The production of these handicrafts was started about 80 years ago in a few villages around Santiniketan and is sold at Bhuban Danga market. Village artisans are trained under the Rural Development Program at Vishwa Bharti University in Santiniketan. This particular craft uses hand-cutting, polishing, and embossing of leather and was first introduced to West Bengal in the 1940s. It takes its name from where it was first introduced, Shantiniketan and is sponsored by Shri Rabindra Nath Tagore, who has revived a number of defenses that have become redundant in Shantiniketan.
Shantiniketanleather crafts use embossed tie-dye pieces and traditional patterns, which makes them very different from ordinary leather bags. After making the final leather, it is sewn onto the desired product and lacquered for luster and durability. These were previously made entirely by hand, using a few simple tools. But today, some simple machines are used to make crafts.
