5 Leather Goods Classes to Take in NYC

If you are interested in learning about leather goods classes to take in NYC, then consider your search to be over.

Leather has been used to make accessories for thousands of years, and it is a highly diverse material. With proper treatment, one can craft fancy fashion accessories out of it and it can also be used to even craft armor. Thankfully, the medieval periods are long gone and we no longer need to wear leather armor to protect ourselves though. But regardless, if you acquire the necessary skills to craft leather goods, you will benefit from it, that’s no doubt. If you always wanted to craft fashionable leather accessories for yourself, for your loved ones or even for your customers on your leather themed Etsy shop, then you will benefit from this list as we explore all the amazing leather crafting classes in NYC.

By mastering these leather working classes in NYC and the skills they teach, you will acquire some highly marketable skills that you can utilize to make a living. Your leather working skills not only can be useful if you have a shop, but you can also secure a job at any leather goods outlet in the city. On the other hand, if you prefer, you can open your own place by tapping into your newly acquired leather working skills. Advancements in technology have made our lives rather mechanical, and people nowadays pay good money for handicrafts, be it a fashionable leather handbag, wallet or shoe. As long as it’s handmade your products are going to be highly appealing to your potential customers.

Do you know where most of the leather today is coming from? Well, you can find out by taking a peek at the 8 Countries that Produce the Most Leather in the World.

Let’s explore another scenario, for argument’s sake, let’s assume that you do not wish to or have to make money from making leather goods. In that case, consider the look on the faces of your friends and family when you show up on their birthday with a handcrafted leather product. When it comes to presents, the price is hardly an issue, as it’s the sentiment that counts, right? When they will realize that you put your sweat and blood into crafting something absolutely unique just for them, they will be absolutely amazed. Just this reason alone is enough to take leather working classes, if you have the time and resources necessary. We do understand that many of our readers will not have any prior exposure to leather goods making, so we took that into consideration and made the list of classes in such a way that regardless of skill level, anyone can start these classes. There are even things like wallet making class in NYC, so beginners can start with something small.

 Since this article talks about classes in New York City, we consulted the database of Class Curious to create this list. We also employed Google’s trusty search engine to the task as well. Soon enough we had a workable amount of raw data on our hands. From there, it was all about user ratings and reviews. Although we took into consideration the ratings and user reviews of each class while making the list, we did not rank this list in order. All the classes that made this list are highly regarded in the leather goods community in NYC. So it all comes down to convenience and affordability, but you can pick any class from the list based on your needs and requirements and you should be satisfied.

Let us begin our list of 5 leather goods classes to take in NYC.

5. Brooklyn Shoe Space

Address: 224 Roebling St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

You can tell from the name that this institute is all about making handmade artisan shoes. Brooklyn Shoe Space offers a wide variety of classes for those who wish to learn shoe making and also wish to design shoes. This is basically a one stop shop for everything related to handcrafted leather shoes. Apart from participating in classes and workshops, you can also buy supplies and tools required to make shoes from here. They have a lot of classes that can easily fit the needs of a complete beginner to those of a seasoned shoe maker. If you live in Brooklyn or the near vicinity, then this is the perfect place for getting started in leather working. Their classes range from a mere $65 to a whopping $1,500, depending on the topics and techniques covered. So do take your time to browse through all their courses and pick the one that best suits your needs.

4. CraftJam

Address: 33 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011

If making leather shoes is not something you are interested in, then you will find CraftJam quite useful. After all, the list is called leather goods classes to take in NYC, and “leather goods” is an umbrella term used to describe a lot of leather products. CraftJam is an amazing school that specializes in all sorts of handicrafts, including leather working of course. Currently, CraftJam is offering two short courses that will enable you to make DIY leather clutches or a wallet. Clutches or wallets will never be out of fashion, in our opinion, and these two items also make for an excellent gift as well.

3. Textile Arts Center

Address: 26 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011

Textile Arts Center is another awesome place to learn about leather working. Unlike the first two entries, at Textile Arts Center, you will not be learning to make something specific, rather you will be introduced to various leather working techniques and tools required to make things from leather. You will learn how to stitch leather that looks and feels professional and also how to use a lot of leather working tools to their fullest potential. The classes we are talking about here are Leather working 101 and Leather working 201: Advanced Techniques. These classes are inexpensive and the environment is very friendly with good student to instructor ratio. These classes are hands-on and in each class you will be working on a lot of things related to leather crafting. Although the classes are geared towards beginners, if you have some knowledge about leather working, but would like to expand upon it, then you may also enroll in these classes.

2. Brooklyn Craft Company

Address: 165 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

To the untrained eye, a pouch made up of fabric and on of leather may seem similar, but in reality making a pouch or bag of any kind from leather requires a totally different set of skills because sewing leather is a lot different than sewing fabric. In this class, offered by Brooklyn Craft Company, you will learn the meticulous sewing techniques required to make leather pouches or bags, and you will also learn how to incorporate the ever useful zippers into your creations. If you are interested in learning about creating unique and stylish bags out of leather, then this is the class you ought to be taking. This is the cheapest class so far to make this list, and you are going to get the maximum value for your investment through this class. At the time of this article, this class costs around $50 and for that amount of money you can acquire the skills to sew leather and to select the type of leather for creating various types of bags and other accessories.

1. T-Project Inc.

Address: 347 W 36th St #701, New York, NY 10018

When it comes to leather crafts you have to give props to the Italians. If you assess the world market, Italian leather crafts dominate the entire industry. Be it leather bags, shoes or apparels if it’s made in Italy, it commands a high value. That said, at the top of our list today we have T-Project Inc. This company was founded by Mrs. Laura Chini, who is an expert in the Tuscan leather goods industry in Italy. The Leather Handbag Course offered by T-Project Inc. is a professional course and in it, you will learn the secrets of designing and making the most luxurious and lavish handbags out of leather. You are going to need a lot of commitment for leather working if you want to take this class. The class is also quite expensive, but we can say with a great degree of confidence that if you take this class, your investment will be worthwhile.

There are few more unique classes you can take in New York City than the ones on this list of 5 leather goods classes to take in NYC.