About

About the Business:

Armenta Leather Co. is the idea of leather goods without the gimmicks. As a craftsman and small maker, I got tired of the same old foreign junk available in the stores, but at the same time, I saw how expensive it could be to buy authentic leather. In forming my business, one of my main goals was to meet somewhere in the middle. I wanted to be able to offer high quality, premium leather goods, but at a fair price that the average person can afford.

Our belts are one of our flagship products, and while we have a wide array of many different products, our shop is certainly a belt shop first. Everything about my business is meek, the goal being to always stay humble and remember where it all started, no matter how far the business may go, or how large it may grow. Every customer is personally appreciated and remembered, cared for and made to feel as valued as they are. One of our many goals is to counteract the impersonal consumer feeling so many of our modern-day corporations can give, to take the time to talk with each person who emails, to put my all into every product that leaves my shop.

I hope that you can enjoy the products that I make, and that you can get the best customer experience possible.

About the Craftsman:

Being the name behind the company, I find it only right to let my customers know a little bit about myself. My name is Tavis Armenta, an 18-year-old leather worker, knife sharpener, and craftsman trying to grow and learn in every aspect of my craft and life.

I've always had a deep love of working with my hands and an interest in the world of fine craftsmanship. I've always enjoyed the idea of owning a business that offers everything, from tool sharpening to actual products for sale, I knew I wanted to be that old fashioned, do-it-all small-town craftsman. When I made my first belt years ago, it was a mess, but it was mine. Something clicked in me that said, "You need to keep going, make this better."

I never liked the big corporation, consumerism mindset. Nobody likes being treated like they're just another buyer. At the same time, however, I saw how expensive some leather goods can get. I realized this was leaving us with two options: Buy the cheap, mass-produced products, or pay large sums of money for higher quality stuff, still often mass produced. In forming Armenta Leather Co., I made it a necessity to keep my business small, affordable and authentic. Every product is made by my two hands in a small workshop in rural Tennessee, I ship my own products, I email with my customers one-on-one, everything has that personal touch that we all enjoy.

I believe in hand-skills to craft, machines to help. I incorporate that into all of my leather goods. Whether it be skiving down a belt to shape, beveling the corners on a sheath, or punching a wallet, every part of the process is done by hand. This especially includes stitching. Every item in my product line is completely hand-sewn from start to finish, sewing machines are never used, the reason being that a true hand-sewn saddle-stitch will always last longer than a machine stitch. The one and only machine used in the shop is our burnishing machine, giving our products the clean, smooth edges we all love. 

Thank you all for supporting me and my journey in leatherworking and craftsmanship, my promise to you all is to constantly grow and improve my products and my business. I'll never sacrifice quality for quantity, and I'll always stay true to "quality goods at affordable prices."

- Tavis Armenta, Owner and Sole Craftsman