Handmade Leather Goods
Built for Good, Made to Last
Handmade with love, passion, and uncompromising quality.
Everything we make at Swift Leatherworks is built for a lifetime of faithful use. We use the highest quality leather, hardware, and materials we can find. We use “analog” tools like utility knives, rawhide mallets, and hole-punches. We set our rivets with hand-operated machines that don’t require electricity. We hand-stitch with steel harness needles and waxed thread. It’s true that we’re saving up for a professional-grade sewing machine, however, the last time I checked, sewing machines still need to be operated by hand. But all that aside, the assembly process is really just one small piece of a much larger puzzle.
The real work starts long before the first cut
The most challenging part of our work starts long before we cut into that first piece of leather. Every project starts with ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Then we pick up a pencil and a notebook and start drafting ideas. We make drawings, mock-ups, and paper patterns. We transfer the paper patterns onto manila folders, cut them out, and then stick them together with masking tape to make sure everything fits. If something doesn’t look right, we go back to the drawing board. If something doesn’t feel right, we go back even further. If the mock-ups look good, then we make a prototype. Then we look for ways that we can improve on the prototype.
We draw, design, pattern, and prototype every product we make
Once we get a solid prototype, we hand cut a “permanent” pattern out of heavy gauge pattern paper. Then we trace the pattern onto a piece of leather, cut it, glue it, punch it, stitch it, finish it, and then review the finished product. Then we choose a different leather and replicate the process. Then we do it again and again until we finally land on the core version of the product. From there, we iterate even more, experimenting with different thread colors and thicknesses, different hardware, different proportions, different vibes.
The process of creating a new product is time-consuming, difficult, expensive, and totally worth it. This process is what makes our designs truly unique. Even if we start with someone else’s pattern, by the end of the build process, the finished product is truly ours. We don’t chase trends or copy the most popular leathergram influencers. We make vintage-inspired leather products that WE love, and hope that other people will love them too. We don’t sell hundreds of units, we don’t make thousands of dollars, but we make good products, with great materials, and we use build techniques that ensure that our products will last a really, really long time. So when we say, “handmade leather goods,” we mean it.
Featured Products
Explore custom and one-of-a-kind
Custom Guitar Straps
Starting at $99
Are you ready to rock? Get a handmade guitar strap with custom features like metal studs, custom stitching, decorative conchos, or custom embossing with any name or phrase. You can choose any color and style, from the classic black Lux Deluxe Rocker strap, to the super-skinny Stray Kitty, or the ultra-wide Fat Bottom Slapper.
Custom Leather Tooling
Starting at $50
With custom leather tooling, we can create a totally custom, one-of-a-kind piece, or we can add any design to one of our standard Leatherworks. From classic western themes, to floral “Sheridan” style tooling, to simple border stamps and basket weaves, to futuristic iconography, spooky Halloween vibes and more, with custom tooling, the only limit is your imagination.
Custom Leather Wallets
Starting at $99
Forget the flimsy, nylon-lined goatskin wallets that are so common these days. Here at Swift Leatherworks we use the finest top grain, vegetable tanned leather—the same stuff used to make high end saddles, shoes, and luxury goods. The durability and quality of veg tanned leather is unmatched, and if cared for properly, they can easily last a lifetime or more.
Forget fast fashion.
This is Swift Leatherworks.
Swift Leatherworks is a small business owned and operated by Bryan Swift, right here in Connecticut, USA. All of our goods are handmade in the little basement workshop that we call the Solarium of Love.
At Swift Leatherworks, all of our products are sustainably produced using top grain, vegetable tanned leather. We measure, cut, assemble, and stitch every piece by hand, with minimal waste and no overseas labor.
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Contact Us
Got an idea for a custom piece? Get in touch and let’s get started bringing your vision to life. Our leathercrafter in chief will help you choose the right leather, color, finish, and hardware to make your dream a reality.