Tanner Goods: Contemporary American Heritage | Hypebeast

Do you think that a welcome by-product of difficult economic times is that there has been a shift towards more quality products and less fast/consumable pieces. Is this here to stay? When things return to a similar economic state of a few years ago, will people be less likely to revert to their old ways. Surely this must mean that the opportunity for growth with Tanner Goods is quite promising.

Sam: I think if anything the economy has introduced us to a new demographic. Younger folks, in my opinion, tend to consume at a faster rate. To some extent they drive the speed at which trends turn over, and maybe in the past weren’t as concerned with buying a product they could keep in their closet for more than a couple seasons… but the economy changed that. So yeah, I think on some levels the perceived value of goods like ours is here to stay. It might not be as strong a few years down the line, but things have definitely shifted.

Mark: I do think that the type of person who is buying Tanner Goods is going to be around for awhile. This economy has shown how resilient people can be and how their buying habits have changed for the better. What I mean to say is that people are making more educated choices, purchasing well made goods that will last.

While there’s a certain timeless aesthetic with many of the products released by Tanner Goods, down the road, how do you envision keeping the brand progressive? Or based on your philosophy and inspirations, timeless design, colors and material choices have in some ways created a pre-destined path for the brand?

Sam: Right now we’re known as a belt company first and foremost. That’s our staple product, and will always be a mainstay in our collection. But our design language and material choices translate well to other categories, and Mark and I have a pretty detailed list of goods we’d like to offer down the road. I think whether it’s a boot, a duffle bag, or even a pair of eyeglass frames, our philosophy makes sense. For us it’s just a matter of taking the time to dial in each offering and making sure the design, construction, and aesthetic is right.

Mark: From the start we wanted to create something that could grow organically. The “Goods” in Tanner Goods was very deliberate , allowing us to translate our craft and skills into different areas of product. Leather itself has a timeless quality inherent to the material. If we can blend those elements to other offerings and create well constructed products, Tanner Goods will continue to push in many new directions.

While terms such as “Japanese Denim” have signaled that certain materials can become synonymous with a region based on positive traits, do you think that with your help, the term “American Leather” can become a desirable trait (if it hasn’t already been established)? What’s the current American leather industry like and what changes would need to be made to cement America’s position as a high-quality leather purveyor?

Sam: The leather industry in the United States is a lot smaller than people realize, which is a benefit. Globalization moved a lot of the textile and leather industries to Asia and South America where cost is most important, so what we were left with was a handful of outfits that specialize in high end, quality leather. This notion that American tanneries are producing the most premium leather has only been reinforced by the growth of brands like ourselves, Yuketen, Alden, and Quoddy.

Mark: I think one of the biggest issues with the leather industry, foreign and domestic, has been environmental impact. There was a large movement in the US away from traditional vegetable tanning and towards chrome tanning during the past century. This led to a lot of negative environmental impact and spurred the US to tighten regulation and environmental policy. In a roundabout way it helped return the American leather industry to more traditional processes for tanning leather, and cemented it as one of the top producers of English Bridle leather.