The Zulu Treasure Collection

The collection holds nine leather backpacks, two belts and one sneaker. The backpacks and the sneaker are Nguni hair-on-hide; the belts set panels of Nguni hide into full-grain bovine leather. Four backpack finishes, the Jaguar, Leopard and Zebra prints and the Metallic Black & Silver, carry a printed pattern on the hide; the other five show the hide’s own markings.

Each piece is one of a kind, so the markings on yours will differ from those in our photographs.

Nguni cowhide comes from Nguni cattle, a breed indigenous to Southern Africa whose coat comes in many colours and patterns (Wikipedia).

The breed takes its name from the Nguni people, who historically farmed it. The cattle reflected a person’s wealth, and they are still used today to pay wedding dowries. Colours, patterns and horn shapes vary from animal to animal, which makes the hides sought after for handbags, floor covers and wall art (South Africa Online).

We leave the hair on. No two hides are marked alike, so no two pieces in this collection are either.

All nine Zulu Treasure Leather Backpacks share one shape: 46 cm high, 38 cm long and 19 cm wide, with room for a 15 inch laptop.

• An exterior of genuine Nguni hair-on-hide.
• A back panel in diamond-quilted leather, for comfort on the shoulders.
• Several external zip pockets, a side lower zip and a top zip entry.
• A main compartment for a laptop, a tablet, stationery and a change of clothes, with an interior zip pocket for valuables.
• A poly-cotton lining.

The Zulu Treasure Leather Backpack in black and white Nguni is the original. The other eight share its shape in other finishes.

Two belts and one sneaker complete the collection, each in Nguni hide.

• The Zulu Treasure Nguni Hide Belt sets inlaid panels of Nguni hide into a full-grain bovine leather base, framed with cross-stitching, with a nickel-plated buckle and a keeper loop in the same hide. It comes in black and white or brown and white, made to your size in centimetres, at R5,000.
• The Zulu Treasure Sneaker is a lace-up leather sneaker for men in black and white Nguni cowhide, with the hair left on. We make one style, in UK sizes 7 to 11, at R8,000.

We make every Zulu Treasure piece to order in South Africa, usually in 30 days and up to three months when the order book is full.

• For Christmas, order by 1 November. After that date a piece may not arrive in time.
• Delivery is free in South Africa, and we send by FedEx to more than 60 countries.
• Each piece arrives in a gift box with a silk dust bag and a card.
• For a backpack, wipe the hide gently with a damp cloth in the direction of the hair, and keep harsh chemicals and long exposure to moisture away from it. Wax and protector sprays suit our smooth leathers, never hair-on-hide.
• For the sneaker, brush it gently with a small hard-bristled brush, then wipe any dirt away with warm water and mild soap, in the direction of the hair.
• Our guarantee covers stitching and thread for three years and the hide for five.