Chiban Leather in Ethiopia
While you may not have known it (I certainly didn’t) leather is a big deal in Ethiopia. There is a lot of variety to the industry. Finished goods like handbags, shoes, gloves and belts take up a large portion of the export market but rawhide export is on the rise, thanks to new laws.
I’ve started a long term project on the leather industry here, from cow to purse, and have some fun ideas for how to present it (so I can’t share too many images or details just yet). But here is a sampling of my time photographing Chiban Leather at their facility and store in Addis Ababa. Big thanks to Eden Gelan, founder of Chiban, for allowing me to stop by.
Brian Carlson is a brand photographer who specializes in advertising, commercial, and portrait photography that tells a story.