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![Made in the USA.](/content/dam/images/g/s/a/b/t/a/image.related.afrArticleLead.620x350.gqwh4r.png/1477635677701.jpg)
by
Frances Mocnik
A growing consumer desire to know the provenance of their favourite products has inspired a new wave of independent American designers keen to celebrate stateside manufacture.
Frances Mocnik has curated this collection of American beauties.
01. Like the shoes but prefer a different colour or heel height? With a nod to 70’s Californian design, Isobel Schofield and her small team at Bryr Studio in San Francisco hand-make women’s high-heel clogs to order. Hannah Spanish Toe High Heel in vegetable tanned leather, from $US260. bryrstudio.com
02. When Los Angeles-based car designer Jacques Flynn couldn’t find the right wallet in 2012 he decided to design one. His brand Jaqet, which he operated from his LA garage until last year, offers an extensive range of stitch-perfect leather wallets. iPhone6 wallet $US115, Flip V2 wallet $US140. jaqet.com
03. Celebrating utilitarian stye, the Standard Belt can be paired with your choice of buckle and monogram. The triple-bar buckle shown here is hand-cast in solid brass. $US150. Made in Portland, Oregon. tannergoods.com
04. Made in New York in hardened stainless steel, the Ringtool Black punches well above its (less than 29 gram) weight, offering 11 functions including two wrench sizes for bike spoke adjustment, a variety of screwdriver and hex heads and of course – a bottle opener. $US26. reductivist.com
05. Futuristic in form, the Fluidstance Original Handmade Level – a stand-on rectangular platform with a convex base – is designed to help combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Ideal for standing desks, it creates constant movement beneath your feet, thereby raising your heart rate. Made in California from military-grade aluminium, it is sand-cast by hand, a process that creates zero waste. $US489. fluidstance.com
01. From its home in the Pacific Northwest, Tanner Goods makes things that are worth holding on to. It does so by hand, creating objects of quality and longevity that celebrate leather’s rich patina and how it changes over time. Sunglasses case $US75; Perforated Universal Zip wallet $US130. tannergoods.com
02. Spicer Bags designs and makes from its San Francisco studio. Geometric Stone evening clutch, $US210.70. spicerbags.com
03. The Bluetooth Gramophone 2.0 by Gramovox combines vintage aesthetics with Bluetooth 4.0 technology. Its dual driver design delivers mid-range tones through its iconic horn, while pushing bass through the low-frequency driver in the timber base. Chicago-made, $US299. gramovox.com
01. The Greek Meander Turbo Flyer Pattern Series from Tait Design Co juxtaposes patterns from ancient cultures with the modern marvel of flight. Handmade one by one in Michigan, Detroit. Turbo Flyer $US35 and stand $US20. taitdesignco.com
02. Modern Fuel’s founder, Texas-based Andrew Sanderson, has a background in engineering and aircraft propulsion, so his hand-finished mechanical pencil is seamlessly engineered. Available in brass, $US75, and aluminium $US70, custom engraving additional. modernfueldesign.com
03. The Bradley watch from Eone is equally readable by the sighted and visually impaired.Two ball bearings mark the hours and minutes. Check the time visually or by touch. Made in Washington, $US315. dezeenwatchstore.com
04. Motivated by a desire to help reverse the decline of US manufacturing, Chicago Comb Co founders John Litwinski and Tedd Strom have produced what they describe as the world’s finest metal comb. The Model 1 Chicago comb in titanium $US65, leather sheath $US25. chicagocomb.com
05. Add instant credibility to your record turntable with the Black Geoglyph leather slipmat, which attracts less dust and has better sound dampening qualities than felt. Made in Portland, Oregon. $US60. tannergoods.com
06. The Blink Steady bike light is made from machine anodised aluminium. It has no buttons; instead an inbuilt light sensor and accelerometer turn the unit on when you’re riding in low light, and off after 60 seconds of inactivity. Made in Brooklyn, New York. $US89. blinksteady.com
01. The Sixfold twin bottle carrier is handmade in New York from vegetable-tanned leather and American walnut. It comes flat-packed for easy global shipping and slots together without the need for stitching. $US140. sixfold.nyc
02. Founded in 1948, San Francisco’s Heath Ceramics designs, makes and sells homewares. Espresso cup and saucer $US36; stack mug Heath Rim Line $US30; pitcher $US75; bud vase $US24. heathceramics.com
03. Designed and constructed in New York City, the Grey Grid Wax watch roll houses four watches and is made from sumptuously soft, protective leather. Its ultrasuede lining is the perfect surface to rest your timepieces on while you clean them or change bands. $US150. wornandwound.com
Compiled and photographed by Frances Mocnik
Compiled and photographed by
Frances Mocnik