ARTS AWL TOGETHER NOW

How Canada’s only femme, queer-owned leatherworking shop is changing the industry

Ren Zhang (they/them) - Writer

Sarah Harley - Illustrator

In hues of warm, blue toned light, Tess (she/her) and Ariss (they/them) tenderly survey a piece of leather on the table in front of them. They are the owners of Awl Together, a leatherwork and repair shop that deals with shoes, bags, clothing, and more in Vancouver. Young, femme, and queer, they create a warm and welcoming environment for all who come by, and in addition practice sustainability in a time where it is needed most.

Their paths converged as they met at a Vancouver boot-making factory, both having worked in related industries prior. The pandemic hit and Ariss’ proprietorship, BoundAries Leather, started to take off; they asked for help from Tess to complete the work, and business grew until BoundAries needed a bigger pot to blossom. They were faced with the choice of expanding or starting fresh, thus bringing Awl Together into fruition. “We decided to join heads and create something new,” said Ariss.

Awl Together was born with a focused lens on sustainability and uplifting queer and marginalized voices. “From the very first step in the door, every item that we repair is another item that, itself, didn’t end up in the landfill. That client also then does not have to go purchase a replacement, stopping the fast fashion cycle and promoting a circular economy. Nearly all of the soft goods that we sell on our website or in the shop are made from leather that has been diverted from a landfill. We see more people interested in repair as a mindset and happily further this by teaching DIY repair workshops, teaming up with Metro Vancouver Repair Cafes, and uplifting Indigenous voices such as those taught in Fern & Roe’s Hide Tanning Courses, who have always led environmental sustainability,” explains Tess.

People in Vancouver who have a broken item are encouraged to check out professional services for repairs, or learn how to do it themselves. Diverting waste and devoting time to reduce and reuse instead of recycling is a big step in our personal climate responsibility.

In regards to their views on representation and the importance of ships such as Awl Together, Ariss shared: “The shoe repair and leatherwork industry have typically been dominated by male workers and owners - as young, queer, womanish* leaders, we feel very strongly that embracing diversity will better our industry. Across most industries, having skills and perspectives from different types of people expand the services you can provide and the values your workplace embodies. There have always been skilled female, queer, or BIPOC leatherworkers. Historically, being “out” has come with risks of violence or loss of business - and sadly, that struggle between visibility and violence still exists. Our positive experiences have far outweighed the negative ones, and we’d love to see more diversity enter our industry - and advance to ownership levels.”

According to WorkBC, 82% of the leatherworking industry is male and 82% are over the age of 45

It’s been proven time and time again that diversity in the workplace and respective industries drives creativity and innovation; after all, we live in a diverse world with diverse problems. Diversity also matters in every level of a company. “Diversity hires” or those hired to fulfill a quota without working for true inclusion and safety for all members is a practice that carries the opposite of positive intention.

In the climate crisis, it’s especially important to consider multiple perspectives and form solutions that involve those who are affected. For example, marginalized communities are the hardest hit by climate change, and rapid, short-term solutions are excluding them. Grassroots organizations and local groups, Indigenous knowledge, and community building are some of the antidotes for this disconnection between humans and the earth.

When asked to expand on their favourite part of being in this space, Ariss said, “I particularly love working in our East Vancouver community, and my favorite repairs/items are always the ones that come with sentimental stories. It always feels nice helping people. I also love being an owner as it ensures that my labor goes towards practices and values that I believe in.” Similarly, Tess’s favourite part of being in this space is that (pronoun) loves that everything they get to work on is a little different. “ I’m challenged all the time. The result of that is that I get to work collaboratively a lot, which is another favourite thing of mine. We have a fantastic, tight team and I’m so grateful that we all are able and willing to swap projects when it suits us.”

For anyone in the Lower Mainland, visit the team in person at 1183 Odlum Drive to witness their work firsthand. Additionally anyone can sign up for updates on their newsletter. Visit their various social accounts at @awltogetherleather, or reach them at their website, www.awltogetherleather.ca