Traditionally handcrafted leather goods, made in Chicago, IL.

It all started from the thought, “Can I make a belt for cheaper than luxury, to avoid mass-produced, fast-fashion options?” I did not have the budget for luxury, but it didn’t feel right to contribute to the global machine committing human rights violations left and right. Surely there must be another option, right?

The simple answer is no. It takes a lot of time to make a belt, the material cost is a lot to invest, the investment of tools is very burdensome for just one belt, and there was a much more extreme learning curve to make a good belt than I anticipated. It is generally unwise to learn an entire craft to obtain something outside of your budget. However, after the inital investments, I could reasonably make a lot of belts, though. I developed more interest and passion for the craftsmanship than owning the piece myself.

5+ years later, I’m sharing this newly acquired skill with my community and strive to balance the motivations of my initial point of entry with my admiration of fine leather craftsmanship.

Providing another option.

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Now featured at Crafted!

Mooney Leather Goods can now be seen in person! Crafted Evanston is a collection of local artisans’ work in a variety of mediums; ceramicists, woodturners, painters, fiber artists, jewelers, and more. We are very excited to join this vibrant community and share this Chicagoland gem with our clients. Click the link below for more info on the store’s website.

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All Mooney Leather Goods are made not only from traditionally vegetable tanned leathers, but from many of the best tanneries in the world used only in the highest tiers of the luxury fashion industry. My professional experience in the luxury watch and jewelry industry has led to a meticulous curation of durable and beautiful hardware.

Luxury Materials

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The design process starts with pen and paper and is refined, tested, and transferred to durable pattern sheeting and cut by hand. This is then translated to leather, cut and assembled by hand, stitching holes are chiseled. Then each piece is, of course, stitched entirely by hand using traditional saddle stitching. Finally, a painstaking process of sanding and burnishing is applied to each edge to create a polished and durable finished quality. Mooney Leather Goods exceeds expectations set by the term “handmade.”

100% Handmade, Start to Finish

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Transparency and Information

My first Google search was a stressful one. There are entirely too many terms, too many tannages, too many meaningless phrases across the internet with any mention of leather. I would love to share the education I have received in this subject freely and effectively to anyone interested, whether it’s a potential client considering a new wallet or a fellow craftsman trying to solve a particular problem in their shop.

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