UNLIMITED QUARTZ SHINSAIBASHI-exclusive backpack, created to commemorate the opening of the store.
One of its defining features is the leather mesh applied to the body of the bag.
Thin strips of leather are individually woven into a leather base, one stitch at a time.
Its dimensional texture and depth are not created by machines, but by skilled hands.
To learn more about the craftsmanship behind this leather mesh, we visited artisan Mr. Fusegawa at his workshop, CAVALLO Co., Ltd. in Asakusa, and spoke with him about the production process.
52 Years Dedicated to Leather Craftsmanship
—How long has your workshop been in operation?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
Our workshop has been around for 52 years. We’ve spent decades working with leather and leather processing.
Inside the workshop are machines that are now rarely seen anywhere else.
—Are the machines here particularly unique?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
I don’t think many places still have machines like these. Most of ours are 40 to 50 years old.
It’s not just that these old machines remain.
What matters is that we still know how to operate them and put them to use. That’s one of the strengths unique to our workshop.
With this level of equipment and the ability to create samples by the next day, there are probably very few workshops left in Japan. Our philosophy has always been to handle everything in-house whenever possible.
I Never Intended to Do the Weaving Myself
Although Mr. Fusegawa has spent many years working with leather, he did not originally weave leather mesh himself.
—Have you always done this weaving work yourself?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
Honestly, I never intended to do the weaving myself.
In the past, weaving was often outsourced to home-based workers.
It was a time-consuming process, and the labor costs rarely justified the effort.
For that reason, weaving by hand was never something I planned to take on myself.
However, once he began doing the work personally, he gained a deeper understanding of the craft.
Once I started weaving myself, I realized just how demanding it was. You put in so much work, and yet the compensation is surprisingly small.
The burden on the craftspeople.
The limitations of the tools.
The way leather stretches.
The reasons woven panels shrink.
These were things that could only be understood through firsthand experience.
—Has anything changed since you started weaving yourself?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
Everything I do now comes from experimenting and improving the process myself.
One example is the tools used for weaving.
The slim rod-like tool used in the workshop is not commercially available.
Years ago, umbrella ribs were used for the task.
Today, various materials such as bicycle spokes and barbecue skewers are tested and modified to create tools that are easier to use.
“I flatten bicycle spokes with a hammer, drill a hole through them, and thread the leather lace through. In the end, you have to make your own tools.”
Because he does the weaving himself, he notices the problems with existing tools.
Improving the tools improves the finished product.
Those accumulated refinements have become the foundation of the techniques used today.
One Stitch at a Time — Why It Can’t Be Automated
The leather mesh used on this backpack is created by cutting leather into narrow strips and weaving them into a leather base, producing a distinctive three-dimensional texture.
—From a technical perspective, why can’t this process be automated?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
In the end, you’re picking up and weaving each stitch individually, so automation is extremely difficult. I’ve been doing this work for decades, and I don’t think it’s something that can be fully automated.
You can’t simply pull a long strip through all at once.
To prevent the leather from stretching, you have to work gradually.
About 10 centimeters at a time.
Sometimes only 2 or 3 centimeters in tighter areas.
Pick up a stitch.
Pull.
Pick up the next stitch.
Pull again.
Leather naturally stretches, so controlling the tension is difficult. If someone inexperienced does it, the weave will shrink.
That’s why this process must be done by hand.
The artisan watches carefully, feels the material with their fingertips, and constantly adjusts the amount of force applied.
That repetition creates a surface that is consistent, yet never mechanical.
—Is there a particular aspect of the woven leather bag you’d like people to pay attention to?
—Mr. Fusegawa:
There’s no specific detail that I want people to focus on. To be honest, I tend to look beyond the mesh itself.
Of course, the mesh we created is the first thing I notice.
But what interests me as a craftsman is what comes after that.
How is the mesh being used?
How is it incorporated into the overall construction?
How does it enhance the design?
That’s what I want to see.
Materials and techniques alone don’t complete a product.
What matters is how they’re integrated into the overall design and balance of the bag.
It’s not enough to simply add woven leather.
What matters is how the manufacturer has utilized it and made it work within the product.
The craftsmanship of handwoven leather and master-piece’s approach to product design come together to create this QUARTZ-exclusive backpack.
Things That Can Only Be Created by Hand
A workshop with a 52-year history.
A craftsman who never intended to weave leather himself, yet spent years refining his skills, creating tools, and improving his techniques through hands-on experience.
Those accumulated efforts are what give this QUARTZ-exclusive backpack its unique character.
There are qualities that cannot be achieved through efficiency or mass production alone.
Each stitch is woven individually.
The condition of the leather is carefully monitored.
Time is invested in every step of the process.
Textures that can only be created by hand.
A presence that only comes from time and dedication.
We invite you to visit the store and experience the traces of craftsmanship found in every detail.
Information
master-piece UNLIMITED QUARTZ SHINSAIBASHI
4F 412, Quartz Shinsaibashi
3-12-14 Minamisenba, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0081, Japan
TEL: +81-6-6575-7669
Business Hours: 10:00–20:00
X：@mspc_UNLIMITED
Instagram：@masterpiece_quartz
