Carry With Care: JR Hudgins on Leather Goods and Everyday Carry

JR Hudgins on Leather Goods and Everyday Carry

JR Hudgins is no longer on the Hudson's Hill team, but this piece remains because it captures a chapter of the shop's leather-goods work.

Use it as background on process and materials. Services and product availability may differ today.

This spotlight follows JR's approach to everyday carry: small essentials made to be worn, used, and appreciated every day.

The story preserves his process, design philosophy, and the way leatherwork fit into Hudson's Hill during that chapter.

From Summer Camp to Leather Craftsman

For JR Hudgins, leatherwork began early.

"I began at age 6 at a cowboy-style summer camp in South Texas," he recalls. "It was a hobby all throughout my childhood. I began doing it for work when I joined Hudson’s Hill as it originally opened."

That early start laid the groundwork for the work shown here. During that period, JR's bench was part of the Hudson's Hill store, where wallets, belts, and tool rolls were made by hand.

He also described Evan Morrison as a mentor throughout high school and into the creation of Hudson's Hill.

"It’s great to have a job where it’s a community," JR says. "And I can go home feeling I’m part of the good fight in this current day and age."

Minimalist Leather Design, Maximum Durability

When customers picked up one of JR's wallets or belts during this period, the goal was a useful object with few distractions.

"It can definitely be a fine line," JR says of balancing ruggedness with refinement. "But I do maintain the ‘keep it stupid simple’ mindset. Something minimal with little flair allows all attention to be on the details that invoke quality construction and durability."

His preferred materials - vegetable-tanned leather and Horween Chromexcel - were chosen for their durability and patina.

"The veg-tan patinas and ages as beautifully as well-worn raw denim," he says. "And the Chromexcel’s color immediately invokes a high quality on touch, color, and look."

Small Leather Goods for EDC

Designing EDC items like wallets and key fobs is a craft of its own.

"Most smalls are made entirely by hand," JR explains. "No machines, just two hands. Whereas larger products (sans belts), such as bags, are made in larger batches with a few sets of hands and a sewing machine."

The smaller the piece, the more precision is required. Each stitch and bevel must serve function and form.

"The biggest challenge is often keeping the store stocked while also running it daily," JR admits. "But often it can be a puzzle to accommodate a customer request or change while maintaining the durability."

Durable Leather Accessories and Repair-Minded Design

"Buy things that can be fixed - preferably by you or by someone accessible to you," JR advises. "Yeah, metal RFID wallets are cool, but the second that obscure spring breaks, so does your wallet. Whereas if it’s leather, anyone with patience and the right needles and thread can fix it."

This is JR's design philosophy in the article, not a repair-service promise from Hudson's Hill today.

Evolving Craft Through Everyday Practice

"The better I get, the faster I get," JR says. "The faster I get, the bigger and more complex things can get."

That focus on continuous improvement shaped the work described here. Each project became an opportunity to refine technique.

Handmade in Greensboro: The Value of the Work

So what did JR want customers to notice?

"I would hope quality is noticed," he says. "And the finger-breaking time it takes to make them isn't."

The beauty is less about branding and more about the making.

Thoughtfully Made Everyday Carry

This story reflects one chapter of Hudson's Hill's leather goods work. Product availability, makers, and service policies may differ today.

The useful lesson remains: everyday objects should earn the space they take up.