Handmade Leather Goods

Douglas Rose makes “handmade” leather goods. What does this mean?

In the internet age of commerce and analytics, buzzwords and cliches abound as brands and companies key into the words customers want to hear.

In the world of fruits and vegetables, it’s “organic.”
In the world of coffee it’s “fair trade.”
…and…
In the world of accessories, it’s “handmade.” 

These aren’t supposed to be marketing tools, but actual and measurable practices that have real impact on the makers, the sellers and the consumers. Behind these words should be vibrant stories. 

In the world of bags, “handmade” has become a surrogate for “quality.” It’s supposed to convey “small,” and “careful” and “craftsmanship.” It’s a word pregnant with possibility as big brands attempt to convince the consumer that the goods they are selling are not mass produced on a dreary assembly line.

And so, to ensure that when we say “handmade,” it means something tangible:

We number every one of our handmade bags, on the outside of the bag, so that you know the story of your bag.
We post pictures of the factory and those who work there so you see the size of the operation and the quality of the work environment.
Our factory workers earn a living wage and live in the same town as the factory in Spain that they work.
Our craftsmen use tools that have been used on leather goods for 100’s of years. 

“Handmade” can mean a lot of things. When we say it, we truly mean Quality.