'Beautiful to look at:' Tactile Craftworks is a small leather crafting company based in Milwaukee

We strive to make pieces that are long-lasting, beautiful to look at, and satisfying to hold.

All of our products are made in our midwest studio. We love how visceral working with leather is: it's all sharp knives, metal stamps and rawhide mallets. While that rough process is always apparent in the leather, we're intentional about achieving refined results. We are always playing with the perceptions of leather as a material, how it is substantial and durable but also seen as fine and handsome. We aim to create products that balance these qualities.

Our craft is most inspired by history, our customers, other makers, and the outdoors. In the Atlas Series, our love of home and heritage is at the fore. Our hand tooled pieces promote campfires and adventure. We consider ourselves lucky to be a tiny part of a traditional craft, and we feel a sense of responsibility to work hard at it. We try to honor the craftsmanship that has come before us, while trusting our own eyes and aesthetics.

We take pride in how we’ve been able to combine old world crafting techniques with modern technology to create our products. Handcrafting is the heart of what we do- and laser etching allows us to add another dimension to our work, one that enhances our craftsmanship instead of replacing it.