Daniel van Vuuren

Daniel is a leather crafter creating handmade and often bespoke items under the name Daniel Paul Leather. He is one of the Perthshire Artisans.

Getting Started

Daniel started leather work as an apprentice for an international outfitter in South Africa in 2001, eventually taking over the leather department from them in 2009. On immigrating to Scotland in 2020 he initially planned to work as a personal trainer, but his South African qualification was not accepted here, so he fell back on his leather craft skills instead.

Within a few months, Daniel had an order to create a new design for a horticulture supplier shop. He said: “This was an exciting challenge for me as I had none of the trusted tools and machinery that I had in my workshop in South Africa, but it gave me the freedom to try out unorthodox methods. I had to get creative with the moulding of patterns so that the secateurs would fit in perfectly inside the leather pouch I designed.”

The Enterprise Journey

Things haven’t all been smooth sailing for Daniel. His shop on Perth High Street was hit by the cost of living crisis, and sadly had to be closed. “I simply didn’t get enough footfall or customers for nearly 6 months, and then my utility bill increased by nearly 3 times and I just could not sustain it any longer,” he explained.

“It was rough, I am not going to lie. Sometimes you would find yourself doubting your skills and abilities, especially when orders are low, but then you have to remind yourself of how far you have come and why you do what you do.”

Daniel prefers to look at the positives though: “As a family we have a strict rule in the house, we are allowed to complain for 5 minutes, but then we must find the positive in the situation and move on. Every day we make choices, the same is true with the way we look at life.”

Although he no longer has the shop, Daniel still really enjoys meeting customers at events and markets. He says: “I struggle to communicate with people, it is not my natural strength, but every time I put myself out there, I meet the most incredible people. This is a big achievement for me every single time I go out there and push through my discomfort to meet new people.”

The business is also starting to see larger bespoke orders coming in from corporates looking for branded gifts for their loyal clients or investors. “It is good to see they are investing in handmade, high quality, locally made products, locally made,” Daniel said.

Daniel believes consistency is key to success: “If you don’t consistently practice your skill, it will fade.”

Support Along the Way

Daniel is grateful to his wife for handling the administration and communication side of the business  so that he can focus on his designs. He is also extremely appreciative of GrowBiz and Perthshire Artisans, saying, “I have incredible support from GrowBiz and from Perthshire Artisans, which has been crucial to sustaining and growing my business.”

Later he adds of Perthshire Artisans: “It has been one of the most valuable organisations I have ever encountered. The support has been incredible. Caron and her team have gone out of their way to promote my business and offer me support, especially when it comes to the communication side of things. I cannot thank them or recommend them enough, every crafter in Perthshire MUST join them, it will be the only association you need to join to help you grow.”

Looking to the Future

Daniel would eventually love to be involved in training people who have a disability and perhaps are neuro-divergent: "This work is very inclusive and personally, I find it very comforting to focus on the design and creation of leatherwork. It is almost therapeutic in a way and I would like to pass this on.”

He would also liken day to have a space to work from with other like-minded craftspeople. “I enjoy working with other people and exchanging knowledge between us,” he explained. “I believe we are better when we work in partnership and not in our own silos.”

For now, Daniel feels that being a self-employed maker can be a lonely journey, so he advises: “Surround yourself with people who lift you up and inspire you. Find your purpose and then live it every day.”

Find out more about Daniel and his work at www.perthshire-artisans.scot/daniel-van-vuuren