www.specialtydrygoods.bigcartel.com

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santa monica, california, United States
"Specialty Dry Goods came out of my desire to do something with my hands". Made in Los Angeles by Edie Kahula Pereira, Specialty Dry Goods is about utilitarian products of good and thoughtful design - a new classic with a modern artisans point-of-view. Edie's focus is to design and make useful everyday products in quality materials that will endure. "what makes me smile - the thought of my bags going on many adventures as people take them into their lives." Edie's creative direction is influenced by her working past in architecture, as a product producer, art/product curator, fashion scout, as a person who likes to walk the urban environment, sit in cafes and travel to places far away. "i love it when a design detail comes out of solving an issue - it's the limitations that inspire creativity. Although CAD/tech savvy, it's playing with the actual materials (having them laid out in front of me) where the product comes to life." Specialty Dry Goods strives to make responsible choices; practical is always a must. edie kahula pereira - designer, maker, creative director.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

xs small pouch with tie, passport size - dark brown remnant leather


visit specialty dry goods etsy shop










Products - Leather pouches, black/blue collection

Specialty Dry Goods - the story

hello and welcome to Specialty Dry Goods!

‘Specialty Dry Goods’ is an indie label that features unique designCrafted handmade products utilizing a range of materials such as 100% natural cotton canvas USA manufacturers overage, natural vegetable tanned hide, 100% USA grown organic wool fill recycled remnant from EKLA HOME, USA manufacturers recycled leather remnant, pattern/detail sewn in alpaca and/or linen thread or yarn. Specialty Dry Goods is a small business with a focus on making responsible choices. Products are handmade by edie kahula pereira in a neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA. 

SDG products are created from USA manufacturers remnant leather that i personally select sorting through multiple containers of material waste hoping to be saved from the landfill. Working with remnant leather means some items are one-of-a-kind, others i may be able to make more than one, sometimes i see the same leather come through again. In the case of multiples of one design, i do use patterns (that i make myself). However, because they are handmade. the finished item(s) will have some variation making them unique.  And, speaking of variations. Leather has its own character which includes natural irregularities and imperfections (that actually give it presence and substance...the japanese call this wabi-sabi) not considered to be defects. Please know, when i select the leather i'm looking for quality and presence.

Specialty Dry Goods grew out of a desire to make something with my hands. One day i picked up some natural cotton canvas i had laying around for a couple of years, dark gray alpaca yarn from a scarf project that i didn’t end up finishing and natural leather strips off the packaging of a bag i bought...ended up making a pot holder. i made more creating a variety of patterns, adding another size and trying them out in leather. All ended up selling at a local boutique co-owned by a San Francisco-based artist whose work i happened to curate into a pop up art & product exhibition (small world). 

My collection of remnant leather came out of a love for bags...i’m a bag lady especially love pouches. Pouches are useful in every part of life....they protect special things, are great to organize odds and ends and can easily become your go to day-into-evening fashion accessory.

My decision to use ties instead of hardware has a backstory. When i purchased my laptop i didn’t have a laptop case....didn’t see one i liked. A friend had invited me to go through leather remnants at a factory she did business with (this was before the laptop purchase). Remembering, i found a piece of leather that perfectly fit its width and fully wrapped around my laptop. Ended up tying it with a japanese tea towel. i never bought a case in the 4 years i’ve had the laptop. There was something about this cover that just worked for me and on a kind of spiritual level. Thing is it worked for other people too as i’ve gotten many compliments and continue to.

One day i was sitting at a restaurant typing up some ideas for a panel discussion. Getting ready to leave, wrapping and tying the cover back on the laptop, a couple (also on their way out) comes up to me and says my laptop cover was beautiful. After hearing this for years i decide to ask them why they thought so. They told me the mix of materials was beautiful and what they enjoyed most was watching me unwrap and untie,  then rewrap and tie the case. It was a beautiful ritual. That was lovely to hear.

My pouches have ties...no zippers, buttons and snaps. Ties will slow you down and may not be for everyone’s lifestyle. i hope you will think of them as a beautiful ritual (of materials, shape and connection) that gives you an extra moment to rest your mind or let a wonderful thought come through.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Specialty Dry Goods!

cheers,
edie

about edie 

Specialty Dry Goods on Etsy
specialtydrygoods@gmail.com



















Product sheets - all product categories


‘Specialty Dry Goods’ is an indie label that features unique designCrafted handmade products utilizing a range of materials such as 100% natural cotton canvas USA manufacturers overage, natural vegetable tanned hide, 100% USA grown organic wool fill recycled remnant from EKLA HOME, USA manufacturers recycled leather remnant, pattern/detail sewn in alpaca and/or linen thread or yarn. Specialty Dry Goods is a small business with a focus on making responsible choices. Products are handmade by edie kahula pereira in a neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA.

Not all products are represented here.














Products - remnant leather pouches, day-into-evening envelop w/ tie closure




manufacturers remnant leather/suede
(saved from landfill), 
linen thread detail


uses: (depending on size)
wallet, clutch, jewelry, travel documents,
special things, 
odds & ends
















Products - Natural veggie tanned leather pouches, misc


handmade in santa monica, ca
natural vegetable tanned leather 
(hung on a clothesline in santa monica),
alpaca yarn detail

















attention:
the natural vegetable  tanned leather of these pouches are uncoated, does not have a  finish and, is not water resistant. natural vegetable tanned leather darkens over time. being unfinished it will absorb your everyday use of it which only adds to the character and beauty of the leather.

here's a couple of images of my personal pouch after a month of (everyday) use:






hide catching the santa monica sun:


Products - remnant leather pouches, small without tie


handmade in santa monica, ca
manufacturers remnant leather/suede 
(saved from landfill), 
linen thread detail


uses: 
hand pouch/purse, 
odds & ends,
special things...