Before beginning the actual cutting process, our artisans inspect each hide for blemishes and imperfections. Each of these gets marked off to be avoided so that every cut piece turns out perfect and free of inconsistencies. It’s important to us that we waste as little leather here as possible, because not only is it more economical, it’s also more respectful to the living animal from which the hide originated. Making sure every viable part of that hide goes to use requires a highly discerning eye and is pretty tough to do, which is why it’s so impressive that the first official Knot was able to be cut from a single hide!

All of these Knot pieces are now being labeled and arranged. This will confirm that everything needed to proceed is present and accounted for, as well as that the grain is consistent throughout. This way, nobody ends up with a bag that’s pebbled on one side and smooth on the other! No such discrepancies have arisen here, and consequently, these pieces are off to the splitter to be evened out before buffing and grinding occurs.

��

Shop the Knot

After being passed through so many hands and under so many sets of watchful eyes, inspecting a bag is our final “test” to ensure that no marks or blemishes can be seen, no stitch is out of place, and no edge paint is uneven. Once we’re totally sure that each of these No. 12 Totes is the best it can be, a hangtag is affixed and a registration card tucked inside to herald our lifetime guarantee. Then, every inch of the tote is given a final shine with our leather elixir to condition and defend it against superficial wear-and-tear.��

To preserve the shape of each bag, we stuff the interior and wrap the handles, subsequently enveloping it in a protective bag in such a way that nothing gets bent out of shape. Finally, a handwritten note is added, thanking each customer for supporting our passion and wishing them well with their new tote (or briefcase, or wallet, or handbag). Whether their destinations are stateside or on the other side of the planet, these No. 12 Totes will ultimately be sent out of the design studio with the knowledge that that no detail has been spared in making them the elegant pieces they are.

��

Shop the No. 12 Tote

A bag’s stitching is also one of the first things a person tends to notice, so overall, it’s crucial that our artisans know exactly what they’re doing—and they do! They don’t work with a pattern or guide, which makes this all the more impressive. Whether they’re using the machine, completing stitches by hand, or tying knots that will later be turned and burned, every move is calculated and expertly carried out so as to avoid any potential mistakes.

As you can see, the No. 12 Totes are at different production stages depending upon color. Some, like the electric blue, are just about finished and are making their final passes under the sewing machine, while others, like the saddle tan, have yet to be assembled and are still having their smaller pieces stitched. Check back next week to find out what’s next in the studio for these gorgeous totes!

��

Shop the No. 12 Tote

Every edge of every piece of the No. 12 Tote is ground and polished multiple times to effectively “raise the grain” of the leather and sand it back down again until perfection is achieved. To elaborate, painting these unfinished edges causes errant fibers to resurface above the paint, and grinding removes them, albeit along with some of the paint. The goal is to reach a point where the paint’s pigment has been buffed right into the leather and no coarse fibers are present, which usually takes at least four and up to seven rounds of repetition.��

This is all a little arduous, but taking the time to smooth it all out—literally—adds years to the lifetime of our bags. The peeling and splitting that tends to occur on the edges of some leather goods is a near impossibility here thanks to our artisans that take the time to grind and polish everything, and thanks to them, these No. 12 Totes will go on to look as amazing in ten years as the day they go out the door and into the world.��

��

Variations by even one-tenth of an inch can mean the difference between a balanced bag and one that falls over, loses structure and is overall less uniform. Because of this, we take extra care to measure every piece’s thickness after running it through the splitting machine before sorting them all by exact weight. By pairing split pieces of equal thickness together and laminating them, they gain a plywood-light lightness and sturdiness that do wonders for aesthetics and resilience. ��

��

Ultimately, the No. 12 Tote is made so much better by this step. Although it’s time-consuming and a bit labor-intensive, splitting our leather allows us to be true to our quality-based values and to feel good about the integrity of each bag that goes out the door. Next week, the No. 12 Tote will be even further on its road to completion; check back on Monday to see what we’re doing.��

��

Shop the No. 12 Leather Tote

Because this item is fully leather-lined, it contains twice as many pieces as the average tote. This means that the components of the No. 12 need to be doubly inspected for imperfections as opposed to an unlined bag like our Working Tote: what’s on the inside matters just as much as what’s on the outside. Marks, blemishes, or grain inconsistencies are just some of the things we look for when putting together the veritable puzzle that is a bag—if any of these are present, it’s back to square one for that strap, cover, or lining.��

When all the pieces of the No. 12 Tote have been cut and sorted according to grain and thickness, they’ll go to the splitting station. This is where we fully even out that thickness to give the eventual finished product the balanced equilibrium that allows it to stand on its own whether full or empty. Read on next week to see what stage of production the No. 12 has achieved next.

��

Shop the No. 12 Tote

Bridle leather is thicker and more particular than a regular hide, so the Triumph II needs to be given the utmost level of attention in order to attain a perfect appearance. Most of the briefcase’s finishing stitches even have to be done painstakingly using the hand wheel because its layers are so dense; the machine’s fast automatic movements just can’t be counted on to achieve the level of uniformity we strive for where bridle leather is concerned. Slow and steady definitely wins the race here!

Now that all the stitching is done, all that’s left is to turn and burn the edges of the thread left over and to add each briefcase’s hardware over in assembly. Then, they’ll be given one last polish with our leather elixir to bring out the bridle leather’s unparalleled shine, awaiting their lucky new owners.��

��

Shop the Bridle Triumph II

��

The process goes something like this in our studio: two coordinating split pieces of bridle leather (the briefcase’s cover, side, or maybe a pocket) are laid out, and one of our artisans carefully applies a thin layer of glue around the edges using a paintbrush. Then, its identical match is placed on top, sealing the unfinished sides together and creating a doubly strong, shiny piece that’s ready to be stitched and thereby made truly permanent.

��

This can all be trickier than it sounds. If too much glue is painted on it could leak out the sides and ruin the leather, while if there isn’t enough, the layers just might not stick. And, those layers need to be perfectly lined up and even, as otherwise they’ll cause problems down the line and possibly throw off the briefcase’s balance. Like putting together a puzzle, here’s where it all really starts to come together.

��

Shop the Compass Lock Briefcase

Bridle leather is much smoother than the average hide, which makes it glide right through the sewing machine, but also means it can easily slip out of place with the slightest movement. Because its texture is so glossy and uniform, there are no second chances if a stitch happens to be made out of place- the whole piece will essentially be ruined. The Compass Lock and all the other designs in our bridle collection are harder to stitch for that reason, but when they’re completed, it’s all worth it.��

After these pieces are fully stitched, they’ll be checked for consistency and their knots will be hand-tied. Next, those knots will be turned and burned one-by-one, ensuring they’ll never come loose or untied, while the larger Compass Lock pieces take their place at the sewing machine.��

��

Shop the Compass Lock Briefcase

Because the One-Piece is just that, it’s difficult to cut. Whereas we can typically mix and match cut pieces based on texture and grain, the part of the hide from which this bag is made needs to be totally even across the board. Achieving this takes a good eye on the part of our artisans, but at the end of the day, it’s extremely satisfying to look back and be able to say we’re doing something special.��

Unlike most of our other bags, no piece-by-piece sorting is necessary for apparent reasons— so once these One-Pieces are done with the cutting stage, they’ll move right on to the next.

��

Shop the One-Piece

The Mini Sling is a piece that relies heavily on smooth appearance and movement, and its stitching needs to reflect that— one line out of place, and that perfection is marred. Our artisans never use a guide (the result of classical training and innate attention to detail), and execute little feats like doubling back into already-stitched holes to reinforce areas of strain. In short? Every bag is made with care, and it shows in the details.��

Once all these Mini Slings have been flawlessly and expertly stitched, they’ll head back to assembly for their final touches and be that much closer to completion.��

��

Shop the Mini Sling

The Mini Sling looks like a simple bag, and in some ways it is compared to our more complicated pieces like the Tripp handbag or Triumph briefcase. But there’s a reason it has that characteristic symmetrical, smooth appearance, and it’s partly thanks to assembly. If it weren’t for the care taken here to establish that each bag is as balanced as it should be, the Mini Sling wouldn’t transform from backpack to tote quite so easily as it does.��

By painstakingly measuring every piece before securing it all into place for stitching, the artisans at the assembly station guarantee that nothing is mislaid by even a fraction of an inch. Now that the framework has been set down, these Mini Slings can��go on to their next stage- and after everything is said and done, there’ll be a beautiful work of art to show for all this effort.��

��

Shop the Mini Sling

Grinding a piece of leather and then immediately painting over the ground edge causes latent fibers to arise, creating a rough texture that’s definitely neither beautiful nor functionally useful. We’d never just leave it at this, so we buff the texture off to render the leather smooth again while still retaining some of the paint’s pigment. When more paint is added the fibers repeat the same process, only to a lesser extent this time.

We go back and forth between grinding and painting until every edge is finally smooth to the touch, no coarse fibers are left, and the paint is vibrant. The result of this extra special step is an unparalleled structure and cohesion that we’re proud to accomplish with each bag. Once it’s been affirmed that all these Mini Sling pieces are up to par with our standards, they’ll move on to their next stage.

��

Shop the Mini Sling

The Mini Sling’s performance relies on its ability to move fluidly and easily, something that begins with the bag’s shape: if any cut pieces are even slightly off-dimension in the beginning they’ll surely lead to an inferior bag later on down the line. Cutting may only be one small step in the grand scheme of things, but it’s the step that lays the foundation of all the others, and it’s significant for that reason.��

After careful inspection of each hide for blemishes and flaws, the parts of each Mini Sling are cut and laid out next to each other. One by one, they’re checked for grain consistency and marked off for later stitching, but each piece will be split before that occurs in order to even out the thickness and ensure a balanced final product. Check back next week to see what these Mini Slings are up to next!

��

Shop the Mini Sling

To close the Wells, the last few visible stitches are sewn onto the briefcase’s exterior in order to fully seal it shut. Performed using a slightly contrasting thread, they serve to highlight the sharp and aerodynamic look of this style through creating visible lines and curves. This is fairly tough to do in and of itself, but it’s also compounded by the pressure to attain perfection: the hard work of numerous other artisans is riding on this one act, and if any errors are made, that work might be invalidated.��

Once the closing work is finished, there’s a definite feeling of accomplishment in knowing that each bag bag is ready to be wrapped up and sent out to its new home. Cutting, splitting, laminating, buffing, painting, and, finally, stitching have all led up to this point, and after all this, we’re ready to start over on a round of something new. Read on next week to see what we’re beginning on Monday!

Shop the Wells Briefcase

��

Every one of these ends is tied in a tight square knot before being heated with a flame. We use nylon thread, which melts rather than burning like cotton does, so that the end can subsequently be pushed back into its hole and seal as it cools. A bone folder is used to push the leather back over the hole, and what results is a knot that’s completely secured. It takes a lot of work to master this step given that it’s so precise, but at the end of the day, it’s all worth it.��

��

There are three kinds of turn-and-burns: invisible, visible, and edge wraps. The first refers to knots on a part of the bag that will be attached to another and never be seen by the naked eye- usually an interior lining or laminated layer. It then follows that a visible one will end up on a bag’s exterior, meaning that the turn-and-burn execution must be absolutely perfect. An edge wrap is the strongest of all because it involves five reinforcing threads instead of just one, making the parts of a bag most subject to stress (corners and edges) ultra-resilient. Excellence fully attained, these Tripp II pieces are now just about ready to be stitched together.

��

Shop the Tripp II

Each piece of these Tripp II’s will be ground on a buffing wheel and then painted, which causes errant leather fibers to rise up like the grain on a piece of wood. We then grind those off and repaint, which raises more fibers, repeating this process until nothing irregular arises when painted and all the edges are completely smooth. By this point, the paint has been buffed right into the leather, so its color and strength should never diminish.��

Running a finger over the finished edges as a “blind test” confirms that we’ve been successful in this endeavor; if we feel any given piece could use a little more work, we spot-buff the rough patches and keep testing until it’s finally perfect. Once the components of the Tripp II have all been finalized in this stage, they’ll eventually��go on to be stitched together and start to form the bag’s classic, streamlined shape.��

��

Shop the Tripp II

As this bag is fully leather-lined, cutting these pieces requires much time, care and attention to detail: each one must be totally unblemished, and the grain needs to be consistent from the outside in.To ensure this, each hide is marked for any flaws, and then dies are placed and cut with a clicker press. The pieces are cut individually to allow for the artisans to hone their focus, so while it’s time-consuming, each bag turns out better in the end because of this.��

After having been cut, the Tripp II pieces are all matched by grain and texture, like putting together parts of a puzzle that will eventually form a whole. All 40-some pieces are then readied to be split to even out their thickness and continue on their road to completion.

Shop the Tripp II

Because these iPad cases are so straightforward, it’d be natural for our artisans to rush through making them- but then, naturally, mistakes would be likely to occur here and there. Slowing down for the simpler pieces is easier said than done, but as we’d never want to forgo quality for acceleration, doing so is practically a given.��

Our stitchers don’t use any guides or patterns as they work, either, so the ease of making a pouch is the result of in-depth prior training to sew without external reassurance. Once all these iPad cases are finished being stitched, they’ll move on to have their loose ends turned and burned, putting them one step closer to completion.

To do so necessitates training and learned accuracy, as none of our stitchers use a guide or pattern when working. Everything is done by memory and intuition, which makes the clean lines of the Angle Tote all the more impressive. Because this is an unlined bag, too, its stitching is visible on the interior as well as the exterior- meaning that there’s only one chance to get it right.

When all is said and done, these Angle Totes will be checked for perfect consistency; then, their knots will be cauterized and pushed back into their holes with a bone folder. This will seal the nylon thread right into the leather, boosting each bag’s longevity and bettering its appearance as�� they move one step closer to being finished.

The process begins by painting over the exposed edges of every Angle Tote piece, which “raises the grain” of the leather- almost like a piece of wood. Once the latent fibers have surfaced, they’re sent to be buffed off, and the process is repeated again. With each round of painting and buffing, less fibers will surface, and we therefore know a piece is done when the edge’s texture is flat to the touch and richly colored.��

At this point, the paint has been completely worked into the leather, but our work isn’t done yet. A �IJ���̳ bag is defined by its sleek structure and clean lines, so all pieces must be examined to be sure each one is consistent with the next. This ensures the visual shape of the piece will be correct upon assembly. Following the confirmation that these Angle Totes are on their way to perfection, they’ll continue on to their next step and be out the door to their new owners in a few days.

Totes are easier to cut than some of our other bags��as a result of��the simple fact that they comprise fewer pieces, but this doesn’t mean it’s a process that we speed through- every bag deserves the same level of care and precision in its making. Before the leather can be cut, it must be inspected for marks and imperfections, which will be avoided while still making use of the rest of the hide. It’s almost like figuring out a puzzle; every die needs to be placed in exactly the right position so as not to create too much scrap.��

As all of the pieces are cut, they’re laid out as if about to be stitched so that correct sizing and grain can be confirmed. But before that can happen, the Angle Tote’s components need to be split to establish consistent thickness and weight. That’s a step for a different day, so read on next week to hear about��what else is going on in��the workshop.

The Tripp is a complicated bag to make in the first place, as it consists of almost 40 pieces of leather despite its small size. Add the fact that this one is made of American-sourced alligator hide, and it becomes even more difficult. Our talented artisans know exactly what they’re doing, however, and so all that’s required is a bit of extra attention from the first stage to the last.

Today, this remarkable Tripp is being cut, and there are some unique considerations that go along with this step: since an alligator hide is much more delicate than our usual leather, more care is needed to smooth it out and ensure there are no ridges and hills as it’s being cut. It’s also much smaller, so there’s no room for error as every inch of the hide must be conserved for a specific piece of the bag. After this meticulous act is finished, the American Alligator Tripp will move on to its next station.

Some knots are invisible due to being done on a piece of leather that will be sealed onto another later on, so these are simply melted with a flame and pushed and pulled back into their holes with tweezers. Those that are visible get an additional step: a bone folder is used to press and smooth the leather right back over the sealed knot to both hide it and protect it from unraveling.

Finally, there’s edge wrapping, which is the strongest kind of turn-and-burn. Consisting of five threads rather than just one, they help keep the Tripp’s corners fortified and its entire structure protected. Thanks to all this, the Tripps and our other bags are made more durable and more beautiful as they move down the line towards completion.

-������

On the Mini Luna, two five-thread edge wraps are added, and the last visible stitches are sewn onto the exterior. Strictly speaking, the bag is technically finished before it reaches this point due to having already been glued, buffed, and painted, but why not take the opportunity to make it look even better and be even stronger?

Closing a bag is made additionally tough by the pressure to superlatively complete the piece and not negate all the hard work done by everyone else. Once it’s done, though, there’s a huge sense of accomplishment at knowing the bag is finally ready to be given a final polish and sent out to its new owner.

And with that, this run of Mini Lunas is now complete- check back next week to see what else we’re doing in the studio.��

-��������



Before a �IJ���̳ bag can be sent out into the world, it has to be packaged in a way that keeps it safe for the journey ahead while speaking to the craftsmanship that’s gone into its creation. Some of the biggest parts of this are the hangtag and registration cards that are sent along with each piece to its destination, adding a sense of completion and class to the end product.��

A tag might not sound like an important item, but ours — printed for us just one state over in Massachusetts — serve a greater purpose than reminding customers who they’re buying from: they also reinforce the “why”. Every tag reinforces our lifetime guarantee and “Made in U.S.A.” pledge, all the while reminding new owners that their bag is individually and uniquely numbered so as to render it truly one-of-a-kind.��

Every accompanying registration card carries with it that bag’s number, which certifies that it’s indeed the real thing. Once a bag is registered online with us using the number, it really becomes official, and makes it easier for us to facilitate any future interactions with each customer. These cards and tags aren’t just pieces of paper- ultimately, they’re a final way for us to demonstrate the importance and value we place on our products.��

-������ Silvia

The very last cog in the wheel of �IJ���̳’s bag-making process is the packaging of every product before being sent out into the world. While not, by any means, as complicated as some of the other steps, packaging is nonetheless wildly important: it’s a reflection of who we are as a brand and a reinforcement of��how special our products are.

Because of this, we aren’t willing to use any old boxes and materials, but we’d likewise never want our packaging to seem unnecessary or excessive. Our solution, then, is to domestically source our items from manufacturers willing to work with us in order to create sophisticated yet simple gift boxes and letterpress stationary. The end exterior result is a��distinguished cordovan-colored box embossed with the �IJ���̳ name, inside which every bag or accessory is settled, typically with a handwritten letterpress note meant to thank customers for supporting our passion and wishing them the best with their new item.

Before this can happen, though, every piece getting ready to be shipped has to be thoroughly and painstakingly inspected to ensure there are no imperfections anywhere, from the stitches to the corners and edge sealing. Once we’re sure everything is in first-class working order, the bag is given a final shine with our Leather Elixir, and then finally, it’s ready to be set into one of those sturdy wine-red boxes – which double as an ideal storing place for our bags when not in use – and shipped off to its new home- whether that be just down the road in New England��or through international borders halfway around the world.

��

- Liz Silvia

��

��

Grinding might seem similar to splitting in that it involves reshaping a piece of leather, but beyond this, these actions are actually fairly different in nature. Grinding is about controlling the shape of a bag and working with the machine to achieve a result; it’s a much more manual process that involves a concentrated level of control: the pressure applied as the leather is run along the grinder has to be equal from top to bottom, or else the outcome will be imbalanced and therefore unusable. Much more so than splitting, having steady hands and thinking in a physical way about shapes and motion are obligatory requirements for grinding, because uniformity is everything when it comes to the final product.

Learning from experience and intuitively understanding the feel of the machine to determine what the leather needs are equally integral both for this step and those that come afterwards. For instance, if the edges of a bag aren’t ground symmetrically, the stitching that follows later on down the line also won’t be even due to the fact that it follows the contours created through the grinding process. A decision has to be made for every piece so we can determine what’s best for each individual bag, and this takes quite a lot of practice to grasp.

Once grinding is completed, polishing comes into play, which encompasses multiple side steps in and of itself. Grinding can leave something of a “fuzzy” edge, so we first use a buffer to remove these rough boundaries and generate a smooth texture to refine and match the shape created with the grinding machine. Bags are then literally polished with our leather elixir, which acts as a moisturizer for the leather to lock in its richness and texture. We could technically create a �IJ���̳ bag without including grinding and polishing, but in the interest of our product and our customer base, we choose to do them because they’re about taking what’s already present and making it even better.

- Liz Silvia

Painting may not seem like the most intriguing or even challenging parts of producing a �IJ���̳ bag. In looking closer, though, it’s a process that involves much more than quickly glossing over an edge with a brush.

Because our leather is vegetable-tanned, the suede underside that becomes exposed upon sealing two split pieces together can appear lighter because the dye doesn’t seep all the way through. These exposed edges are what we paint in order to avoid discoloration, but also to increase durability. The more layers of paint that are burnished onto the leather, the thicker the seal becomes, and if one layer begins to chip away with time, others lie underneath.��

One aspect that makes our particular style different is the act��of painting many thin layers of leather instead of one thick bound layer like other manufacturers tend to do. This ensures that over time the edges won’t split open or peel easily. Although it might seem counterintuitive, if damage does begin to occur, it’s actually much easier to repair painted edge layers than bound ones. All that’s necessary is another coat of paint for reinforcement.��

For some of edges, we choose a contrast color. As edge painting essentially generates a visible, structural border for each bag, this is especially difficult to do. If the painted line isn’t perfectly straight, it’s very obvious and can alter the product’s entire shape.

Despite the precision required, though, there’s no one universal approach to painting a �IJ���̳ piece– all of our artisans have their own methodology. It’s not a process that requires classical training, just a fine degree of control and a willingness to practice until perfection is achieved. The artisans, being most in tune with the process, are also the ones who notice when improvements are needed: one mentions that the aforementioned additional layers of paint started being added to external pieces after she noticed the paint on her own bag wearing off in areas after heavy use. Perceptiveness and dynamism are key at all formative stages, but with painting more than any other, these skills help build the framework of a �IJ���̳ bag.��

��- Liz Silvia��

For each one, a square knot--one of the strongest kinds--is tied over the hole it originated from, its end is heated to the point of melting, and a hammer and tweezers are used to push, pull, and nestle it back into the hole, where it seals itself in for good. There’s no room for mistakes here, and since each turn and burn can be different depending upon which part of the bag the knot falls on, memorization and consistency are imperative at all times.

The procedure can involve one of two types of turn and burn, the first being a structural one whose purpose is solely to add strength and reinforcement to one part of the bag that will be fused with another. The second is a finishing turn and burn, which exist on a bag’s outer pieces but is��integrated into the stitching in a way that makes it nearly impossible to tell where it begins or ends. We test this by running a finger over the burned and tucked end: if we can’t feel it, we’ve done our job correctly. ��

After this, other hand-stitched components besides knots come in, helping to wrap and seal edges or reinforce doubled-back corners. Without this stage, our bags wouldn’t have the structural integrity that they do, and so we choose to take the time to unite the form and function of each one to create a product that is at once seamless and stunning.��

- Liz Silvia