About Portlandleathergoods：Crafting Leather Heritage in the Heart of Portland

Portland isn’t just a name to us—it’s the soul of our craft. Nestled in the Pacific Northwest, a region known for its reverence for nature, durability, and timeless design, Portlandleathergoods was born from a desire to turn the area’s spirit into tangible, everyday pieces. We don’t just sell Handmade Tote Bags, Purses, Leather Journals, and Backpacks—we create leather goods that carry the quiet strength of Portland’s forests, the intentionality of its local makers, and the warmth of its community.

Our story started in a small workshop, where our founder—an avid hiker and former leather apprentice—grew frustrated with fast-fashion accessories that faded after a few months. They asked: Why can’t leather goods be both beautiful and built to last? That question became our mission: to honor traditional leatherworking while making it relevant for modern lives. Today, every piece in our collection is still touched by human hands, not just machines—because we believe the best things in life have a “human mark.”

Take our Handmade Tote Bags, for example: each one begins with full-grain leather sourced from family-owned tanneries that use eco-friendly processes, mirroring Portland’s commitment to sustainability. Our artisans hand-cut every panel, ensuring the leather’s natural grain—with its unique markings and texture—shines through. Then, they stitch each tote with waxed thread, a technique passed down for generations, making the seams strong enough to hold a weekend’s worth of hiking gear or a week’s stack of work files. For our Leather Journals, we bind each page by hand, using a coptic stitch that lets the journal lay flat—perfect for jotting down notes during a coffee shop visit or a trailside break. Even our Purses and Backpacks get this careful treatment: hardware is hand-attached and tested for years of use, and straps are reinforced with extra stitching to stand up to daily commutes or backpacking trips.

“Handmade” isn’t a buzzword here—it’s a process we’re proud to share. Walk into our Portland workshop, and you’ll smell leather and beeswax, hear the soft thud of a mallet shaping leather, and see artisans leaning over workbenches, adjusting a stitch or buffing a edge. We never rush a piece: a single Tote Bag takes 8 hours to make, a Leather Journal up to 12, because we know patience is what turns “good” into “timeless.” And because each piece is handmade, no two are identical—your Backpack might have a subtle grain pattern that no one else’s has, your Purse a tiny mark from the tanning process that becomes its own unique story.

Sustainability is woven into every step, too—just like Portland’s dedication to protecting the environment. We use every scrap of leather (offcuts become keychains or journal bookmarks, never waste), partner with tanneries that avoid harsh chemicals, and design our goods to be repairable. If your Backpack strap needs re-stitching or your Tote’s edge needs re-buffing, send it our way—we’ll fix it, so your piece can stay with you for years, not just seasons.

We’re also proud to be part of Portland’s maker community. We host quarterly workshops in our space, teaching locals the basics of leather stamping and simple repairs, and we donate a portion of every sale to local environmental groups that protect the forests and rivers we love. For us, Portlandleathergoods isn’t just a business—it’s a way to give back to the place that inspires us.

Whether you’re a Portland local looking for a bag that fits your city’s vibe, or someone across the country seeking a piece that’s more than just an accessory, we’re glad you’re here. Each Handmade Tote, Purse, Leather Journal, and Backpack is our way of saying: We care about the things you use every day.

Have questions about our workshop, our materials, or how to care for your leather piece? Reach out anytime at [email protected]—we’re a small team, but we’re eager to chat, share stories, and help you find the perfect leather companion.

Portland’s spirit is in every stitch. We hope our goods become part of yours.

— The Portlandleathergoods Team