I am Laura, Bomboná Colombia Founder and every week since I launched Bomboná last year, I get a couple of emails at my Bomboná business email which at the beginning made me smile thinking it might be an email from our customers or maybe from a fan of the brand, but then I would realize that it was again another email from a Chinese or Indian leather manufacturing factory offering their services. Not only these factories are aggressively trying to convince me to produce my items there, but some of my friends have asked me if it would not make more sense to produce Bomboná in Asia to be more fast and cost-efficient. I am a Colombian living in Asia so it could actually make sense from the efficiency point of view, but making Bomboná in Colombia is one of the things that I want my brand to stand for.
So why do I want to make Bomboná in Colombia?
I left Colombia 17 years ago to study abroad after being disenchanted with the kind of every day issues I grew up with: the dangers of living in Bogotá, the culture of violence and fear, the lack of opportunities, or at least, that is what I thought at that time. I would not imagine that I would end up marring a foreigner and re-discovering my beautiful country with its culture. During our different trips to Colombia we kept being amazed by the high quality and originality of Colombian handcrafts, specially by Colombian leather crafts and noticed their quality was similar to European luxury items.
We decided we wanted to create an artisan luxury brand to honor Colombian traditional craftsmanship and we are still committed to making our products in Colombia.
Highly Skilled Artisans
The leather industry in Colombia has a long history that dates back to the 15th century when Spanish settlers first arrived in the region. This rich heritage is evident in the high-quality leather goods produced by Colombian artisans, which are renowned for their attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Colombia is known for its amazing leather and handcrafts, which are made by generations of artisans who have been perfecting their craft for centuries: traditional craftsmanship has been passed down through generations, giving the products a sense of heritage and authenticity. We are sure that by producing Bomboná in Colombia, our customers are getting a truly exclusive piece.
Colombian Premium Leather
Colombia’s unique weather conditions, combined with the skillful hands of its artisans, make it possible to create beautiful pieces that will last for generations.
We only source full-grain bovine leather, which is known to be the best quality, strongest and durable type of leather. Our leather is a by-product of the farming industry in Nariño, Colombia, a region rich in nature with mild climates which produce the finest leather in Colombia.
By using Colombian leather we are sure, our customers are getting leather pieces of an unparalleled level of quality, uniqueness and beauty that sets them apart from other items on the market.
Contribute in Preserving Colombian Crafts
When I visited Nariño in 2021 and talked to the local artisans they told me how hard it was to find young people who were willing to learn the skills necessary to work as artisans. They mentioned that the younger generations found working as artisans too tiring, specially when comparing it to having a job at an office with a stable salary. Unfortunately, handcrafts are frequently undervalued; sometimes bags made in factories can be sold for more than those handmade.
I hope that by Bomboná and other brands producing in Colombia, we can contribute to the preservation of Colombian crafts and provide more opportunities for young people to consider continuing with their craft.
