Founding Charter
Contents
- Purpose of the Guild
- Philosophy
- Activities of the Guild
- Professional and Industry Connections
- Community Principles
- Conduct and Community Spirit
- Stewardship of the Community
- Directory and Contact Information
- Symbol and Motto
- Closing Statement
Introduction
The New York Guild of Leathercraft was founded to create a genuine community around leather, material knowledge, and craftsmanship in New York City.
The Guild began from a simple observation: many people work with leather in New York, yet opportunities to meaningfully connect across disciplines remain rare. Makers often work alone, knowledge is frequently fragmented, and many traditional skills are difficult to access or transmit.
The Guild was created to help change that.
Our aim is to bring together craftspeople, makers, repairers, designers, saddlers, shoemakers, tanners, and others working with leather and natural materials in order to exchange knowledge, build relationships, and strengthen the craft through shared experience.
The Guild believes craftsmanship grows through contact:
with materials,
with tools,
with workshops,
with suppliers,
with history,
and above all with other makers.
We believe leathercraft is not only a technical practice, but also a cultural and human one.
Purpose of the Guild
The purpose of the Guild is:
• to encourage the transmission of leathercraft knowledge
• to support craftsmanship and material understanding
• to create relationships between makers across disciplines
• to connect craftspeople directly with materials, suppliers, and production processes
• to organize gatherings, field visits, demonstrations, and discussions
• to preserve and encourage respect for hand skills and material culture
• to foster a spirit of generosity, curiosity, and collaboration within the leatherworking community
The Guild exists first and foremost as a place of exchange.
Philosophy
The Guild is founded on the belief that knowledge should circulate.
Historically, many craft trades developed through secrecy and isolation. While technical mastery requires dedication and time, we believe the future of leathercraft also depends on openness, transmission, and mutual support between makers.
The Guild does not exist to create competition between craftspeople, but rather to strengthen the ecosystem surrounding leathercraft as a whole.
We believe:
• that material knowledge matters
• that craftsmanship deserves preservation
• that local making communities are valuable
• that suppliers, tanneries, repairers, and makers are interconnected
• that learning happens through direct experience
• that generosity strengthens craft traditions rather than weakens them
The Guild values seriousness without elitism.
It welcomes both established professionals and deeply committed emerging makers who approach the craft with sincerity, curiosity, and respect.
Activities of the Guild
The Guild may organize:
• informal gatherings and dinners
• tannery and supplier visits
• studio visits
• demonstrations and discussions
• collaborative projects
• exhibitions and presentations
• educational workshops
• documentation and archival projects
• publications and visual material related to leathercraft and material culture
The Guild also aims to document and preserve the stories, techniques, tools, and material knowledge connected to leatherworking practices in New York and beyond.
Professional and Industry Connections
The Guild also serves as a bridge between craftspeople and the wider leather industry.
This may include:
• connecting members to relevant professional opportunities such as employment, freelance work, collaborations, and commissions
• facilitating relationships with workshops, brands, suppliers, recruiters, and companies seeking skilled leather craftspeople
• developing relationships with suppliers, tanneries, and material houses in order to create access to materials, knowledge, and occasional member benefits such as preferred pricing, priority access, or collaborative support initiatives
• supporting visibility of leathercraft as a living practice within New York and beyond
These connections are intended to support both individual makers and the broader continuity of the craft ecosystem.
Community Principles
Members of the Guild are encouraged to approach the community with:
Generosity
Sharing knowledge, experience, and opportunities without unnecessary gatekeeping.
Respect
Respecting the different paths, disciplines, backgrounds, and levels of experience within the craft.
Curiosity
Remaining open to learning from other trades, techniques, and perspectives.
Craftsmanship
Valuing care, patience, technical understanding, and material integrity.
Community
Helping create an environment where people feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to grow.
Conduct and Community Spirit
The Guild exists to support craftsmanship, material knowledge, and community through leathercraft.
Members come from different professional, cultural, religious, and personal backgrounds. The Guild welcomes this diversity so long as interactions remain grounded in mutual respect, openness, and the shared purpose of the community.
The Guild is not intended to serve as a platform for political, ideological, or religious advocacy unrelated to the craft itself.
Members are expected to contribute in a way that supports an environment of generosity, curiosity, professionalism, and respect for others.
Behavior that is disruptive, discriminatory, aggressive, exploitative, exclusionary, or persistently unrelated to the Guild’s purpose may be considered incompatible with participation in the community.
By participating in Guild gatherings, field visits, workshops, and other activities, members and guests agree to support the spirit of this Charter and contribute to a respectful, generous, and welcoming environment for all participants.
Stewardship of the Community
The Guild is currently stewarded by its founders and organizers, who are responsible for coordinating activities, maintaining the Charter, and preserving the purpose and community spirit of the Guild.
The Guild reserves the right to decline, suspend, or revoke participation or membership when conduct is determined to be seriously incompatible with the values, purpose, and community spirit of the Guild.
This includes behavior that is persistently disruptive, discriminatory, aggressive, exploitative, exclusionary, or unrelated to the Guild’s purpose as a space dedicated to craftsmanship, learning, and mutual respect.
The intention of this principle is not punitive, but to preserve a healthy, welcoming, and constructive environment for the community as a whole.
Directory and Contact Information
The Guild exists to encourage connections between makers and to strengthen relationships within the leathercraft community.
To support this purpose, the Guild may maintain and share a member directory containing basic professional contact information, such as names, email addresses, websites, and professional social media accounts.
Participation in Guild gatherings, field visits, workshops, and other activities is understood as consent for the inclusion and sharing of this professional contact information among Guild members for the purposes of communication, collaboration, knowledge exchange, and professional opportunities.
The Guild respects the privacy of its members. Any member who prefers not to have their information included in the member directory may opt out at any time by contacting the Guild directly.
Members are expected to use shared contact information respectfully and only in ways consistent with the purpose and spirit of the Guild.
Symbol and Motto
The Guild seal depicts a beaver holding a wooden twig.
The beaver was chosen because it is the official state animal of New York and reflects the Guild’s connection to the region’s trade and economic history.
The beaver represents:
• building
• persistence
• transformation of natural material
• collective effort over time
Like leathercraft itself, the beaver transforms raw material into something structured, useful, and enduring.
The Guild motto is:
UNA AEDIFICAMUS
(we build as one)
The motto expresses the belief that meaningful craft communities are built collectively through shared work, shared knowledge, and time spent with the material.
Closing Statement
The New York Guild of Leathercraft exists to strengthen connections between makers and to encourage a living culture of craftsmanship rooted in material understanding, shared knowledge, and mutual support.
The Guild is not simply an organization, but an evolving community shaped by the people who participate in it.
What we build together will depend on the generosity, curiosity, and commitment we bring to the craft and to one another.
Founded in New York City
January 2026
The New York Guild of Leathercraft 