Our Heritage

The Art of the Tannery

Seven centuries of unbroken tradition. In the ancient tanneries of Marrakesh, where the air carries the weight of history and the stone vats hold memories of ten thousand hides, our artisans transform raw material into living art.

The Process

From Hide to Heritage

01

Selecting the Hides

اختيار الجلود

Each morning, our master tanners inspect raw hides from the Atlas region, selecting only those with the tightest grain and fewest imperfections. A single hide must pass seven quality checks before entering the tannery.

Duration: 1 Day

02

The Lime Baths

حمام الجير

Hides are soaked in ancient stone vats filled with a mixture of pigeon lime and water — the same formula used since the 14th century. This removes hair and opens the pores of the leather for tanning.

Duration: 3-5 Days

03

Vegetable Tanning

الدباغة النباتية

Using bark from mimosa and oak trees, the leather is slowly tanned in graduated pits. Unlike chemical processes, vegetable tanning takes weeks but produces leather that ages beautifully and is kind to the earth.

Duration: 2-4 Weeks

04

Natural Dyeing

الصباغة الطبيعية

Colors come from the earth: saffron for yellow, indigo for blue, pomegranate for red, mint for green. Each hide is dyed by hand, massaged until the color penetrates deep into the grain.

Duration: 2-3 Days

05

Cutting & Stitching

القطع و الخياطة

Our artisans cut each piece using brass templates passed down through families. Every stitch is made by hand with waxed linen thread, using a saddle-stitch technique that ensures the piece never unravels.

Duration: 1-3 Days

06

Finishing & Burnishing

التشطيب

Edges are sealed with beeswax and burnished with a bone folder until they gleam. Hardware is attached, final inspections are made, and each piece receives the TANNOUR stamp — a mark of authenticity.

Duration: 1 Day

The Tannery

Where It All Begins

The Vats

Stone tanning pits, unchanged since the 14th century

The Workshop

Where cutting and stitching bring designs to life

The Drying Terraces

Leather drying under the Moroccan sun

The People

Our Artisans

M

Maître Hassan

Master Tanner

معلم الدباغة

42 years of craft

The leather speaks to you. You must listen with your hands.
F

Fatima Ouazzani

Head Stitcher

رئيسة الخياطة

28 years of craft

Each stitch is a prayer. Rushed work dishonors the animal that gave its hide.
Y

Youssef Amrani

Dye Master

معلم الصباغة

35 years of craft

I learned the secret of indigo from my grandmother. The color lives in the timing.

Tanned by hand · Born in the medina · مدبوغ باليد · Fait à la main ·