Leather pouch for the Zippsy: a hand-sewn sleeve in rasta colours
The Zippsy by Black Leaf is a classic Moroccan pipe: a long, narrow stem of oiled olive wood with a small bowl at the end, and it comes apart in two pieces. A pipe like that fits no ordinary pouch, which is exactly what this one was made for. It is an elongated leather sleeve the pipe slides straight into, with a flap that folds over the opening and hooks shut with a leather loop around a knot.
The stitching is done by hand. A dark braided binding runs along the edges and holds the two layers of leather together, while the front is built from separate panels in green, yellow and red, each set in and stitched down on its own. Since every pouch is made by hand from natural leather, the shades, the grain and the exact placement of the panels differ from one piece to the next. Small irregularities come with that and are no fault; they are the sign that no machine was involved.
What you use it for
The pouch is there to get the Zippsy around in one piece. Stem and bowl stay together, the wood takes no knocks in a bag, and the flap keeps dust out. Even without the pipe it earns its place: a long cleaning tool, a pair of tweezers, a slim stick or anything of similar size slips in just as easily.
Care
Leather and water do not get along. Wipe the pouch with a dry or barely damp cloth and let it air dry, never on a radiator. Put the pipe away dry as well, because moisture that soaks into leather is slow to leave. Over the years the leather softens and darkens. In the same category Avalon Magic Plants stocks the Zippsy Pipe 2-part in oiled olive wood and spare Zippsy bowls by Black Leaf in ceramic and stainless steel.
