For more than 40 years, Frank Clegg has honed and perfected his skill of working with leather in his Massachusetts workshop. His company, Frank Clegg Leatherworks, designs and crafts a variety of products, including briefcases, luggage, backpacks, wallets, electronic cases, and belts.
The company’s website explains their pride in purely American-made design and production: “As a proud maker of heirloom-quality goods, we have always avoided outsourcing production from our workshop and never allowed overseas production to enter our mind.”
Clegg's craftsmanship and handiwork are family tradition. As Clegg writes on the company’s website: "'To be better, you have to be different.'" It's a lesson he learned from his father, who taught him trade standards. Meanwhile, his mother was a talented seamstress and his great grandfather was a tanner.
The small business been featured in numerous publications over the years, including Esquire Magazine, Boston Magazine, and GQ. The company produces leather goods that are enjoyed both domestically and internationally, from Hawaii to Hong Kong to Norway to Seoul.
More recently, another proudly-made American brand has established a partnership with Clegg Leatherworks: Kiel James Patrick. These two New England couture connoisseurs have teamed up to produce specially designed goods for leather featured in KJP’s products, such as their trademark bracelets. The KJP brand also supports Clegg’s brand by endorsing the quality leather products alongside their fellow American-made crafts.
Frank Clegg Leatherworks products are available for purchase online.
AAM Intern Lauren Pak authored this blog post.
Originally published by the Alliance for American Manufacturing.