlands region once hosted a dense concentration of leather factories; in the 1980s, three pages of the Yellow Pages listed such firms in Walsall. Today, only about five factories remain, reflecting a shift toward a cottage‑industry model. Gary Billingham, the factory manager, has worked at the Walsall site since the 1980s and demonstrates the traditional techniques still used. While the company now offers a broader range of luxury items, its best‑selling product remains the wallet.

Why it matters

The continued reliance on hand‑craftsmanship at Ettinger highlights the survival of skilled manufacturing in a sector that has largely contracted in the UK. The plant provides employment for a small, predominantly female workforce, preserving specialised skills that are increasingly rare. Supplying royal‑warranted products also reinforces the brand’s prestige and underscores the importance of domestic production for high‑profile clientele. The decline from dozens of factories to a handful illustrates broader challenges facing British manufacturing, including competition from automated processes abroad.

What happens next

Ettinger’s leadership has not announced any immediate plans to expand automation or increase workforce numbers. The company appears committed to maintaining its hand‑crafted approach, with the current team continuing to produce luxury leather goods for its discerning customers.