Discover the craftsmanship behind boxes that collapse and fold away.
Stories
How It's Made: Reversible Collapsible Boxes
Behind The Seams
02 December 2020
A one-of-a-kind crafting process, even for Métier's standards: our reversible collapsible boxes might be simple in premise but with heat-sealed seams, our signature edge painting technique, and 32 magnets hand-sewn into each tray, they belie layers of clever craftsmanship.
The box trays come in three different sizes and were designed for motion and travel - each box is reversible as well as collapsible to ensure a smooth journey. Learn more below about the 6 artisanal steps it takes to complete these ingenious pieces.
Step 1: The Precise Cutting
First we cut the leather using a fustella, a cutting die, to ensure accuracy.
Step 2: The Magnets
32 magnets are inserted by hand on each side to ensure the boxes are reversible and stay intact when folded.
Step 3: The Canaletto Construction
Between the panels of leather, we have created a canaletto construction. This literally means small canal, or channel, in Italian and allows the leather to fold both ways without creasing.
Step 4: Heat Sealed Seams
We heat sealed all edges using a process called rigatura enabling the reversible design.
Step 5: Hand-stitched In Place
We carefully hand stitch each magnet in place.
Step 6: Hand painted edges
Last but not least, we paint the edges of each box using our signature three-step process. This creates a perfectly smooth and straight finish, like silk.
