SEATTLE — One of the things you often hear about the "good old days" is that things were made to last.
Two Seattle brothers have made the same commitment with their business, Hardmill.
Owner Ryan Barrie used to work in a restaurant in college, which helped him realize his love for cooking. He had the idea of making aprons when was looking for a sturdy apron to wear at home but couldn’t find what he was looking for. Ryan brought this idea to his brother, Michael. They teamed up and founded Hardmill four years ago.
“A lot of our stuff isn’t really automated machines, it still requires a lot manual input” Michael said. “An old technique that really hasn’t been outmatched.”
Handmade products include: aprons, totes, rolls, leather cast iron skillet handles, valet trays, leather coasters, and more.
“There is something very rewarding about creating something with your hands," Ryan said. "It's cool to be connected with an old craft like that.”
When the leather comes in, it will normally go through the cutting process by hand or on the clipper press, depending on the product, the top edges will be sewn. The crew also uses traditional hammers to rebate the leather.
Hardmill Retail and Manufacturing is located in Georgetown at 5531 Airport Way S. Ste. C Seattle, WA 98108.
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