ABOUT GDTC - A NOVELA

My name is Matt Williams—the founder, crafter, owner, shipper, designer, lawn mower, customer support tech, hype man, photographer and so on for Gravel Drive Trading Company. I believe in real human connection, authenticity, the old ways of doing things, and supporting American small businesses.

My professional background has nothing to do with leatherwork or woodworking—but building things with my hands has always been my passion. I spent almost 13 years of my life trying to do my small part to protect this messy freedom experiment we call the United States of America and now enjoy crafting and making useful things for real people

I believe in America. I have been around the world several times and home is here. When I walk the gravel roads in Loudoun County, Virginia, where all of our products are handmade, I’m reminded of the history of this country and marvel at how those gravel roads, some 250 years old, are still in use today.

That is why Gravel Drive sources its leather from America tanned at one of the US’s last three tanneries. All of our thread comes from a small thread company in Maine. Even the bags we ship in are muslin bags made in Kentucky and stamped with our logo from a stamp maker in Virginia. While we may not be able to truly get every last piece of the business made here at home…it will always be at the forefront of our purpose and effort.

So if you value doing things the old fashioned, handmade way and sourcing in America…then you might like the Gravel Drive way.

  • American leather tanned in Pennsylvania

  • american thread made in Maine

  • designed and crafted by hand in Virginia

  • american handmade

FAQs

  • Every single item is hand made in northern Virginia, USA. The leather we use is exclusively sourced from Wickett and Craig, an American tannery in Pennsylvania. The thread we use is exclusively from Maine Thread Company in Lewiston, Maine.

    Even the Muslin bags we ship in, the stamps we use, the boxes we use to ship…all made in the US.

    The only exception (for now) is the hardware on several products. We source our hardware from a 4th generation US business in Massachusetts who actually owns their overseas factory vs the normal companies who order from overseas factories. This is as close as we have found for the metal components of the goods…but the search continues.

  • These items are handmade, so it is highly unlikely that would happen; however, if your items falls apart, the seams tear, or becomes unusable…just email us at info@graveldrivetradingcom.

    My intent is these items last a lifetime…so if they don’t, Ill make you another one.

  • The two types of leather we craft with are Traditional Harness and English Bridle, both from Wickett and Craig in Pennsylvania. These two leathers are very similar to work with and the highest quality in the world—both are vegetable tanned and have an amazingly finished flesh side (the inside of the hide).

    The difference is that Traditional Harness is a bit glossier and has more variations in color where English Bridle tends to be more matte finished and uniform in color.

  • We actually do this a lot.

    Any of the products available on the website can be custom stamped with your logo. There is a $100 setup fee for your company to get a custom stamp made which normally takes 1-2 weeks. From there we can work together on what you want for your business including bulk or member discounts.

Contact us

Have an idea for some custom work? Or questions? Hit us up using the form!