Avund Goods is a purveyor of high quality leather goods with a tradition in British and Scandinavian design and art. The quality of their goods is a manifestation of this background and tradition. Avund goes through a rigorous process of testing and reviewing their products before they go into production. This process ensures a product that is not only useful, but beautiful.
I received the Men’s Marine Shackle from Mika Becktor of Avund Goods, as a bonus to a review we were doing on their Forsta V wallet. Though the Shackle was unexpected, it was appreciated and admired.
the leather
The Shackle is made of natural color, vegetable tanned leather. This is the type of leather that ages beautifully over time. The leather actually patinas to a slightly darker hue with use and over time. The leather is approximately four to five ounces in weight. As is fairly common with vegetable tanned leather, the bracelet is fairly stout and not at all flimsy.
the edges
Like all of Avund Good products, the edges of the shackle receive attention. In this case, the edges are beveled, and then the fine point of the edge is burnished with beeswax to a crisp finish. This treatment gives the bracelet a clean, crisp look. This attention is impressive, even for something as simple as a bracelet. It shows a devotion to making the very best product possible.
manliness
The hardware for this shackle makes it really pop and is very man-worthy. As one that does not normally wear a bracelet-like item, the industrial nature of the hardware makes it work for me. The unique U-shaped loop and the screw in pin finish the bracelet into a truly manly article worthy of showcasing. Riveting the leather loops on both ends of the bracelet ensures this bracelet will stand the test of time as well.
BestLeather conclusion
If you are looking for an accessory to demonstrate your manliness, and to prove your intelligence of fine leather, the Men’s Marine Shackle from Avund Goods is a smart choice.
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Heirloom Leather is a one man Etsy store I have followed for a year now primarily because of the exquisite usage of vegetable tanned leather and tasteful industrial design stitching. His sense of leather fashion is among the best in the business, in my opinion. And as far as I can tell, quality is a primary focus. I have not had the pleasure of reviewing a product from Heirloom leather but one can tell quite a bit from the photos what a artisan Paul is.
Because leatherworking is such a personal expression I asked Paul about his background and what lead to crafting such beautiful products. Below is Paul’s articulate reply.
After building homes for over 10 years, I came to the conclusion my profession had vanished right before my very eyes.
Trapped in a 59 year old body possessing a 39 year old college degree, my prospects of competing with “young bucks” having newly acquired graduate and post graduate degrees seemed dismal at best (in the professional world). So I began to contemplate how “to reinvent myself”. Thus my journey to find a new occupation; hopefully one I would enjoy and one that could provide a living wage. So the more I contemplated my dilemma, I thought to myself “what if I could make a living doing something I love?”. What skill do I possess that I enjoy? Having developed an interest in working with leather many years ago and I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much I loved that hobby and what if I could produce something that was desirable by the general population. So began my experimentation.
The question was: “Is the craftsman/artisan dead in America today and if so can it be revived? The days of working with one’s hands seems like a faint memory of a history lesson sometime back; which begs the question: “Do people still do that sort of thing?” and “Is a product like this marketable through the internet?” I wondered if the idea of being able to own something that was created or reborn from the hands of a true craftsman had a magnetism that was infectious enough to induce people to buy.
So in July 2011, after much encouragement from my wife and friends, I decided to put a few of my accessories on Etsy, while working a full time job in a totally different industry. Then after several months of one or two orders here and there a surge in sales came in the Christmas season of 2011. My orders started to increased with each passing month. Then after about a year, my once part time hobby, blossomed into a full time career.
The feeling of knowing you were, personally, responsible for a work of art that is wearable and usable is truly rewarding.
I hope I am able to offer something that will not only be a treasure and an heirloom, but something that has usefulness and utility while possibly enhancing your professional image.
“God made leather clothing for Adam and his wife and dressed them”
Gen.3:21 ~MSG~
BL: Tell us about your operation and your purpose in leather working.
I am a one person shop operating in a smoke free environment. I create an artwork that I take pride in. My desire is that it will compel you to want to wear it and enjoy its functionality. I welcome your questions and comments.
The products I create in my shop are called “heirloom” because they should last you a lifetime and most likely will be passed on to other generations. The materials I use are genuine leather. These accessories are made from cowhide, and other fine leathers. Each personalized piece is individually dyed and each stitch is done by hand with a waxed braided cord. Every piece is different in some way; whether its from the grain in the leather or from the way it takes the dye.
The grain on the accessory is, in fact, the grain which occurs naturally. Our leather is not pressed into a mold. Thus, in some sense all other leather grain patterns are artificial. Heirloom Leather is 100% natural and therefore will sport unique and original markings. Even though we choose the best skins, there will be markings on the piece that may represent a brief encounter with a barbed wire fence etc..Please note that this is in a sense proof of its authenticity and uniqueness; not a defect. Thus one aspect of Heirloom Leather accessories that is essentially unique, is its choice of all natural grain leather.
Thank you for putting hard work into your craft, Paul. You are an inspiration to myself and others to be excellent craftsmen.
You can follow the new products that Paul releases on www.heirloomleather.blogspot.com since Etsy does not provide a way to keep up with new products from favorited stores.
Editors note: Etsy features are highlights of carefully selected stores that illustrate high levels of attention to quality and detail. The aim of these articles is to promote the excellent work of the true artisans on Etsy, as opposed to the mass of cheaply made goods easily available. To submit your store, email [email protected].
It’s been really fun to watch Basader get more traction as a relative newcomer in the hyper-competitive durable leather goods market. They are doing it with a combination of stylistic innovation, commitment to durability, and extremely competitive pricing.
the Basader philosophy
Basader (Derived from Bas Jan Ader, a famous artist) is heavily driven by a mission to create lasting pieces and promote timeless design principles. All of their work is produced in our small studio located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—where they laboriously hand-dye, cut, and assemble the pieces. Through experimenting with new techniques, materials, and finishes, they are continually trying to improve to offer truly “lifetime” products.
As two designers working within the fashion district in NYC, Elin (at the time, a Fashion Designer at Ralph Lauren) and Philip (a Web Designer and Ecommerce Manager), were increasingly disheartened by the disposable fashion culture. Thinking that it must be possible to create a brand focused on high-quality goods and timeless designs, Basader was born as a side project that grew beyond their greatest expectations.
Philip and his beautiful wife, Elin.
BL: Can you tell that story about the first bag you bought that ended up disappointing you?
Philip: Before I even met Elin, I was the typical bag consumer within the men’s category—looking for quality in all the wrong places. And while I wouldn’t flinch at saving my “nickels and dimes” to purchase a nice suit, I just assumed a leather bag was a leather bag—regardless of price. My first leather purchase (what I thought was an artisan quality bag), was made on eBay maybe six or seven years ago. So the story goes, it was listed by a very active eBay seller, who was supposedly having the bags custom made in a small town in India, and in the process “supporting a local community”. Buying into a heartwarming story, and admittedly, being quite thrifty, this was a win-win situation. I would receive a handmade bag while inadvertently supporting a small village located across the globe!
If I knew then what I know now, the bag was very likely made in a sweatshop in China–and this is a very common story across many, if not all marketplaces. The bag arrived weeks later, it smelled so bad, I was too embarrassed to bring it anywhere, and lasted a month before the rivets were shimmied loose during light use—disappointing to say the least (and worse, probably harmful to whatever “local” community I thought I was supporting). With so many high-quality bag companies, had I just spent a bit more, I could have ended up with a bag that would have been passed down generations. A disheartening and wasteful story, this has influenced our work greatly.
The beginning.Space fills up quick!
BL: How does your experience in fashion translate to Basader?
Philip: As a fashion designer, Elin brings a very unique perspective to our work, and together, we both have a sincere admiration for contemporary minimal design. From fashion designers like Heider Ackerman to companies like Shinola, we are admittedly driven and influenced by fashion extremes: deconstructivist contemporary designers; and small-town, American made companies–even Allen Edmund is a company of great revere.
Simply put, our aesthetic is driven by a love of fashion and art, and somehow, we stumbled upon a niche that lives at the intersection of rustic American styling and the refined English approach. At the most basic level, we admire leather companies like Shinola and Allen Edmund, that, against all odds, make some amazing work within the US—and both companies have found a way to create social enterprises, that feed back into the local community.
BL: Personally, what is your favorite high quality leather item?
Philip: For us, it’s any hand-dyed leather good with a raw underside. We love a refined lustrous surface coupled with a raw underside—probably, we respect this look so much knowing how difficult it is to achieve.
But more, we love anything new.
BL: Why did you pick the Herman Oak Leather?
Philip: While we love Herman Oak, we also use a lot of other American suppliers as well. And we do this because there are so many American-based companies that put a lot of love into what they do. Further, as major retailers inadvertently outsource to other countries, and suffocate American leather houses, we truly believe a renaissance is on the horizon (and we’re very grateful to be even a small part of this!).
A majority of bags in the marketplace are made in questionable working conditions—from mass-market “high-end” chrome-tanned bags to full-grain “looking” offerings, there are but a few American companies left.
BL: Finally, what is the most interesting thing you have learned about working with leather?
Philip: For us, leather is truly a fascinating material. We’ve experimented with various organic substitutes, from cork bark to tree-tap leather, but at the end of the day, there is no naturally derived material as durable and as timeless leather. And for such an omnipotent material, it’s amazing to think that so many people will never know what a real full-grain bag feels like.
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Keep an eye on this upstart company. I suspect we will see more excellent goods coming our way. Perhaps like this…
Shell Cordovan can be a mystery. It is fabulously expensive, relatively rare, and looks a lot like normal full grain leather. The question on many minds is “Is it worth it?” It’s a fair question worth some research. You get what you pay for, but what are you getting with shell cordovan products that makes them worth the extra scrilla? Continue reading “All About Shell Cordovan – An Interview With Horween Leather Co.”
Often I’ll be sitting somewhere pounding away on my laptop when I catch the flash of brown leather breezing by and subsequently get up and go chase down the confused owner. It usually goes one of two ways, they think I’m a weirdo and leave, or we talk leather for a while and I get a few photos.
This cool little bag is Jamin’s satchel for carrying his notepad, pens, iPad, Leatherman, and maybe even a slim book.
It was handmade (obviously) in Morocco and given to Jamin as a gift. I know some people who demand only the straightest of stitching and finest of construction and may turn their nose up at this unique piece, but I would not. How cool is leather hand-fashioned into a satchel by someone on the other side of the world? It tells a vague story about the realm outside our little world. There are other people who live different lives and have different priorities that make things. Chances are these profits fed a family.
I was somewhat surprised by how much one could fit in the satchel.
This is a great color that I expect will wear very nicely.
Even though some of the angles aren’t quite right the satchel will last quite a while. The stitching is heavy duty and well done. None of it was fraying. The leather was also quite heavy and supple.
I met this interesting fellow from England (just moved) during a layover in Seattle. He had purchased this fairly heavy duty Ashwood Briefcase in England before moving to the US.
Amazon only had this variation. The price isn’t bad at $180. I only had a few minutes with the bag but I did get a good feel on the leather and it felt substantial. Couldn’t tell off the bat if it was full grain or top grain, but it was fairly thick.
Visually, the strap d rings seem like weak points. Personally I’m not a fan of the faux buckles, though they are faster to latch. They seem cheesy to me.
I met a guy who bought this vintage Bosca beauty for $80 at a vintage store. Despite being 20+ years old the leather and stitching is in great shape. It could probably use some leather conditioner though. Keep your leather well conditioned if you want it to last a long time. Continue reading “In The Wild: Vintage Bosca Briefcase”
