Sacha Hason stumbled into the world of crafting by chance. The 51-year-old CEO of European Leather Works came from a background in software sales and fashion, but when his father Jojo asked for help selling in the Amazon store in 2019, a new path unfolded.
“I didn’t know anything about leather or ecommerce at the time,” said Sacha. “But my dad was running a small leather business, and he saw the potential of Amazon to grow it. I figured, why not give it a try?”
What started as a side gig quickly turned into a full-fledged business venture for Sacha, who now helms the family business. As he dove into the world of Amazon, he discovered a thriving community of leather crafters and small businesses hungry for high-quality, customizable products.
“Amazon really taught me who our customers were,” he said. “I had no idea there was such demand for leather goods, from individuals looking to repair their own items to small businesses creating specialty leather products. It opened my eyes to a whole new audience.”
The Hason family business, European Leather Works, supplies leather goods in different sizes, shapes, colors—including finished goods and scraps—to retailers and individual leather crafters. Their products get used on restoration projects for furniture, bags, jewelry, belts, and more. When the company receives hides, they “use every inch of it, so there’s no waste to the landfill,” Sacha added.
Four years ago, European Leather Works expanded to Amazon as a sales channel, driving brand discoverability through Amazon Advertising and adopting Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to meet growing demand as orders took off.
“I tried to do advertising on my own. I wasn’t very successful because it’s very complicated. There’s lots of moving parts, lots of different options,” Sacha said. “Once we started to really understand Amazon Ads and use it, it grew our sales double, triple. And it was very instant, very quick.”
As orders grew, European Leather Works turned to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to provide customers with fast, premium shipping at a cost that is 70% less per unit than similar premium shipping options offered by other U.S. fulfillment services.
“FBA was a game-changer. It allowed us to focus on production and product development while Amazon handled the logistics,” Sacha said.
Beyond just driving sales, Amazon has also helped the Hason family uncover new business opportunities. Through the Amazon Business program, European Leather Works has connected with artisans, furniture makers, and other B2B customers looking for custom leather solutions.
“We’ve had businesses come to us through Amazon looking for very specific leather products, and that’s allowed us to build direct relationships,” said Sacha. “It’s been amazing to collaborate with these companies and help them bring their visions to life.”
Sacha’s father, a serial entrepreneur, is proud to see how his son has grown the family business.
“When I first asked Sacha to help me with Amazon, I didn’t realize how big it could become,” he said. “But he’s taken it to a whole new level, and I’m excited to see where he takes it next.”
European Leather Works has ambitious plans to expand globally, leveraging Amazon Global Stores. Sacha also wants to diversify the product lineup with a line of leather care products and tools to support the DIY leather crafting community.
“My big dream is world domination - in the nicest possible way, of course,” Sacha said with a laugh. “But really, I just want to keep growing this business and reaching more people who are passionate about quality, sustainable leather goods. Amazon has been an incredible partner in that journey so far.”