The Story of Black Spoke Leather Co. (RIP)
Black Spoke Leather Co. was a company that I started in 2014. I had wanted a small bag to wear while biking to concerts and art shows that was fancier than your average fanny pack, but also reflected my own punk-rock/minimalist aesthetic.
I did a lot of research on the leather industry, including how terrible many of the processes are for the environment. Most of the world’s leather is processed using Chromium, an extremely toxic pollutant that is hazardous to humans and the environment. Many of the tanneries that use this process are not well regulated, resulting in over 1.5 million people at risk for Chromium poisoning through contamination of ground water.
I decided then to only work with vegetable-tanned leather, which still uses animal hides, but instead of harsh chemicals, it uses plant matter in the tanning process. I also discovered an ancient method of dyeing the leather, vinegaroon or vinegar black, which uses vinegar and iron to change the chemical composition of the leather, changing the color to black immediately. I started to mix my own vinegaroon and use this method to color my leather.
For the next 4 years, my primary business (because I always had side hustles) was Black Spoke Leather Co.. I participated in a variety of local and national craft shows. I created more products with the punk minimalist style. I met a lot of fantastic people and designed custom pieces, some of which became a part of my regular offerings.
As time went on, I found myself longing for a creative outlet beyond leather work. I joined an artist collective, A Conspiracy of Strange Girls, and started showcasing different types of art in their group shows. As I did more of their art and craft shows, I found myself going back to my roots of clothing design and illustration, and exploring new paths of fiber art, installation, and sculptural work. I had a lot of leather goods still, and still liked to work on it, but it didn’t feel like its own business. The lines between my art and leather started to blur.
I felt torn between my art and this leather business. I had multiple websites and social media platforms and wasn’t able to keep up to date on any of them. I needed to simplify. It was time to merge all of my offerings, not only to make it easier with online stuff, but also for applying for art shows and grants. Also, why did I feel the need to keep my leather work separate from the rest of my work? I think that I originally did it because I thought I was shedding my previous identity as a clothing designer. But inspiration comes in waves and cycles. I like to work in many mediums. Why not showcase all of my work together?
So here we are… It is November 2019 and I am retiring my Black Spoke Leather Co. brand. I still make leather goods and some pieces that I’ve made before this decision may still be stamped with the Black Spoke logo and have the Black Spoke tag. Eventually I’ll have a new stamp and new tags when I can afford it. I’ll be putting some items on super clearance in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out.
Cheers and thanks to everyone that supported Black Spoke Leather Co.
Cheers and thanks to everyone that supported my other work.
Here’s to the future and more pretty/gritty work, more recycling in art and more freedom in creative expression!