The Small-Batch, American-Made Brands You Need to Know

When it comes to buying most things, expert craftmanship and artisanship are known selling points. The difference with these kinds of makers is their approach to craft with a thoughtful eye to time-honed methods and longevity, the creation of a product that can be passed down as heirlooms and live many lives—from raw materials to hand-stitched gold. There is value in this kind of artisanship; here are three brands, new and old, that embody a commitment to timeless quality in their trade. 

David Rancourt landed in Lewiston, Maine, to learn the trade of shoemaking in 1967. That year, he opened his own factory, co-helmed with his eldest son, Michael. Now, Michael continues the tradition with his son. To call it a multi-generational moccasin shop is an understatement. Here, expert shoemakers (many with a lifetime of experience in the craft) fit leather to a shoe form, tack it in place, then hand-stitch with needle and waxed thread for comfort and flexibility. Blake welt stitch construction, a method adopted more recently, opened the door for a more expanded repertoire of footwear—but the original moccasins are the bedrock of this Maine staple. 

Glenn Liburd’s interest in time-tested clothing began in his native Trinidad. While working in a clothing workshop, he cultivated a passion for a distinctly American textile and garment—denim. Blue jeans, more specifically. In 2019—after a career of designing, cutting, and sewing for others—Glenn launched his first collection under his own name. His process starts with sourcing high-quality textiles; while many American weavers of shuttle loom selvedge denim have shut down, he continues to source as much as he can from the remaining operations. “One hundred percent cotton yarn is best for the weaving of the material—and 14-ounce raw denim is best because it holds the creases during construction,” he tells us. “Selvedge denim is woven on shuttle looms, so the weave is very tight and durable. It takes at least nine different sewing machines to construct sturdy jeans—and each has a very specific job to do.” Most of Glenn’s collection is crafted out of his own small workroom, using vintage industrial machines modified and restored to fit his needs. 

Since its founding by Lindsay Rose Medoff in 2017, LA-based SUAY’s 100% vertical sewing and production shop has been a pioneer of the clean-up economy. Created from a combination of post-consumer waste, their design-forward products have diverted over four million pounds of textiles from landfills through their recycling program. The center of the brand’s ethos is the community dye bath, where a women-led team of skilled garment workers infuses new life into a vibrant offering of home textiles. Sent in from afar by mail or dropped at the shop by locals, what might have otherwise been disposed of as castoffs are spun into keepsakes.