Fes Leather Tanneries: What to Buy, Fair Prices & Avoiding the Scam

Yes — when you buy from the right place. Fes has been the centre of Moroccan leather production for over a thousand years, and the Chouara, Sidi Moussa and Ain Azliten tanneries still process hides using methods that predate modern chemistry. The city makes full-grain goatskin, cowhide and camel leather in genuine quantity. The problem is not the leather itself but the tourist-facing shops near the tannery viewing platforms, which sell a mix of locally tanned hides and imported synthetic goods at inflated prices. Shop two streets back from the balconies and you will find the real thing.

The best value items are bags, belts, wallets, and babouches (the soft Moroccan slippers). A medium leather shoulder bag or satchel in goatskin typically costs 400–700 MAD (indicative) from a reputable workshop and is genuinely handmade. Belts and wallets in the 150–300 MAD range offer good quality-to-price ratio. Leather jackets are available but sizing runs slim and the quality varies widely — try one on, check the seams, and be prepared to spend 2,000 MAD or more for something worth bringing home. Avoid "pre-distressed" jackets with artificial scuffing: these are often the lowest-grade hides sold at premium prices.

A small clutch or wristlet starts around 80–150 MAD (indicative, ~$8–15). A proper medium-size shoulder bag in goatskin runs 400–900 MAD (~$40–90) from a workshop near Chouara. A large structured tote in cowhide or camel leather can reach 1,200–2,000 MAD (~$120–200) for a quality piece. The shops on the balcony terrace above the tannery routinely open negotiations 2–3× above what a fair final price would be — start low and walk away if needed. Budget at least 15–20 minutes for the negotiation on anything above 300 MAD.

The majority is, but not all of it. Some shops near the tourist viewing platforms mix locally tanned leather with cheaper imported synthetic material or bonded leather (scraps glued together). The simplest test: bend a panel of the bag sharply — real full-grain leather springs back cleanly; bonded leather or PU creases and may split at the fold. You can also press a damp finger to an inconspicuous spot for 10 seconds: genuine vegetable-tanned leather darkens slightly from moisture. If the shop will not let you test the goods, that is your answer.

Three reliable tests work in any souk. First, the bend test: fold a strap sharply; real leather recovers, synthetic wrinkles or cracks. Second, smell: natural leather smells earthy or faintly animal even after dyeing; plastic-based materials smell chemical. Third, look at the back surface: genuine leather has a fibrous, suede-like underside; synthetic materials have a uniform fabric or foam backing. If you are buying a stitched bag and cannot access the back, run your thumb along the edge of the leather — full-grain is slightly uneven in texture, while pressed synthetic has a machined regularity.

The terrace shops directly above Chouara — the ones offering you mint to mask the smell — are the most tourist-oriented and the priciest. For better value, walk the lanes of Derb Chouara that run south from the tannery or head to Talaa Kebira, the main medina artery, where several shops serve both Fassi residents and visitors. For the most authentic and affordable goods, the Ain Azliten cooperative area (a 10-minute walk through the medina) is where many workshop owners sell direct. A local guide earns their fee here — the lanes are genuinely hard to navigate alone.

A good local guide is worth the investment, specifically because the best workshops are not visible from the tourist trail and the negotiation is faster in Darija. The downside: some unofficial guides earn a commission from specific shops, which inflates your price by exactly the amount you saved on the guide fee. If you hire a guide, agree upfront that they do not take commission — or pay a fixed fee to an officially licensed guide through your riad or a reputable tour operator. A private guided Fes medina tour handles all of this cleanly, letting you focus on the buying rather than the logistics.