Morocco - an exotic, non-traditional and quite interesting country that can give a lot of positive emotions. There are many attractions here that can attract tourists: their own original culture, unique landscapes and, of course, old bazaar - medina.

If you are in Morocco and you have a long shopping trip, do not forget that this moment You are in eastern country , in which it is customary to bargain, is part of local traditions. Go to the nearest bazaars for shopping, and feel free to bargain, most importantly, do not be shy :). In Morocco, you could always buy a lot valuable and interesting things that will subsequently be able to please their owners repeatedly, but remember the fact that each city can only specialize in certain products. For example, some urban artisans offer tourists excellent leather bags, while in other cities they will not deserve attention. As a rule, most experienced tourists recommend buying clothes or leather goods from Morocco. Many people may not be able to afford to go to Morocco, so our store site invites you to buy the best products from this wonderful country, without leaving home.

Speaking about leather products, one cannot forget about their best qualities, in particular, Moroccan leather is distinguished by its unusual softness. Each craftsman uses his own, ancient method of leather dressing, as the craft, called leatherworking, has been developed here since the most ancient and ancient times. Leather bag, leather wallet, leather bracelets self made and other accessories are always high quality and natural. One of the main advantages can be considered the really low cost of leather products from Morocco.

Each leather bag from Morocco is pretty for a long time serves its owner. When buying a similar product in our store, you should understand that due to handwork, the inside of the bag may be visible. veins or imperfectly glued skin. In fact, the purchase will be able to prove to the future owner uniqueness and originality purchased from us leather products.

As mentioned a little above, Morocco is actually the only thing from places in the world where leather is processed on a large scale using traditional, ancient methods, using vegetable tanning. Buying a leather bag from Morocco is an interesting item, so some of the buyers will want to know about the process of Moroccan leather processing.

So, not all buyers leather bag from Morocco know about the processing of this material. Natural leather is tanned with herbal extracts and as a result acquires a full-fledged individual look. When going through vegetable tanning, Moroccan artisans use organic acids and natural tannins. The skin is rolled not in whole skins, but in parts cut out for bags, thanks to this, an inhomogeneous thickness of the skin is obtained.

Beautiful and original handmade leather bags from Morocco have their customers, people are happy to buy and wear rare products of Moroccan craftsmen. But they hardly think at the same time how much work has been invested in their manufacture, how incredibly laborious the process of leather dressing in Morocco is.
Fes is famous all over the world as a city of craftsmen and the main craftsmen here are tanners. Their workshops are easy to find by the specific smell of rot and dampness. In this stinking atmosphere, the artisans of Fes process the valuable raw materials.

More than a thousand years have passed since the appearance of leather workshops in Fes. During this time, the technological process of leather processing in Morocco has not changed much, as well as the process of tailoring itself. leather bags and other products from ready-made raw materials.

The secrets of leather tanning are passed on from generation to generation by local craftsmen, just like a thousand years ago, and they work only with the skins of those animals, the use of which is allowed by the Koran. Pigs can be calm, in Morocco they are engaged in the processing and dressing of cow, camel, sheep and goat skin.

Leather is one of the first materials to be processed and used. At different peoples there were many traditional ways leather dressings. But all methods can be reduced to three or four, which result in completely different products. Raw leather - a minimum of processing, rawhide - dressing without tanning, rawhide tanning - weak tanning with alum, tanned leather - past the operation of fat tanning or tanning with vegetable and later artificial chemical tannins.

Even in the 21st century, Moroccan artisans work without synthetics, using tanning techniques, both with vegetable tannins and minerals. Tanning is carried out in the so-called tannery.

To clean the skin from wool, local craftsmen use quicklime, and to make the skin soft, ordinary salt and chicken, dog or pigeon droppings are used. Before tanning, the skins are soaked in a concentrated salt solution for about 30 days, after which they are soaked in pure water. Remains of fat, tissues and hair are scraped out with a knife by hand. After most of the salt has left the skins, they are transferred to a solution of limestone.

Tanning substances are divided into 2 types: vegetable and mineral. In vegetable tanning, tannin is used - a tannin contained in the bark of trees such as chestnut, oak, spruce and others. Leather after vegetable tanning becomes elastic and is mainly used for sewing furniture and bags.

Chromium is used in mineral tanning. The skin will turn out to be viscous, very soft and is used for making clothes.
The skins are gradually shifted from a solution with a lower concentration of tannin to a more concentrated one.

Depending on the desired dressing, the skins can be infiltrated with oils, waxed, shaved and, of course, dyed. The Dye Souk (marketplace) still has a water mill that grinds the seeds, from the juice of which they produce natural dyes for the skin. All skin dyes are exclusively natural. They are made from plants. For example, to get yellow color use saffron and pomegranate peel. For green - mint, brown - mimosa bark. Well, to get a red color - you need paprika. It takes one week to dye sheepskin and goatskin. For dyeing cow skin - two, and camel skin in dyeing baths and does spend a whole month.

In the process of transferring from one bath to another, the skins are examined and all visible defects are removed with a knife. From time to time, the skin must be kneaded so that the dye is distributed evenly over it and penetrates as deep as possible. Therefore, apprentices come to the dyers, climb into the baths and trample the skin with their feet. After the dyeing process is completed, the skin is rinsed for a long time, and then laid out to dry under the sun. As for sheep and goat skin, it dries in less than a day. Cow dries out in a day and a half, the skin of all the same camels dries the longest. Skins are dried on the roofs of nearby houses.

They sell finished leather goods not far from the dye houses in the quarters of the Old City. In small shops, the range of leather goods is huge - from tiny wallets to impressive suitcases. Sold here and bags of all kinds and styles, leather ottomans and the famous Moroccan grandmothers - leather shoes without backs. In Fez, every second local resident wears them, and visitors are happy to buy them for souvenirs.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to travel by yourself to beautiful and exotic countries and buy souvenirs and leather goods for yourself and as a gift to relatives and friends. But it is not at all necessary to deny yourself the pleasure of touching and using the unique beauty and craftsmanship of Moroccan products made of genuine leather! For your convenience, we have brought a piece of Morocco here, and you can order handmade leather bags and Moroccan leather ottomans and much more in the online store without leaving your home.

Morocco is a country in which Arab and African exoticism are mixed. Tourists come here to admire the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, see the endless Sahara and get acquainted with the local way of life. And in order to for a long time keep the impressions received from the trip, they often bring home original souvenirs, traditional clothes and other items that clearly reflect the character of this amazing country.

Every year, tourists leave about 8,000,000,000 US dollars in Morocco

Guests of the country often get dizzy from the abundance of a wide variety of souvenirs. It would be a big mistake to bring a standard set of postcards and magnets from Morocco. Let's get acquainted with the list of what you should pay attention to first of all, how not to overpay and where it is better to choose this or that product for yourself and your loved ones.

Where and how to shop in Morocco

It is better to come to the country with dollars or euros. At the airport, exchange the required minimum for the local currency - dirham (Dh, for 1 dollar you get about 3.5 dirhams), and exchange the rest in the city in small amounts.

Don't change all your money at once

The national currency of Morocco cannot be taken out of the country. Keep receipts received at an ATM or exchange office so that you can exchange money back.

It is best to go in search of souvenirs to local markets (Moroccans call them souq). Tourists get the impression that every city in the country is one big market, because shops, shopping carts and just carpets with goods spread out on the road are found at almost every turn. But there are places with the greatest concentration of merchants. It is better to come to such areas for souvenirs.

There is a division in the markets of the country, which is clearly visible to the naked eye. The streets are more decent for tourists, shabbier for locals. The tourist parts of the Moroccan bazaars are worth seeing, and buying souvenirs is better in the shopping areas for locals. This simple rule will save you a lot. Sellers spoiled by tourists often try to deceive buyers or extort money for all sorts of trifles. Be as careful and vigilant as possible with them.

Knowledge of the origin of the goods will also help save money. Souvenirs brought from another city are always more expensive than local ones. Sellers often do needlework right in the shops - everything they do with their own hands is sold cheaper than in another city and even on a neighboring street. But in order not to go around the markets of all major Moroccan cities in order to save money, remember the following list:

• Marrakesh. The city is very rich in the products of local craftsmen. At the Rabiya market, you can buy wool products, at El-Btana - handicrafts made from goat and mutton skin, the Hadadin market offers to buy products from local blacksmiths and potters.
• Fes. The list of goods produced by local residents is also quite extensive. From leather products, it is better to pay attention to bags, suitcases, belts and national shoes - grandmothers. It is also worth considering the purchase of tea sets and other ceramics.
• Rabat. Interior items are sold here, including oriental poufs, bedspreads, carpets made of wool and lace.
• Essaouira. In the markets of this city, it is better to buy leather goods - interior items, clothing, and more. Much cheaper than in the markets of other cities, here you can buy Jewelry made of gold and silver (but the best option for buying silver is the city of Tinzit, which is described below), made in the Spanish-Moorish style.
• Tinzit. The most diverse range of silver products. But the market is open only once a week. In which one - you need to find out on the spot.
• Agadir. It is worth coming here for spices, coffee and national clothes. If you come, then visit one of the local fish restaurants.
• Casablanca. Fragrances, perfumes and glycerine soaps.

Be sure to bargain. Even when it seems to you that you have thrown off enough from the original cost, you can throw off more. Usually, the first price, named by the seller, is inflated five times.

Cosmetics

A category of goods to bring from Morocco, suitable for girls and women. Moroccan markets and shops are full of cosmetics. There are rare species and even exclusive ones - those that can only be purchased in this country.

Argan oil

The argan tree grows only here. Oil from it is also produced only by local residents. And let the purchase of this unique product hit the tourist budget pretty badly, the oil just needs to be brought home from Morocco.

There are two types of argan oil: edible and cosmetic. Each is very useful for a person (this is a scientifically proven fact, and not a bike to lure tourists) even in small quantities:

• food argan oil lowers blood cholesterol, helps with rheumatism and skin diseases;
• argan oil used in cosmetic purposes, helps to smooth wrinkles and strengthen hair follicles, promotes the growth of healthy hair.

Argan oil is very expensive. To bring it from Morocco, it is worth expanding the budget in advance, because for one liter you will have to pay about 600 Dh, which is about 4,000 rubles.

Never buy argan oil in markets, shops and even supermarkets

For this, there are specialized stores that sell rulers. cosmetic products with the addition of argan oil along with a pure product. Perfect option– excursion to the production factory, where you will be allowed to buy a fresh and 100% natural product. In all other places, the oil will be at best of very poor quality, at worst it will be vegetable oil with the addition of argan until a specific nutty smell appears. There are no exceptions. Don't let yourself be fooled.

Natural glycerin soap

One of the most common souvenirs brought from Morocco is glycerin soap. Fragrant essential oils are added to its composition - a natural product formed in plants. Glycerin soap moisturizes and rejuvenates the skin, eliminates peeling and has other useful properties. But be careful when using it, as this natural product does not work well with some types of makeup and can be harmful if overused.

Due to the relatively low cost and variety essential oils glycerin soap is a good souvenir for colleagues. In view of its cost, you can buy a lot of it, and each will differ from the other in a special smell and appearance. One piece will cost you about 30 Dh (200 rubles).

Moroccan hammam set

Hammam is not a place, but a bathing ritual. It can be done at home after taking a hot bath. It is enough just to have the necessary means for this.

For a classic Moroccan hammam, you will need:

• black soap- a completely natural product that cleanses, moisturizes and softens the skin;
• kiss- a special mitten, with which particles of old skin are removed;
• henna- used as a face mask;
• gassul- therapeutic volcanic clay for the body.

The whole set will cost you about 40 Dh (260 rubles). Henna and clay are not sold in portions, but by weight.

The hammam set brought from Morocco is used quite simply:

• black soap is applied to the steamed body;
• after a while, the soap must be washed off and wiped over the entire skin with kisses several times, while washing it with hot water;
• then you should apply gassul on the body, and henna on the face;
• After ten minutes, the mask must be washed off under hot water.

solid perfume

Small cubes with a strong aroma of plants are a great souvenir. What else can be brought from Morocco, if not this amazing product? They perfectly flavor rooms, linen closets, bags, car interiors. But most often they lightly rub the skin of the wrists or neck to give it a light but persistent fragrance of flowers.

When transporting, pack the flavor cubes tightly in several plastic bags so that they do not smell the whole suitcase.

The most popular are solid perfumes with the smell of roses, sandalwood, jasmine, musk and amber. But there are more exotic options, as well as their combinations.

Gastronomy

Moroccan restaurants have not lost popularity over the years. They are in almost every metropolis on the planet. But real national dishes (and not their European adaptations) can only be tasted here in Morocco. And, if you wish, bring recipes and the necessary ingredients home.

Spices

Most of the spices widely used in Moroccan cuisine can be bought at any supermarket in Russia. But bought in Morocco, they have an incredible flavor due to their freshness. If you cook dishes at home using paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom or cumin, then be sure to stock up on them in local specialized shops for future use (there is an opinion that the quality of spices in the markets is somewhat lower).

One of the hallmarks of Moroccan cuisine is the tagine dish. If you like it and want to repeat it at home, buy a ready-made spice mix. ras el hanut. Homemade tajine will evoke warm memories of a great vacation.

They also sell saffron here. A cheaper option is a yellow powder, which has almost no taste, but is very fragrant. And whole stamens of saffron are very expensive and are sold by the gram. It is worth buying only for those who know exactly how to use it.

Tea and coffee

If you or someone close to you is a lover of tea or coffee, be sure to bring them from Morocco. It is better to buy tea and coffee in the markets by weight - it will turn out cheaper, and the quality of the goods will be no worse (or even better) than that of a packaged product.

Moroccan coffee is very rich and strong. It has a special taste, different from coffee beans from other countries. It is prepared in Turkish with the addition of spices: black pepper, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and others. The presence and quantity of spices depends on the tastes of the author of the drink. But the fortress required attribute Moroccan coffee that most tourists may not be ready for. A considerable amount of hot milk helps to reduce the astringency of the drink.

Tea in Morocco is an essential attribute of any meal, because it can be bought at almost every corner. But, you see, the tea bag brought as a souvenir does not look very presentable. And together with the national tea set, consisting of a teapot and small cups, it will be a great gift.

Nuts and dried fruits

There is no way to save money here. Prices for nuts and dried fruits in the country are almost the same as in the CIS countries. But there is a significant difference - they are not treated with substances that increase their shelf life. In addition to readily available dried fruits, dates and other dried exotic fruits can be brought from Morocco, which have not been imported to Russia on a large scale for a long time.

For a kilogram of dried apricots, you will have to pay about 80 Dh (about 600 rubles), and for the same measure of walnuts - 120 Dh (850 rubles). It is better to buy dried fruits in specialized stores.

local sweets

The first sweet that I want to offer as an edible souvenir is Amlu. It contains grated nuts and edible argan oil. The full list of ingredients is kept by the Moroccans in the strictest confidence.

If you want to bring Amla from Morocco for yourself, then buy it on the market. It is stored there in large containers (by the way, they say that it never deteriorates, although it is unlikely to lie on the shelves) and is sold by weight. For friends, Amla is better to buy in tourist shops. The product is sold there the same, but it is packaged in beautiful souvenir bottles. Sweetness in a presentable form will be a great gift for your loved ones. The cost of Amlu on the market is about 80 Dh per kilogram (600 rubles). Packaged Amlu will cost you the same amount, but already for a hundred grams.

Another sweet that is worth bringing back from Morocco is local hand-made biscuits. It is of two types:

• Regular sand. Despite the lack of filling, the tastes of the cookies are different. Ask the merchant to try one if you buy cookies by weight. The cost starts from 70 Dh (500 rubles).
• Filled biscuits. The filling is a mixture of nut paste and essences of various colors. Crushed almonds are placed in the dough itself, which is why the price per kilogram starts from 120 Dh (850 rubles).

Cookies can be purchased both by weight and in beautifully packaged gift boxes.

clothing items

National clothes perfectly convey the spirit and traditions of any country. In Morocco, they tell the story of craftsmanship (leather products) and the development of culture (cloth clothes). Let's look at those that can be brought from the country as a souvenir:

• Traditional Moroccan grandmothers — leather shoes without a back with a pointed nose, turned in or arched up (like those worn by the cartoon character Aladdin, if you remember). In the ranking of popular tourist souvenirs from grandmother's clothes, they take first place. Everyone wears them: for a man, yellow or white colors, for women and children - multi-colored embroidery. There are also fabric babushki with leather soles, but this is a more modern version made for tourists. The cheapest ones can be bought for 40 Dh (300 rubles), but it is not recommended to wear them, as they will quickly become unusable.
• Hooded cloth dress worn by Moroccans to protect against sandstorms and direct sun rays, — djellaba. Due to its wide cut, the djellaba perfectly cools the body during the heat. Both men and women wear this dress. average price on the market - 200 Dh (1500 rubles), but you can sew to order for 2000 - 5000 Dh (15,000 - 43,000 rubles). Exclusive djellab will be decorated with handmade embroidery. It is better to book in Medina.
• Leather belts, bags, wallets and shoes the locals are doing very well. Moroccan leather is very soft, high quality, with a beautiful texture. Another reason to bring leather from Morocco is its cheapness. The cost of belts starts from 50 Dh (350 rubles), sandals - from 80 Dh (600 rubles), bags (fake famous brands available in very in large numbers) - from 400 Dh (3500 rubles). If you liked a brightly colored thing, then be careful: there is a possibility that when in contact with water, the paint will flow or go streaked. Especially often this is observed in cheap things.

Shawls, scarves, men's ties and other products made of chiffon, silk and cotton sold in the markets are imported into Morocco from other countries. As a souvenir reminiscent of the country, they are not suitable. But the prices for such products are incredibly low - the cost of a shawl starts from 20 Dh (150 rubles) - so you can think about purchasing if you wear such things.

Decorations

Situation with gold and silver jewelry very idiosyncratic. On the one hand, the cost is low. On the other hand, an unusual design style. Moroccan women like jewelry more massive, bigger, with large precious or semi-precious stones. In this vein, bracelets, earrings, pendants and rings are made.

Another caveat is the almost universal lack of hallmarks of assay. When buying jewelry made of gold and silver in Morocco, you run the risk of stumbling upon a fake. If you really want to buy jewelry in the Moroccan style, then pay attention to the gilding with semi-precious stones. The chance that inexpensive jewelry will be a fake is much less.

Interior elements

Here the choice is endless. Interior items that can be brought from Morocco will not gather dust in a dark closet or in boxes under the bed. But it is difficult to choose such a souvenir for acquaintances or colleagues, relying on your own taste in choosing. But at home, the skillful works of local craftsmen will remind you of a great vacation for a long time.

Fixtures

There are a lot of types of design and types of materials from which Moroccan lamps are made. From lighting fixtures you can buy sconces and floor lamps; Ceiling chandeliers will also serve as decoration of the room. You can choose a lamp from:

• Ocher skin. The thin, dyed camel skin that covers the lamp creates a cozy atmosphere and sets an oriental mood. The stand for such lamps is often made of metal, less often - of wood. The option with a metal base will cost 30 Dh (200 rubles). Sometimes the skin is stained with pomegranate juice.
• Colored glass. The most common design option for home lamps. The most common glasses are green, red and yellow flowers. The cost depends on the size, the presence of engraving and the number of metal elements. The price of a small-sized souvenir that can be brought from Morocco starts from 100 Dh (700 rubles).
• Carved bronze. They have the most effective glow. Holes are cut into the hollow bronze mold, constituting beautiful pattern. Light from within casts openwork shadows on interior items and walls in the room. The price starts from 800 Dh (6000 rubles) for a functional product. Expensive but very colorful.

The cheapest option - a leather lamp - is suitable as a souvenir that can be placed on a bedside table. A lampshade made of carved bronze will be a real decoration of the interior. And it will serve you for many, many years.

Carpets

Carpets of different colors and sizes are sold everywhere. The weaving art of the locals has been passed down from generation to generation since the days when the kingdom of Morocco did not yet exist. But today in the markets you run the risk of being deceived by purchasing a low-quality or even imported carpet. Here are a few things to consider when choosing:

• Do not believe if you are told that the carpet has any historical value. All carpets sold in the markets are woven by local residents and are immediately sent for sale. The merchants only drive up the price by calling the product antique, even if the carpet looks shabby, and the seller tells you its amazing and long story.
• A natural wool carpet will not cost less than 3,000 Dh (21,000 rubles). And this cost is fully justified, because each stage of production is carried out manually. One carpet takes a lot of time, materials and effort. If you see a price lower than indicated, then this is not real wool and not handmade.
• Locally produced carpets are decorated with patterns of geometric shapes. If you see rounded patterns, then the carpet was brought from neighboring countries. This is the same production method and real wool, but no longer a Moroccan work.

You will definitely be happy with your purchase. Moroccan carpets are very high quality, pleasant to the touch. In addition, the carpet you purchase will be one of a kind. You won't find another one like it. If you can afford such a purchase, then do not miss the chance to bring a real carpet from Morocco.

Mirrors

Mirrors made in the Moroccan style (not the reflective surface itself, but its frame) are more like windows with shutters. Small mirrors look more modest, but they still have inlay, painting or figured carving.

Mirror frames are made by hand. The material is leather, wood, metal. The skin is dyed, the metal frame is inlaid precious metals, stones, bone and other materials of value to the Moroccans.

It should be borne in mind that the Moroccan mirror is not suitable for every interior. As a souvenir, you can bring a small pocket mirror from Morocco. It will look no less beautiful than a full-sized one, but it is much easier to transport, and it will cost you only 50 Dh (350 rubles).

Kitchenware

In almost every country there are dishes, the preparation of which is typical only for local residents. Morocco is famous for its tagine. But taste is one of the components of national cuisine. The environment in which food is prepared is also important. Dishes become not so much functional elements as objects of art. Such specimens are ideal as a souvenir brought from Morocco for those who spend time in the kitchen with pleasure and like to experiment.

Kettles

Moroccan metal teapots are presented in two versions: miniature souvenirs and full-sized teapots. The first ones are suitable for giving to friends or putting them on a shelf at home as a decoration (30 Dh - 200 rubles). Secondly, you can make tea (200 Dh - 1500 rubles). Kettles with legs are designed for brewing over an open fire; for home use, purchase kettles without legs.

They are made in a very elegant local style. Each teapot is decorated with original chasing. Often there are partially painted teapots, less often - inlaid with bone, precious and semi-precious stones, valuable metals.

Moroccan dishes for cooking the dish of the same name. It makes sense to buy a real tagine only if you are going to cook it (then you need to stock up on the spice mix that we wrote about above). Moroccan tagine is made from meat and vegetables (onions, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and others), stewed in their own juice for several hours. Sometimes honey, berries and fruits are added to the dish. The ideal recipe for yourself is better to peep on the streets of Morocco.

As an alternative to a real tagine, you can choose from numerous products made in the form of national dishes. You can bring home from Morocco ashtrays, sugar bowls, boxes, gravy bowls and much more. These small and inexpensive items are perfect as gifts for friends and colleagues.

thuja

Tui wood is a material available to Moroccans, from which many things are used in everyday life. The kitchen is no exception. Although you will not find anything fantastic from this tree on the market, you can bring home as a souvenir:

• carved boxes;
• cutting boards;
• spice storage boxes
• trays;
• coasters for hot dishes;
• small figurines as decoration.

The cost of thuja products starts from 5 Dh (35 rubles). You will have to pay 20-25 Dh (150-200 rubles) for the caskets.

Ceramic tableware

It is better to buy ceramics in Fes. You can bring from Morocco deep bowls, jugs, wide dishes, vases, large containers for spices, pots. The variety of ceramic dishes in the markets is very large. Inexpensive saucers can be purchased in large quantities, if you are sure, then during the flight it will not be beaten. The dishes are painted with geometric patterns unusual shape. The traditional colors are white, blue and yellow. But today the shelves are full of much brighter colors. A small bowl can be bought for 20 Dh (150 rubles).

Morocco has always been for me fairyland thousand and one nights. Ever since the super-popular Brazilian series "Clone" about 15 years ago, where the plot revolves around the difficulties of Moroccan-Brazilian love and half of the action takes place in Morocco, I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

One of the most vivid impressions of the country, when I finally got there, was one of the oldest cities in the country, and indeed the world, Fez.

Fes has perhaps the largest and most intricate medina (old part of the city) of Morocco. In the photo you see about a third of it. Once in the labyrinth of narrow back streets, you will never find the right place on your own if you turn off the main streets.

The medina itself is a landmark of the city. Just walking through the narrow streets, watching a life that has changed very little over the past few centuries, is a completely unique experience.

There is absolutely no transport there, because the width of even the central streets does not allow even one car to pass through. But you can often meet horses and donkeys, on which all goods are transported.

Medina is a huge labyrinth of streets, passages between streets inside houses, endless shops with all kinds of goods, which I silently dubbed Ali Baba's caves, restaurants with national cuisine, markets with fresh vegetables and fruits and still live birds, spices and dried fruits, fountains in Moroccan style, located throughout the city.

Several gates lead to the Medina, and in some places there are signs indicating which side of which gates are located. These are the only landmarks, there is no question of any street names or maps.

Even if you are not interested in turning your house into a branch of one of the local shops (many products, for my personal taste, although they look amazingly beautiful, they fit rather hard into the interior we are used to), it’s worth going into the shops just to look. From the variety of colors and the breadth of the range there simply run up the eyes.

In addition to the Medina itself, Fes is famous for its leather production, which arose here many centuries ago. Most of the processes have not changed much during this time, and until now, each stage is made manually according to the technologies of the ancestors.

Most tourists are usually shown only the place where the process of dressing and dyeing the skin takes place, from the terrace of one of the shops located around. This place is a visiting card not only of Fez, but of the whole of Morocco.

For a small fee, you can get downstairs, where you will be told about all the stages of production, from the hardened skin taken from the animal to the soft dressed skin, from which you can already sew leather products.

Personally, my visit there caused quite conflicting emotions. On the one hand, this is all very interesting and informative.

The skins are soaked in special solutions, dyed, washed in huge wooden washing machines”, dried, impregnated with a special compound to make the skin soft, etc.

All this is done by hand, or rather, hands and feet. And dozens of workers spend every day almost waist-deep in barrels, soaking skins in them.

This whole process, of course, is not clean, plus it has a very specific unpleasant odor. Therefore, despite the fact that it is all quite interesting, being there is still a pleasure.

At the entrance, tourists are handed out fresh mint leaves to "sniff", but this does not really save.

As a rule, the average tourist does not see more than vats for processing and dyeing skins and finished products leather.

I'm luckier. My Moroccan friends showed me the workshops where they cut and sew finished products from skins.

Again, everything is done by hand.

Products are cut, making a lot of blanks, sewn on sewing machines, some of which are decades old.

Some items are embossed with traditional Moroccan motifs.

The press for the production of such embossing has been in this workshop for more than a hundred years and, of course, is manually controlled.

I was also taken to the leather market, where they sell dressed skins. Interestingly, in the afternoon when we were here, the market was exclusively men. But I was told that in the morning, on the contrary, only women are here, both sellers and buyers.

The process of trading is as follows: buyers sit in a circle, and those who want to sell their goods go from one to another, asking what price they are willing to offer, choosing the best way. They usually sell 4-5 skins at once.

In conclusion, to make the story complete, I will show you examples of what is produced here like this, manually, and almost on the knee.

One of the most popular traditional goods are Moroccan pouffes in all colors and sizes.

They are convenient and loved by tourists because they are sold empty, that is, they can be folded so that they do not take up much space in luggage, and stuffed at home, for example, with old rags or newspapers.

There is a huge selection of leather bags, backpacks, wallets, belts, travel bags and men's briefcases, shoes and jackets.

And it all looks really well done.

Some items are made in the Moroccan style, such as embossed with traditional ornaments, or finished with carpeting.

And some are made in a completely neutral manner and will suit any outfit and in any situation.

And of course, do not forget to bargain. It is quite possible to bring down the price by 2 times, and with some talent even more. The trick to turn around and leave works well - then the merchant most often does not stand up and agrees to your price.

Leather is one of the most ancient materials for making clothes.

This is a natural material - processed animal skins.

Leatherworkers have their own secrets on how to turn raw hides into beautiful skin so that it retains all natural properties. It is elastic and durable, breathes and protects from the wind. Each skin has its own typical structure and, depending on the methods of processing and dressing, can be soft, velvety, shiny or fleecy.

Some types of leather are dark spots and capillary pattern. Usually, when making clothes from leather, the skin of various animals is used. This explains the difference in its structure (thickness, direction of structural lines, etc.). Various sections of leather are used to make outerwear, shoes, gloves or bags.

There are many ways to process leather. Hence the many types of leather. Porous soft leather such as nubuck, suede, velor, very thin glove leather like like or patent leather for making shoes, bags and other accessories and, of course, fur coats - all this is leather. And each of its species requires specific care.

How is leather made in Morocco?

The process of tanning leather consists of oxidizing the leather with tannin to prevent decomposition and impart color.
Tanning is done in so-called tannery. In Morocco, old technology is used and the leather is tanned in tanneries built in the 16th century.

Before tanning, the skins are soaked in a concentrated salt solution for about 30 days, after which they are soaked in pure water. After most of the salt has left the skins, they are transferred to a limestone solution. In Morocco, instead of limestone, pigeon droppings are used, which are collected throughout the city. Limestone softens the skin and accompanies hair loss from it. Remains of fat, tissues and hair are scraped out with a knife by hand. After that, the skins are transferred to baths filled with tanning agents.

Tanning substances are divided into 2 types: vegetable and mineral.
In vegetable tanning, tannin is used - a tanning substance contained in the bark of trees such as chestnut, oak, spruce and others. Leather after vegetable tanning becomes elastic and is mainly used for sewing furniture and bags.
Chromium is used in mineral tanning. The skin will turn out to be viscous and very soft and is used for making clothes.

The skins are gradually shifted from a solution with a lower concentration of tannin to a more concentrated one.
Depending on the desired dressing, the skins can be infiltrated with oils, waxed, shaved and of course dyed. Saffron, ocher, henna are used as dyes.

I want to note that all this is done manually. In the process of transferring from one bath to another, the skins are examined and all visible defects are removed with a knife.

Hellish work of artisans and tanners. Appreciate their work in our product!

From notes about Morocco through the eyes of a Russian woman,

"Morocco has long been famous for leather dressing. Traditionally, leather has always been used to make travel bags, sofa cushions, soft slippers-grandmothers. Now, in addition to traditional products, you can find leather items for every taste. Elegant women's bags, clothes, hats, all kinds of accessories, belts, gloves. .. From the abundance of styles and colors, eyes run wide.But leather dressing is still being done, as in the old days.One of the largest and oldest leather dressing workshops has been preserved in the medina of the city of Fez.This is a kind of open-air mini-factory.

By the way, old recipes are used for dressing leather. All secrets, of course, are not disclosed, but it is reliably known that bird droppings are used to soak the skins. If you manage to ignore the terrible smell, you will see an unforgettable picture. Skins lie in large stone vats filled with a multi-colored liquid. They are soaked in the "special solutions" mentioned above - the skin becomes unusually soft, and then immersed in containers with natural dyes. From above, these vats look like cans with multi-colored paint. Moreover, there is no mechanization of labor. Everything is done manually. They drag mountains of skins on themselves, load them into barrels, dilute dyes, remove wool ... Periodically, workers themselves plunge waist-deep into barrels to straighten and tamp the skins. I can’t even believe that such technologies could survive to this day.

Nevertheless, it is so. The craft is inherited. This is how their grandfathers, great-grandfathers lived, this is how they live. After a few days, the skins are taken out, dried and sent to leather workshops.

After that, there will be a lot of labor-intensive manual work on tailoring leather products for the whole world.
Now you know how to dress and then sew your bag or slippers from natural Moroccan leather. The work of these artisans is not highly paid. The craft is passed down from generation to generation. Not in pursuit of money, but as a sign of respect and devotion to their ancestors.

What is the difference between Moroccan leather and industrial leather?

Morocco is perhaps the only place in the world where leather is processed in a huge amount in the traditional, ancient way and vegetable tanning is used.

Everyman buying genuine leather industrial production, hardly knows how such leather differs from the Moroccan method of dressing and how it is unique and of high quality. Therefore, despite your (perhaps again currents for an amateur!) Not always a special look, you get whole leather, tanned not by chemical, but by natural means, handmade and at a very competitive price!

So, after the skin is removed from the animal, it goes through certain stages of processing, tanned with plant extracts.

Vegetable tanning uses natural tannins and various organic acids.

In industry, as a rule, the chromium tanning method is used, the main of which is chromium sulfate, sodium sulfate and carbonate. Let's look at the inside of the skin. Often, in industrial production, the skin is layered, that is, this loose layer is cut off. Modern laser production allows you to spread the skin into several layers, each of which subsequently has its own price.

In our case, the skin is not flattened, not polished ... The only thing is that it is rolled for compaction between the rollers.

Moreover, not a whole skin is rolled, but already cut out parts for bags. Therefore, as it is written on reputable sites, handicraft leather can be uneven in thickness.

In the end, we have a product made of absolutely solid, non-plastered genuine leather.

If you have doubts about the naturalness of the leather of the products we offer, you can safely contact the experts. We are so confident in the 100% naturalness of our leather that in the event of official confirmation of your suspicions, we will refund the cost of delivery and examination costs.

We have selected for you, only the best natural products of Morocco!

We are glad to see you again and again!