Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Stafford.
Hi Eric, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got interested in leatherwork after moving into a small Dallas apartment after graduate school at Texas A&M. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in my Grandfather’s wood shop, learning to use my hands. When that small apartment understandably wouldn’t let me put a table saw in the living room, I wanted something else to keep my hands busy. Leatherwork started as a way to keep my hands busy and my mind occupied, but it grew into a hobby that has connected me with people in new ways.
I love making products that people actually use and that will last. The comment I get the most is that I don’t charge enough for my products, but I price my products in a way that helps them be accessible. I want people to feel like they can afford a quality, hand-made product.
Since making my first billfold wallet and mouse pad for myself in late 2018, I’ve made over 1400 unique products. I still do a lot of custom work, but I have sold numerous iterations of my designs for wallets, tote bags, duffel bags, shaving kits, etc.
While leatherwork will never replace my day-to-day job as an Architect, leatherwork is another avenue I have to be creative and to explore new ideas and ways of doing things. I love coming up with new designs, or a new spin on a classic leather design.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been ebbs and flows with business. At times, I have put more time and effort into marketing and getting my name out into the world through social media or other avenues, but those efforts have not always been fruitful. I have found myself in a comfortable groove of late, taking on projects when and where I want to, and not stressing over the number of sales I make on Etsy or the number of products I make in a year.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I don’t claim to specialize in any one area of leatherwork, but what I enjoy most is helping people create products that they may not be able to find or afford elsewhere. Helping someone get that one piece of leatherwork that they never thought they could get brings me a lot of joy and fuels my passion for making.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Perfection isn’t achievable, but pursuing it is worth the effort.
I stress, maybe too much, about how my products turn out – I have lost count of how many projects I’ve started from scratch when one stitch fell out of place. I must have made my wife’s wedding present four times before I was satisfied with the result. I’ll never create a perfect product, but by pursuing that perfection, my skills have grown immensely.
Pricing:
- Shaving Kit Bag – $75
- Tote Bag – $175-195
- Glasses Case – $35
- Field Notes Cover – $55
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StaffordLW
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staffordleatherworks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaffordLeatherworks
