This adventurous leatherworker chose the Creuse to create Atelier Ducroq'Co

“I fell into leather crafts around the age of 18, like Obélix fell into leather,” says Kevin Ducroq, who has been working as a leather craftsman in Saint-Moreil (Creuse) since 2012. He chose to buy a house and a barn there which he restored and converted into a workshop.

To meet his personal needs, he began making sturdy cases necessary for his many activities as a bicycle or canoe adventurer. The small source of income at the beginning – a few sales of bags – had allowed him to raise funds for a truck trip with friends. And then the passion for this work seized him and he never let go of the leather in his hands.

From DIY to crafts

In 2005, during his BTS in Nature Management and Protection obtained in Haute-Corrèze, he fell in love with Limousin and vowed to return and settle there and start a family. He then worked as a goatherd in the Hautes-Alpes, then left for Canada for a six-month trip where he was hosted by a Quebec craftsman for three months despite his non-regularized trainee situation.

There he refines his actions and under the wise advice of the master, the handyman becomes a craftsman orderly in his work. He learns to organize his workshop and manage the sale of his productions:

After passing through Bordeaux, he chose and adopted Saint-Moreil to live and work there. He then puts all this Quebec information into practice so that L'Atelier Ducroq'Co is as sustainable as possible.

Local products only

Contrary to what the name of the company might suggest, Kevin does not use crocodile skin, or any exotic animal for that matter. Its production of simple, rustic and effective saddle leather goods (feminine bags, backpacks, satchels, belts, wallets, bracelets, knife or glasses cases, sandals, dog collars, etc.), are all made from original cowhides. from Dordogne and tanned in New Aquitaine. He also sources from Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat (87) for leather tanned naturally with tree bark, giving a completely natural skin, without any other product than vegetable tannin.

The artist in the middle of cutting a belt.

Depending on requests, he can also work with oily leathers, nubucks and split velvet. Moreover, he specifies:

It strives to manufacture durable, easily repairable products at reasonable prices that are easily accessible.

Robustness and delicacy

But robustness does not preclude delicacy. He personalizes his bags (at will) with color, and/or by embossing or stamping, processes consisting of printing in hollow or relief letters, ornaments, figures… according to his Creuse inspirations or those of his customers and customers.

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Its productions are visible at home (by appointment) or at event markets, at the summer producers' market in Royère-de-Vassivière, at the Creuse-Sud-Ouest tourist office in Bourganeuf or at the pop-up shop Le Grand Atelier in Guéret (in December).