Our Story | Portland Leather Goods

the heart of se portland

Our Workshop

Happy worker maker in portland leather goods workshop making totes

A SPACE FOR CREATION

Looking to expand from our humble beginnings in a garage, we grew to fill our sun-drenched 24,000 sq. ft. workshop in SE Portland. We need a lot of space. We design, sample, photograph, cut, sew, market and ship the majority of our products right here in Portland.

Each item is designed by a member of our team, often going through several stages of prototypes that team members try out, and give feedback on in order to constantly improve our designs.

The workshop is ever-changing but we love our 28 ft ceilings, 20 plus handmade workbenches and 560 window panes letting the sunlight in. Among many other changes the exterior is currently being scraped, patched and smoothed for the new paint job that is coming early in 2020.

Who we are

THE HANDS BEHIND "HANDMADE"

We’re a group of artists, painters, actors, woodworkers, teachers, writers, photographers, designers, therapists, and more who want creative outlets in all parts of life.

Every day we come to work we're surrounded by friends and maybe a shop pup or two.

Our team comes together to be creative, to work with our hands, and to enjoy spending the day doing something we love.

bearded hipster man measuring leather in bright sun lit portland leather goods workshop

Artisan Quality from start to finish

What makes Portland Leather so unique is our high-quality products coupled with affordable prices. We exclusively source U.S. cowhides and have them tanned to perfection in North America's finest tanneries in Leon, Mexico.

We use full grain leather, the strongest and most durable leather available, to create stunning products that only get better with age. And we don't play when it comes to our sewing machines either. Our industrial sewing machines stitch the leather with waxed thread, ensuring quality for years to come.

The majority of our leather goods are designed, cut and sewn in Portland and a new showroom and workshop tours are available starting in March 2020.

We are so grateful for the support from our loyal customers. To help expand our product lines we are proud to have begun partnerships with local leather artisans in Leon who will take new Portland Leather designs and turn our custom leather into products you can treasure for a lifetime.

Shop Dogs

Nala

Nala is probably one of the softest dogs your will ever pet. She was adopted by Carly, who is our Production Manager. Nala loves to keep her mom in sight, but can also be seen bouncing around the workshop, saying 'Hi' to everyone, and flopping over to get some sweet belly rubs.

Boo

Boo's favorite activity around the shop is raising hell, which she does an exceptional job at. But hey, what do you expect, she's just a puppy! Boo works with her dad MacCoy in the Marketing Department. Boo loves to meet new people and may just jump up and give you a kiss!

Ida

Looking like a real life Pokemon, Ida packs a ton of personality in a very tiny frame! Ida can be found taking afternoon naps on the Customer Service desk, where her mom, Kaitie, wonderfully answers your questions about our leather goodies. Ida also loves to give nose kisses, which she will shower you with if you squat down to her level.

Millie

Millie is a sweet little snuggle bug, who gets very excited to meet and greet new people. She belongs to Charmaine, our talented Photographer. You can sometimes find Millie sleeping in a patch of sunlight in our bright photo studio.

Avon & Coco

Coco and Avon occasionally make surprise workshop visits. They belong to Curtis and Caitlyn, the founders of Portland Leather Goods. Though small, they are full of energy! Avon can be seen chasing Coco around the workshop, and when they're tuckered out, they'll both take an afternoon nap by the Marketing Team.

Snacks

Snacks has a smile big enough to light up a whole room! He's a big love-bug, who may be half hippo... we're still looking into it. His mom is Jo, who is Assistant Production Manager. You can hear him squeaking around the workshop, adding an extra bit of happiness to everyone's day.

Ruby

Ruby is curious and gentle! She belongs to Jon, one of our talented Firebranders. Her best buddies are Snacks and Boo. She's a little shy but radiates sweetness! She enjoys exploring the shop looking for lights to chase. She'll let you pet her...but only for a second before traipsing off to find dad!

Max

Max is the strongest built pup in the workshop and stands hip-high! He’s all muscle but has a soft heart and is always following his nose. His mom is Kelsey, one of our very talented and hard-working sewers. Max is a good boy and sleeps on his bed right behind mom while she works, dreaming about hunting season. When you see him, give him a good scratch behind his ear!