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Sisters bring family's tannery business to next level

Article (news)

Louise Penera

<p>MANILA -- Who said sisters could not work together?</p><p>Inspired by their great-grandfather’s century-old tannery business, sisters Mariel and Macy Lazaro teamed up in 2013 to create a company dedicated to provide quality leather products for Filipinos.</p><p>In an interview on ANC’s ShopTalk, the two co-founders of The Tannery Manila shared how they were able to bring together their individual passions to their business venture.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkRYzwKhB2f/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:33.19444444444444% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkRYzwKhB2f/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by The Tannery Manila (@thetannerymanila)</a> on <time dateTime="2018-06-21T03:30:18+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Jun 20, 2018 at 8:30pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Mariel, a licensed chemist, manages the finishing processes of the raw hides to produce high-quality leather, which Macy, a Clothing Technology graduate, uses to create different products.</p><p>“We actually complement each other a lot so I am very happy to work with my sister,” Mariel, Tannery Manila’s operations manager, said.</p><p>After graduating from college, the Lazaro sisters decided to start their own leather company, which would champion the use of local leather.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj3pvSbnAe_/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:33.24074074074074% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj3pvSbnAe_/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by The Tannery Manila (@thetannerymanila)</a> on <time dateTime="2018-06-11T03:37:59+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Jun 10, 2018 at 8:37pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>“We wanted to have a brand that we can be proud of,” Macy, the company&#x27;s creative director, said, adding that they hope to &quot;showcase Philippine leather at its finest.&quot;</p><p>Tannery Manila began as an online shop but seeing the need for people to experience the product at a “personal level,” they opened brick-and-mortar stores at Shangri-La Plaza and UP Town Center where people can see and feel the bags for themselves.</p><p>“Our products are a bit pricey compared to synthetic [bags],” Macy said, noting that their leather bags cost around P6,000 to P12,000. </p><p>Apart from bags, Tannery Manila also produces wallets and other leather goods for both men and women. It also accepts customized orders.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjwQdEXnhRu/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:33.24074074074074% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BjwQdEXnhRu/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by The Tannery Manila (@thetannerymanila)</a> on <time dateTime="2018-06-08T06:42:22+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Jun 7, 2018 at 11:42pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>The sisters see this as an advantage because this enabled them to “customize anything” and create more variety to their products. </p><p>“I think we are the only one who [has] a tannery [that] manufactures the leather and at the same time, manufactures the leather goods,” Mariel said.</p><p>“In terms of retail competition… well there are a lot of online sellers but not a lot have a store,” she added.</p><p>The sisters admit that they still experience challenges such as the local sourcing of their leather for their family’s tannery.</p><p>“Everything is sourced locally and it’s really hard to get a Class A raw material,” Mariel said. </p><p>But with enough knowledge, Mariel said they learned to overcome this by using technology to “to improve the quality of hides.”</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BheD8UlHni1/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:33.19444444444444% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BheD8UlHni1/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by The Tannery Manila (@thetannerymanila)</a> on <time dateTime="2018-04-12T12:03:55+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Apr 12, 2018 at 5:03am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="http://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>The siblings hope to put up more stores in the future and bring out more designs.</p><p>According to Mariel, they still have reservations about releasing new designs because “Filipinos are more conservative.”</p><p>For everyone who plans to venture into business, Macy advised future entrepreneurs to instill passion and love in their craft. She also advised them to be forward thinkers to create new ideas.</p><p>“You always have to come up with new ideas so that your audience will always have something to look forward to,” Macy said.</p>