Rift Valley Leather, its logo a bull’s head with Ankole-looking horns embossed on all their products, has grown to be one of the coveted brands to buy when it comes to locally-produced leather bags and accessories.
The leather goods company was incorporated in the early part of 2009, picking the name “Rift Valley” as both the locals and non-locals would recognise the name because what the company wanted was to make African products made in Africa.
The two founders of the company have built a company that has a strong product line; the catalogue can be found on their website riftvalleyleather.com.
In the workshop of Rift Valley Leather, located in Langata’s Hardy area, the employees remind one of synchronised worker bees – cutting, sewing and gluing pieces of leather together – to meet the ever growing orders.
“Yes, we are very busy most of the time. We have to make sure that we meet our requirements in order to be competitive in the local and international markets,” says Robert Topping, the technical and design manager of the outfit.
Rift Valley Leather, its logo a bull’s head with Ankole-looking horns embossed on all their products, has grown to be one of the coveted brands to buy when it comes to locally-produced leather bags and accessories.
Topping, who has 38 years experience working with leather, came to Kenya in 1999 to train the staff of another leather goods company. A few years later, he met Roly Adlam and together, they started Rift Valley Leather.
The leather goods company was incorporated in the early part of 2009, although they had actually started making things the previous September.
Topping used the equipment and labour at the Thika Training and Production Centre to produce a small range of leather craft objects to sell at the popular Christmas Fair, usually held annually at the Ngong Racecourse.
“The response was very good. We were in a bit of a rush, probably not that well organised but we sold everything at that craft fair,” he recalls.
They picked the name “Rift Valley” as both the locals and non-locals would recognise the name because what they wanted was to make African products made in Africa.
Currently, the company has two retail outlets – both in Karen - at the New Karen Square building and a little shop tucked away behind the Talisman Restaurant. They have stockists in Uganda Tanzania and are working on getting to Rwanda as well.
“Something I noticed while talking to people, both here and in England, people from this area are proud to buy Kenyan if the quality is right. So, we are doing our very best to keep pushing the quality up,” he says.
The two founders have built a company that has a strong product line; the catalogue can be found on their website riftvalleyleather.com.
They develop new designs using Topping’s eye for contemporary design. They also design bags for mass production to export clients’ specifications and do the same for the local market.
For the local market, the company is working closely with the hotel industry to design and make their restaurant menu covers, placemats, napkin rings, room key holders among many other things such as iPad covers, which are very popular.
“All our principal materials, including camel and calf hide, are exclusively sourced from within East Africa - our aim being to promote not only locally available materials but to cultivate the indigenous handcrafting skills of a very talented labour force,” says Adlam.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
