What is "Cariñosamente Hecho a Mano"?

If you have kept up with LES/EDC Leatherworks since its inception, then you have likely read the phrase "Cariñosamente Hecho a Mano" once or twice. But what the heck does it mean and why is it so important to me as a crafter?

"Cariñosamente Hecho a Mano," is Spanish for 'lovingly' or 'affectionately' made by hand. It is a philosophy that is imbued in every single aspect of my craft—from the initial sketch on paper to the final edge polish—love and affection are poured into each and every step of the crafting process.

But why is this sentiment so important to me, when so many items we use in our everyday life are mass produced and quickly consumed without thought?

Well, that is exactly why.

We live in a world that has become vastly complicated over the course of a few generations; where labor is often synonymous with exploitation and dehumanization. Ours is a world in which goods and services are rendered quickly; through the carelessness of industry and a desire to maximize profit. As a result, workers—both domestically and overseas—are unable to take pride in their work, not through any personal failings of their own, but through the failings of those that deliberately deem them disposable and unskilled.

As such, “Cariñosamente Hecho a Mano” is not only a philosophy that describes the pride I take in my own work, but it is also a wish. It is a hope that every craftsperson, artist, service worker, caretaker and laborer may find the conditions in which they can pour love and affection into all they do. “Cariñosamente Hecho a Mano” is both a sentiment that is imbued into every single leather good I produce and my most most loving intention.

May you too, find “cariño” in all you do.