A Tradition of Craftsmanship
Mathew Wharton remembers the day his grandfather took him to his first leather class. The musky scent, the tactile feeling of the tools in his hands, the feeling of creating something uniquely his. Something just clicked and he’s been making leather goods mostly from cowhide and buffalo ever since.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands,” says Matthew. Legos, crafts, woodworking with his grandfather. All of it. And, he still has that first leather project made 11 years ago, a kind of prelude for good things to come.
Wharton Leather is offering Adventure Around 757 subscribers a $5 discount on any of their products. Visit Wharton Leatherand use the code HOLYCOWS at checkout.
For many years, leather working was mostly a hobby that paid for itself. Matthew sold a few pieces here and there to family and friends on the West Coast where he and his wife lived. When they moved to the Tidewater area in 2019 so that Matthew could take a job at a nonprofit, he was fortunate to meet a number of business-minded mentors who encouraged his craft. His business grew and in 2021 Matthew formed his LLC, Wharton Leather. In 2023, Matthew turned his hobby into a career when he began crafting leather goods in his Newport News workshop.
Working only with full grain leather, which is a much higher quality than the majority of genuine leather on the market, Matthew says there’s no mistaking the beauty and durability of his products. He explains that some genuine leather is split to yield a two or three times greater the amount material, and that lesser quality can eventually lead to peeling, bleeding of color dyes, and the product itself can degrade. But, he says learning how to discern quality is a process for many.
“It can be hard to tell full grain leather from lesser quality and sometimes even fake leather when it is new,” he says. But, real leather will create its own patina over time creating a natural protective sealant that becomes the leather’s finished layer, needing little care. “Sometimes I use Smith’s Leather Balm for touch ups,” he says of a favorite company in Maine. “It has only three ingredients and is gives a natural, waxy finish. It’s just right.”
Matthew’s flagship product, the one where he has made his mark is his satchel. There are three designs, business, executive and basic, each of which is customizable. And lately his most popular products are buffalo belts and wallets. But, he occasionally also takes custom commissions too like tool belts, duffle bags or bags of different sizes or with different features than his standard designs.
“Im currently working on a weekend bag,” he says. “Thats still in the design phase.” He’s also working on a new wallet design and a tote that can be a shoulder bag or a cross body bag.
Wharton Leather is offering Adventure Around 757 subscribers a $5 discount on any of their products. Visit Wharton Leather and use the code HOLYCOWS at checkout. You can find him at shows like Second Sundays in Williamsburg and others. Check out his website and Instagram page for all of his designs.