Handmade in Sweden
Savoir-Faire
Every Berling piece is made by hand in our atelier in Sweden, from first cut to first polish. The shell cordovan is tanned and finished in Japan, the goatskin is tanned in France, and every stage after the leathers arrive takes place in Luleå.
Working by hand takes time, and we choose it for the direct control it gives over placement, thickness, tension and finish. No two shells are alike, and a setting that suits one will not carry to the next.
01 · Cutting
The First Decision
Each shell is read by eye and hand before the patterns are placed where the leather runs clean, free of scars and weak points. The panels for a single card holder are positioned to match in tone and surface character, so the finished piece reads as one. Once the blade meets leather, that decision cannot be reversed.
02 · Splitting and Skiving
A Hidden Refinement
The slim profile begins at the splitter. Shell cordovan and goatskin arrive far thicker than the finished construction allows, and each panel is brought to an exact thickness. The goatskin is skived back along its edges, so the layers close to a single contour before the edge is sanded and painted. A finished card holder brings twelve material layers into a six-millimeter profile.
03 · Lining and Reinforcement
The Unseen Half
Most of the construction is never seen. The interior is lined in full-grain French goatskin. Between shell and lining, each card slot carries its own reinforcement, which helps it retain tension while preserving the slim profile. The goatskin gives the interior a surface that stands up to cards sliding in and out.
The reasoning behind the pairing is set out in Our Leathers.
04 · Creasing
Framing the Piece
Before a single stitch is sewn, a heated creasing iron sets the fine border that frames each panel. Heat and pressure leave a crisp line in the cordovan and an even track in the goatskin, defining the construction and guiding the eye.
05 · Saddle Stitching
A Seam for Life
The seam begins before thread meets leather. A pricking iron marks the spacing and angle of every stitch, guiding the awl as each hole is opened.
Every seam is then saddle-stitched by hand, a method practiced for centuries. Two needles share one linen thread and pass through each hole from opposite sides, locking every stitch independently so the seam holds even if a section of thread is damaged.
06 · Edge Painting
Sealing the Contour
No cut edge remains unfinished. Each is sanded and painted by hand in deep black, with every coat sanded back before the next is applied. The result is a smooth, sealed contour with an even gloss.
Hours of work for a few millimeters of edge. The same deep black finishes all seven colors of the Heirloom Card Holder. It is a signature of the House.
07 · Final Inspection
The Last Look
Before a piece leaves the atelier, a steel folder is passed through each slot and pocket, setting the interior for its first card and confirming that the seams and inner edges are clean.
The piece is then cleaned, conditioned lightly with a cream formulated for shell cordovan and brought to its first polish. Its seams, edges and surfaces are inspected once more before it is packed for delivery.
The Materials in Use