Contemporary American Heritage: Tanner Goods

So what started as a simple side-project eventually blossomed into a full-fledged leather brand. Despite the ability to really step out and do things with creativity and innovation with your previous agency, do you feel that Tanner Goods was a whole new level in exploring and applying your inspirations? Also do you think Oregon’s surroundings had any impact on wanting to revisit this more artisan approach to craftsmanship? I would generally consider Oregon to be far from the usual hustle and bustle of other states across America.

Sam: The issue wasn’t that I didn’t feel fulfilled creatively, we were actually lucky that a majority of projects that came down the tube were highly innovative. For me it was more the fact that I’ve always enjoyed the fabrication of things. In an agency setting we would take a problem, conceptualize solutions, refine them, and then it disappears. There’s a whole side of building and constructing I was missing out on. So for me it was gratifying to be able to take an idea and then turn it into something tangible.

My roots in Oregon definitely had a hand in steering the type of products we focus on. I grew up in a small town in the Cascades where a lot of the economy revolved around craft trades: woodworking; coffee roasting; microbreweries; saddle makers, etc. I did an apprenticeship for a couple years in a pottery studio as a teenager, so I’m sure that helped develop my appreciation of craft.

Mark: Like Sam said, the consultancy we worked for was very creative and we did lots of conceptual projects. Some would see the light of day, but most others would disappear into a large corporate black hole. It was always a pleasure when we got a project that allowed us to make a prototype or study model – then all those hand-skills I acquired over the years came into play. I guess for me, I have always wanted to do my own thing, not just work for someone else and let them take the credit. By starting Tanner Goods, it allowed Sam and I to be creative on our own terms.

I have lived in many areas of the country, and by far the Northwest, Oregon in particular, has some of the most amazing and talented artisan and crafts people. The do-it-yourself ethos is huge here, and I feel we fit right in. My playground growing up was a four stall garage with a large metal and wood shop at my disposal. Portland is just another extension of that.

I see you, you guys have benefited from the strength of two movements as we’ve seen a great increase in respect and appreciation of products both made in the United States and from an artisan-approach. Some may see it from a few different perspectives, but to what extent do you think that there’s a symbiotic relationship between the two? That is, artisan goods pushing the made in America angle and the popularity of being “Made in America” enticing more brands to venture down this path?

Sam: That’s an interesting question. There’s a noticeable popularization of both, and they definitely play into each other… but my hope is that neither are reduced to a trending topic. I’ll say this, just because a product has the “Made in USA” label doesn’t always mean it’s of top quality. We are defined foremost by our skills and techniques as artisans, the attention to detail and meticulous finishing Mark and I dedicate to each product. That said, the “Made in USA” label is still very important to us as a brand. The English Bridle leather and waxed canvas we use is sourced domestically. Our manufacturing is done domestically. From top to bottom we are an American brand.

Mark: For us, there really was no compromise. We knew from the get go that we wanted to produce our goods locally by hand with a high attention to detail. As for the “Made in USA” ethos and the movement toward handcrafted goods, the economy has a lot to do with people buying American products. If you really think about it, people with limited means more often will spend a bit more on an item that will last for years rather than pay less for junk. It’s also a matter of people wanting to put money back into the economy, both on a local and domestic level.

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