Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Why Does Be & D Manufacture in the US?
Be&D is a manufacturer of handbags founded in 2004 by Be Inthavong and Steve Dumain. According to them, they believe strongly in the hands-on tradition of storied European luxury houses and have re-created this same practice in their Garment District design studio. They personally train their sewers, teaching them the intricacies that define Be & D and work alongside them to ensure that every piece is created with the strictest attention to detail and quality. This capability to manufacture in-house and locally helps for a shorter speed-to-market, also giving the company the ability to fill re-orders often in less than 2–3 weeks. The atelier also allows for bespoke services to private clients and special-orders for wholesale customers. And that's why Be&D bags are made in the US.
Friday, June 10, 2011
"We're An American Brand" - From Hayden-Harnett's Blog
We've copied this from Hayden-Harnett's blog.
We're an American brand: Introducing Hayden Harnett Collection
A huge and very warm hello to our customers, retailers, and fans!
I am very excited to announce the launch of Hayden-Harnett Collection. Five of our bestselling and essential styles that epitomize the high quality, functionality, and classic-with-an-edge/works-with-everything style that we are best known for.
Each HH Collection handbag is made in the USA in small production runs from locally sourced materials: the softest and most luxurious buttery cow leathers tanned in upstate New York, brass hardware from domestic sources, heavy and durable authentic waxwear canvas from american mills, and organic cotton canvas linings. Even the special hangtags and dustcovers for Collection are produced locally from American materials.
In creating Collection, we’ve updated and refabricated some of our classics: the Ibiza flight tote, Barnard crossbody, Havana hobo, and the lovely Biblio bag. We’re launching the Milton messenger satchel, a highly anticipated unisex style that finally met with ben’s “I’ll wear it” approval after six years of trying to create the perfect messenger. Both the new Milton satchel and the Ibiza flight tote in heavy waxwear canvas are unisex styles- hurrah, HH style for the guys.
Being a small and very dedicated American fine leather goods brand, we are passionate about our first entirely made and sourced in the USA collection and feel that it represents the very best of what Hayden-Harnett offers— quality, creativity, functionality, and great style for both men and women.
Producing locally in Brooklyn with domestic materials allows us a very fast turnaround for product as well as a very high level of quality control. It's a great feeling to help keep U.S. leathercraft alive and to make such stylish strides to support America's economy.
I hope that everyone enjoys the new collection as much as we do!
Toni (& Ben)
We're an American brand: Introducing Hayden Harnett Collection
A huge and very warm hello to our customers, retailers, and fans!
I am very excited to announce the launch of Hayden-Harnett Collection. Five of our bestselling and essential styles that epitomize the high quality, functionality, and classic-with-an-edge/works-with-everything style that we are best known for.
Each HH Collection handbag is made in the USA in small production runs from locally sourced materials: the softest and most luxurious buttery cow leathers tanned in upstate New York, brass hardware from domestic sources, heavy and durable authentic waxwear canvas from american mills, and organic cotton canvas linings. Even the special hangtags and dustcovers for Collection are produced locally from American materials.
In creating Collection, we’ve updated and refabricated some of our classics: the Ibiza flight tote, Barnard crossbody, Havana hobo, and the lovely Biblio bag. We’re launching the Milton messenger satchel, a highly anticipated unisex style that finally met with ben’s “I’ll wear it” approval after six years of trying to create the perfect messenger. Both the new Milton satchel and the Ibiza flight tote in heavy waxwear canvas are unisex styles- hurrah, HH style for the guys.
Being a small and very dedicated American fine leather goods brand, we are passionate about our first entirely made and sourced in the USA collection and feel that it represents the very best of what Hayden-Harnett offers— quality, creativity, functionality, and great style for both men and women.
Producing locally in Brooklyn with domestic materials allows us a very fast turnaround for product as well as a very high level of quality control. It's a great feeling to help keep U.S. leathercraft alive and to make such stylish strides to support America's economy.
I hope that everyone enjoys the new collection as much as we do!
Toni (& Ben)
Best Designer Handbags Made in the USA
We're looking for suggestions on your favorite domestically manufactured designer handbags. Do you have a favorite bag made in the USA that you think is stylish and of high-quality? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think are the best designer handbags made in USA.
Right now we have a list of handbag brands made in USA, a great essay on how handbags are made in USA, and a page to visit to support handbags made in USA. If you want to help us in our mission to promote US made handbags, you should click on some of our sponsors as well.
Right now we have a list of handbag brands made in USA, a great essay on how handbags are made in USA, and a page to visit to support handbags made in USA. If you want to help us in our mission to promote US made handbags, you should click on some of our sponsors as well.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Because if Nobody Sees this Page, Handbags Might Not be Made in USA ;-)
What are the best handbags in the US? If you want to buy a new handbag and want to see the list of available US suppliers of handbags, as well as to see who are the best American brands we have it all. We show you how to make, buy and care for your US made handbag!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Coach - What Was an American Brand
Coach was founded in 1941 as the Gail Manufacturing Company. It began with six leather workers who made wallets and handbags under various names. In 1946, Miles Cahn and his wife Lillian joined the company and soon they had taken over. In 1957 the Coach brand of wallets and other small leather goods was introduced. In the 1960s, Cahn discovered a complex method for making leather strong, soft, and durable. Coach women's handbags were made out of sturdy cowhide. Other handbags were of thin leather pasted over cardboard material that was used to make other handbags at the time. Coach earned a reputation as an American brand making stellar quality products.
With Lillian's suggestion, Miles had made the women's handbags a little less expensive. This put them in a perfect niche of price and quality that quickly grew their company. In the 1980s, Coach was sold to the Sara Lee corporation. Coach Inc. opened many stores, and by the 1990s was making much of its products overseas. Now, while Coach retains the appearance of being an American brand, it produces most of its collection in China, and sells to the masses through many stores and presences at lower priced retailers. Coach bags have lost a lot of their luster as they proliferate everywhere, and at the lower end their bags have sacrificed much of their quality, and attention to detail. Not much better than their knock-offs in many cases.
Who are the brands that will fill the shoes of Coach which lasted so long as an emblem of quality and style? Maybe someone from our list of American Brands.
With Lillian's suggestion, Miles had made the women's handbags a little less expensive. This put them in a perfect niche of price and quality that quickly grew their company. In the 1980s, Coach was sold to the Sara Lee corporation. Coach Inc. opened many stores, and by the 1990s was making much of its products overseas. Now, while Coach retains the appearance of being an American brand, it produces most of its collection in China, and sells to the masses through many stores and presences at lower priced retailers. Coach bags have lost a lot of their luster as they proliferate everywhere, and at the lower end their bags have sacrificed much of their quality, and attention to detail. Not much better than their knock-offs in many cases.
Who are the brands that will fill the shoes of Coach which lasted so long as an emblem of quality and style? Maybe someone from our list of American Brands.
Where Can I Buy Handbags Made in USA
One of the reasons we started this blog is there was no reliable list of handbags made in America. Most of the lists we found were a scattershot sampling of strange local websites featuring kind of fugly items. Yes we said it, fugly. Honestly, we wanted to make a resource where people could find true designer bags that were fashionable and made in America.
We recommend you purchase straight from the designer. You can buy American Made Handbags directly from Be & D, Corrente, and Hayden-Harnett. You can also search for and shop for these brands on eBay, Amazon.com, Nordstrom, and Shopbop.com. Also, why not stop by your local flea or designer market to find up and coming designers?
Visit our continually updated List of Handbag Brands Made in USA and don't forget to suggest new brands!
We recommend you purchase straight from the designer. You can buy American Made Handbags directly from Be & D, Corrente, and Hayden-Harnett. You can also search for and shop for these brands on eBay, Amazon.com, Nordstrom, and Shopbop.com. Also, why not stop by your local flea or designer market to find up and coming designers?
Visit our continually updated List of Handbag Brands Made in USA and don't forget to suggest new brands!
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