Our Materials

We believe in sourcing our materials from the highest-quality local, sustainable, American suppliers available. That’s why we work with American artisan companies like Horween Leather Company and Family Heirloom Weavers to supply our leather, fabric, and other materials.

Leather

 Horween Leather Company in Chicago is the oldest operating tannery in the United States. Founded by Isadore Horween in 1905 on Division Street in Chicago and often used by high-end designers, Horween has developed and perfected the art of tanning leather and built a reputation as one of the best tanneries in the world. The company is now run by a fourth-generation Horween.

Waxed Canvas

Sassy Sparrow uses waxed canvas made by Martin Dyeing and Finishing Co., a New Jersey company that has been making waxed canvas and other dyed fabrics since 1838. Waxed canvas was developed in the 15th century when sailors and fishermen began applying linseed oil to their sails to increase their effectiveness by making them heavier. Today, waxed canvas is still used on sailing vessels, and we use it to create our sturdy, waterproof Sassy Sparrow canvas bags.

Heirloom Fabrics

Family Heirloom Weavers is a Pennsylvania textile mill that produces our Heirloom fabrics and has been in the same family since 1983 specializing in heirloom fabrics. Heirloom fabrics are exact reproductions of 18th- and 19th-century textile patterns, woven on antique looms. The fabrics look and feel like materials used in the 1700s, giving our bags a timeless style, made with time-honored quality that’s built to last.

Brass Hardware

Our hardware and rivets are solid brass of durable quality, sourced from various American suppliers. The hardware on Sassy Sparrow bags and accessories are carefully selected to last as long as the leather and fabric we use.

We personally design, assemble, and inspect every single bag by hand using antique sewing machines and well-loved tools. And all of that comes together to make something magical.

Find something that will last a lifetime: Shop our collections here.