Copperdot Leather Goods is a privately owned, small batch, high quality manufacturer of hand crafted leather goods. 

A Conversation on Sustainability and Slow fashion. 

As we were driving, I was having a discussion with my son today about sustainability and pointing out that the carbon footprint of leather is far smaller than the reusable grocery bag at the store.

My son  -Oh? Yeah, I guess you’re right mom, cuz leather is a usable leftover of my hamburger! 

Me -Ummmm, yeah, Kinda. 

My son - Well like the indigenous cultures, they look at the holistic use of animals and the earth. (3rd year University student showing off…) They don’t create waste and they use as much of the animal as possible. 

Me -Yeah, that’s it, don't’ create waste!. How many of those reusable shopping bags end up in the landfill? How long do they take to decompose? When we make our Copperdot Bags we use as much of the hides as possible to minimize waste. Our raw materials are indeed, dear to us. They are expensive and we have worked hard to find the quality that our customers will appreciate. 

My son -Do you think they will notice if you buy cheaper leather? 

Me -YES! Cheap leather dries out, stretches, tears, changes color, and will NEVER break in with that same quality that we all love in well worn leather. It just gets better with age, you know, like a really good baseball glove, football, leather wallet. Remember how nice your old saddle looked, and smelled? We tend not to fall in love with the cheap stuff. It doesn't serve us in the long run. It wears out quickly and we tire of the ratty look it takes on. 

My son - Cool! So, like, you should tell you customers they are making a sustainable purchase when they buy a Copperdot Bag. 

Author - Pam Barlow, owner and designer for Copperdot Leather Goods.