Perhaps overlooked in the sensory-rich stimulation of wingshooting is the power of smell. From the smoky bouquet of spent gunpowder to the earthy scents of the late-season grouse woods, we can be transported miles or years in an instant. For me, the aroma of fine leather has an equally powerful hold. And Els & Co., in Stellenbosch, South Africa, is not only a fit-to-purpose purveyor of luxurious leather products, but also an inadvertent perfumer in the field of wingshooting.
The small company, approximately 30 miles east of Cape Town, has created fine leatherwork with a hunter’s heart. Now a decade old, Els & Co. artfully designs products—from handstitched cartridge bags to leather-and-oak takedown gun cases—that are made by a small, well-trained cadre of local Xhosa craftswomen. Most of the products use locally sourced, vegetable-tanned cowhide, although items from more exotic African species are available by custom order. Founded by devoted South African hunter Ivan Volschenk and bolstered by entrepreneurial partners Sam Kelbrick and Hannes Pickard, the company is the convergence of world-class products and social responsibility. “Els is both my mother’s maiden name and the Afrikaans word for ‘awl,’ an essential leather-making tool,” Volschenk said. “We saw the opportunity to do something special. We could provide local craftswomen the opportunity to support their families and generate the pride of producing products that are among the finest in the world. Our products are designed to be the equal of the world’s best guns.”
You can find all the company’s products at elsfineleather.co.za, and orders can take four to six weeks to be delivered. Select items are carried by Gordy & Sons (Houston, Texas) and Grady Ervin & Co. (Charleston, South Carolina). Further details about the brand are available from Vice President of Global Sales Larry Jones (larry@elsfineleather.co.za) and Global Marketing and Events Director Samantha Setian (samantha@elsfineleather.co.za).
