40 under 40: Meet Rok Jarc

Every Monday, we are celebrating one of our 40 under 40 makers.

Starting off February for us, is Rok Jarc, a leather crafter from Slovina.

 Let's get to know him with our Q&A.

Tell us a bit about what you do

I’m leather crafter, I’m making bags, wallets, belts, key rings etc from leather. All of my work is saddle stitched by hand.

How did you get into making leather goods

I needed a handbag as my armani bag just died, and I tried to do it by myself. I loved to stitched leather, as it's way harder than jeans etc and you need more skills, tools etc. 

 What is your favourite product to make?

That would be a briefcase. I love making briefcase.

What do you love most about working with leather?

It’s a tough material to work with, as you need a full spectrum of skills etc. From cutting, skiving, stitching, edge painting. It’s really the best material to work with.

What are your next goals? 

Right now, my goal is to create different handles, as I think that handles are the toughest to create.

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about becoming a leather worker or who has just started out?

Never give up. Work hard, train, experiment

What does it mean to you to be included in the 40 under 40 list?

 I’m really excited to make it to the list. I’m self-taught, it was just a hobby at the begging, so I never really expected to be good at it, to sell handbags etc.
 

How important do you think it is to keep traditional techniques alive in the modern world?

Traditional techniques are really important, as in today’s world almost everything is made on fast and cheap way. So it’s really important to keep the tradition alive. It’s our history, therefore it must not die.

What have you done to keep relevant in a digital age?

To keep it as hand made as possible. No machines, just tools.

What is the biggest challenge to becoming successful in your discipline?

The problem is, we compete with bigger brands who have long and established history. So yeah it is a challenge to establish a reputation as a good leather crafter

To join this network of great makers, please follow Rok's Instagram page HERE