May Harl’s ka na ba?

Iris Palma in Ang Pinoy Stories

Oct 08, 2019 • 2 min Read

Gusto mo ba ng leather bags? Bakit hindi ka mag-Harl’s? Proudly gawang Pinoy ito.

Aside sa iba’t-ibang klase ng bags, Harl’s makes homewares, accessories, wearables (tulad ng leather sandals), wallets, at customized items (tulad ng bike seat).  Ang Harl’s ay mga produktong leather na crafted ng mga differently abled persons. Dahil hindi mass produced, each bag or wallet is unique. Walang kasing-parehas.

Ang genuine leather na gamit nila ay “rugged-type full grain leather” na may mga visible na markings katulad ng scratches, discoloration, burn marks, at iba pa. Hindi nito apektado ang quality ng mga produkto, at nagdadagdag pa sa character at uniqueness ng bawat bag or purse or belt.

Ang Harl’s ay sinimulan ni Harley Beltran noong 2014 sa kanyang bahay sa Laguna. Nagsimula ang business to “promote local artistry and craftsmanship” and slowly evolved into a social enterprise. Harl’s first trainee is Ronald Polo, dating naglilimos, but is now a senior leather craftsman. The other members of his team are either deaf mute or underprivileged. Trabaho at pag-asa ang ibinigay sa kanila ng Harl’s.

In 2017, Harl’s represented the Philippines in Germany for an award for social enterprises. In 2018, Harl’s was nominated for the ASEAN Business Awards 2018 sa Sustainable Social Enterprise category. Harl’s was recognized as a regional winner and represented Region IV-A in the 2019 Productivity Olympics in August. Ngayong October 2019, muling irirepresent ng Harl’s ang Philippines sa Changemakerxchange Singapore to champion the differently abled through leather crafting.  The event is a gathering of top 20 disability champions from 14 countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Pangarap ni Harley Beltran na mapantayan ang quality ng mga kilalang bags katulad ng Louis Vuitton at Hermès, at makapasok sa international market. Dream the impossible, sabi nya. In the meantime, ipinapakilala nya ang pangalan na Harl’s at ang kakaibang thrust nito sa pagtulong sa mga kapatid na differently abled. Isang paraan nito ay ang pagsali ng Harl’s sa mga trade fairs, mga Sunday Markets, at mga lifestyle events. Harl’s also launched a basic leather crafting workshop in their Makati shop. Send a message sa kanilang FB or Instagram accounts to reserve a slot.

Photo Source: www.handcraftedbyharls.com