Thank you for stopping by, we're so happy you're here!
We love making leather goods carefully by hand one at a time, with a focus on craftsmanship, function and simplicity. All of our leather goods are original Humble Oak Leather Co designs, proudly made in America's beautiful New England region.
// OUR HANDMADE APPROACH //
✔ Hand-stitching ••• Thank you for investing in handmade! Each piece is hand-cut, hand-stitched and finished by hand just for you — no machines, only hand tools — ready to join your life adventures. We use the slow and purposeful process of hand stitching, using the traditional leather saddle stitching method. This method creates the strongest, most durable stitch in leather working (which cannot be achieved with a sewing machine), because it effectively double stitches every single stitch. This is the slow path — each stitching hole needs to be marked and pre-punched with a stitching chisel by hand, then hand-sewn — but it's worth it to create timeless leather goods that will stand up to years of love and use.
✔ Single/Few Piece Construction ••• In designing and constructing our leather goods, we create them as simply as we can and out of the fewest possible pieces. Leather goods made from a single or fewer pieces of leather are stronger than those made from multiple pieces of leather, because they maintain the integrity of the leather. Each stitching or rivet hole is also a perforation in the leather, so the fewer the better.
✔ Repairable ••• While all of our leather goods are made to hold up to many, many years of use, you can rest easy knowing that our goods are constructed in a way that makes repairs possible, should the need arise. In the unlikely case that a seam snags or breaks, hand-stitched leather goods are easily repairable, often only requiring 6-7 stitches of repair. With a saddle stitch (which is the technique we use), the leather item will stay functional while awaiting repair and will not unravel, since it is essentially double-stitched. In the unlikely case that a fastener breaks (rivets, button studs, buckles), it would be easy to repair the leather good by replacing the impacted fastener.
// OUR MATERIALS //
✔ Genuine Leather ••• We only use 100% genuine leather, carefully selected by weight and finish to perfectly pair with the function of the leather item. We champion beautiful, rugged leathers paired with our tough-as-nails leather construction using only hand-stitching and hammered rivets set by hand. All of our leather bags are unlined to show the beautiful, natural suede backside of the leather.
✔ Braided, Waxed Thread ••• We use braided and waxed thread to make sure your leather item holds up to all of your wonderful life adventures. Braided (instead of twisted) thread lays flat, minimizing wear and tear and maximizing strength. It’s important to match the quality of thread to the durability of leather, so that both stand the test of time together.
✔ Antique Brass Hardware ••• Traditional antique brass hardware honors the long history of leather working in the United States and pairs with all of our leather goods in a classic combination. Our hardware is set by hand and we appreciate its durability and strength to ensure your leather goods last a lifetime.
✔ No Zippers ••• You may notice that we do not use zippers in our leather goods. This is because zippers — no matter how sturdy — present many opportunities for a zipper tooth to bend or break and we believe they are not well-suited to long-lasting items. A bent or broken zipper is most likely not repairable and would be prohibitively time-intensive to replace, so we only use time-tested fasteners and closures on our leather goods.
// ABOUT STEFANIE //
As a lifelong maker, I've explored everything from woodworking and jewelry making, to sewing and crochet — but nothing has captured my maker's heart in the way that leather working did. There are other leather smiths in the family too — my dad and my husband's late grandfather — and I love carrying on a traditional craft that focuses on creating things slowly and with care so they last.
I'm inspired by the longevity and natural beauty of leather, honoring traditional virtues of simplicity and quality in leather working. I'm so happy to be taking my time to make something completely by hand for you, knowing that it will last.
By trade, I am a graphic designer and I approach each new leather creation the same way I approach each of my design projects — focused on the problem it solves. This means thoughtfully constructing each piece by hand for durability, and with the right quality materials.
Thank you for stopping by and for supporting our small handmade business with your purchase!
