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Detroit

Spring 2016

The Shinola Polish

In the 1960s, Shinola, the venerable American shoe-polish company that became famous for a World War II soldier’s crack, “You don’t know shit from Shinola,” shut its doors. The move was a fitting bookend to the golden age of American manufacturing. Then, in 2011, a Texas developer revived the name as a maker of watches, leather goods, and retro bicycles in the broken heart of downtown Detroit, where, the company says, “American is Made.” Is making things in America again that easy?

BY Laura Fraser
Spring 2016

The Search For The Perfect Leather Bag

Boutiques selling hip shoulder bags seem to be all the rage these days. Some look rustic enough to take into the woods, some more suited to the streets of Manhattan. With all these offerings, how does an eager consumer judge quality? Herewith, a visit with four contrasting American leathercrafting shops. And a little story about Marv Obenauf, a former firefighter turned master artisan of leather dressings.

BY Todd Oppenheimer
Meet Marv Obenauf, who makes of some of the world's finest leather dressings.

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Do you agree that a healthy #community can only be achieved by lowering barriers for all?
    In our series "Craft of Community," journalist @Barry_Yeoman explores how cities tackle #communitybuilding through the lens of #Durham, NC.
    Check it out! 👉 https://t.co/mlTyUNxwXb...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    How do you build #community w/out leaving people behind? And can a city's #cultural vitality thrive as #gentrification spreads?
    #Journalist @Barry_Yeoman explores these issues & more through the lens of #Durham, NC in our story,"The Soul of Community." 👉 https://t.co/mlTyUNxwXb...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    The #NorthBayFires devastated many areas & homes last year, but Ed Doody's was fortunately not one of them. Why? Among other factors, Ed's home was constructed with #strawbales. Read our story "The Ultra-Ecological House" to learn more.
    👉https://t.co/2tdf79DKag #sustainablehome https://t.co/1WvAwefwUA

  • Craftsmanship Org
    It's been 1 year since the devastating #winecountry #wildfires swept through #NorCal. As #communities rebuild, 1 solution may lie in using #strawbales for #homebuilding. Read our story "The Ultra-Ecological House" & learn why #straw is worth another look! https://t.co/2tdf79DKag https://t.co/uUTkWvPqbF

  • Craftsmanship Org
    The 2017 #NorCAL #wildfires burned many homes, but one didn't - why? In part, it was a #strawbalehouse. Read our #newstory "The Ultra-Ecological House" to learn how building w/ #strawbales may be a great solution to our rising #environmental challenges!
    ...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Last year's #NorCAL #wildfires burned many homes, but 1 built w/ #strawbales didn't burn. Read our #newstory "The Ultra-Ecological House" to learn how #strawbaleconstruction may be a great solution to our rising #environmental challenges!
    👉https://t.co/2tdf79DKag #ecohome https://t.co/zd8wCq64cN

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Have you thought about what it takes to build up #community in your city?
    Check out "The Soul of Community," the 1st story in our #FallIssue to learn how #journalist @Barry_Yeoman discovers some unusual layers beneath the fabric of the...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Our CQ Fall Issue is here! Read our 1st story "The Soul Of Community" where @Barry_Yeoman, a veteran journalist, explores his hometown of #DurhamNC & how the city, like many others in the US, needs to bring down barriers to...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Do you sense a growing need for real physical #community in this fast, high-tech world?
    In our upcoming CQ #FallIssue, we explore ways in which people are creating opportunities for basic #human #connection. Stay tuned for our new issue on...

  • Craftsmanship Org
    Do you love a good mystery, especially when it's solved?! Check out our #minidoc, "The #Wootz Hunter," to find out how a FL #farrier (#horseshoer) became the 1st man in the modern world to replicate a long-lost #Persian #steel making...
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Recent Articles

  • The Soul Of Community
  • The Ultra-Ecological House
  • The Wootz Hunter

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