Few have weathered disruptive changes to an industry that whittled fifty tanneries in Sydney's Botany to just a handful, like the Birdsall family, in the leather business since 1883.
Matriarch Judy Birdsall attributes that resilience to close personal relationships "It has always been a very family oriented business. Ever since I first met David his brother and father were involved and his uncle and his cousins. There was a huge family involved in the old tannery in Mascot," she says.
The David, Judy refers to, is her husband of 60 years - partners in life and business - "I started work in 1951 and my early recollection is we used to do all the leather for Holden motorcars in burgundy and green," says David Birdsall.
"Of course that's all gone by the board now."
Judy and David's son Scott is one of many of the Birdsall offspring continuing the family trade, taking on the role of Director in the business - you could say leather tanning is in his blood.
"It feels normal, it is what we have always done. I mean we have been in business for 134 years now. The name is synonymous with it. There is pride that goes in with it but we don't live on pride we love what we do," says the Birdsall Leather & Crafts Director.
The Birdsall family in 2017. Source: Supplied
Scott describes the Australian leather industry as "basically non-existent" and with margins shrinking, the business decided to pivot towards offering a distinctly Australian product to help with export appeal.
"The majority of leather we produce is kangaroo. That puts us on a competitive footing worldwide where cowhide we aren't competitive with Asian countries, that's just fact," says Scott.
Catering to the domestic market has also prolonged the Birdsall business story. These days they offer leather workshops, shoemaking classes and have a robust mail-order platform.
"The output of the company has diminished greatly over the last ten years," says Scott.
"Everything is made offshore. So we just adapted and put more emphasis on the craft side and the retail side which did help us."
Source: SBS
The family say there are no plans to sell their current factory, showroom and storage facility which is just five kilometers from the Sydney airport, but the commercial inducement to surrender their holding may be too great to ignore in the future - "Tannery and nursery men have always made more money off real estate than off manufacturing, "says Scott "It will probably come in the future and we have to look at what we do succession wise and if we move rural."
For now, the Birdsall bunch are content to continue harvesting their passion, above the finances, to continue their leather legacy - "I think because of the passion and it is very much family-held we haven't had accountants come in and say, 'you aren't profitable- get out,'" finishes the Director.
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