The Life Of A Handmade Leather Phone Holster… Is Never Boring!

You’ve started an accessories business and now your customers are expecting more products, what’s the move? This was the position we found ourselves in just a few years ago. 

We founded our leather accessories business - Embrazio - after patenting a new type of curved leather belt that was designed to follow the natural contours of your body. The belt was designed for equestrians, but we soon found that all sorts of people were looking for the “better fit” that Embrazio was selling. 

Naturally, our customers started asking what else we could come up with. We wanted to offer a product with the same level of quality as the belts. That part was easy. We also wanted a product that we could put our signature spin on and create something different from the existing options in the marketplace. 

Embrazio Classico Leather Cellphone Case

Leather Phone Holster Is Born

The very first version of Embrazio’s handmade leather cellphone case was introduced to the market in 2010.  This unique case clipped to a special curved custom leather belt designed to mimic a western gun holster.  The cellphone case also had a thigh strap made of very thin and stretchy leather to secure the bottom to your thigh while riding a horse, motorcycle, or bike.  At the time, the Apple iPhone 4 was just being introduced so the cellphone case was sized to fit that latest, and at the time, largest phone. 

Almost immediately, the Apple iPhone 5 came to market.  This phone was larger than the iPhone 4 and would not fit in the just introduced Classico leather cellphone case.  Embrazio decided to increase the size and introduce a new larger model.  Now, 2 models were in the market, but neither would last very long.

Love The Phone Holster, Please Ditch The Thigh Strap And Clip

The idea was that equestrians needed something that would allow them to keep their phones on them while riding. Most importantly, the phone couldn’t be in a pocket or on the belt as that would interfere with mobility. The thigh strap seemed like a perfect solution. 

Sales during the iPhone 4 and 5 period picked up and many women, especially equestrians, began providing feedback on the Classico leather cellphone case.  The most common comment went something like this; “I just love the quality, style, and leather of the case but I don’t want to accentuate my thighs with that strap.  Can you please make one without a clip and without a thigh strap?” …why sure we can!

Once again, we discovered that our target audience was bigger than just people who ride horses and our product could supplement almost anyone's fashion style. This is a valuable lesson we’ve seen play out time and time again during the product development cycle. 

The Birth Of Design #3, The Piatto Handmade Leather Cellphone Case

Embrazio Piatto Leather Cellphone Case

The Piatto Satchelita was Embrazio’s answer to the feedback shared above.  Like the larger version of the Classico, the first version of the Piatto fit the iPhone 5 which was the latest smartphone in the market.  No thigh strap and no clip made this a simpler and easier to construct design.  It also had a leather sleeve on the inside of the lid and against the back of the case which were perfect for carrying credit cards, license, and a bit of folding money.  Some women could also fit a lipstick on top of or beside their phone.  

All seemed well, at least for a while, until more feedback rolled in that the case was “too bulky or thick” and, of course, phone sizes changed yet again.  This time, the iPhone 6 came out and it too was significantly larger than previous versions and it would not fit the existing Piatto case.  Embrazio’s response was the same as with the Classico, a larger version of the Piatto was designed and introduced.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before smartphones got even larger!

4 Years In And 5 Leather Cellphone Case Designs Later

This time around, Embrazio set out to build a case that was more elegant, slimmer, and also large enough to hold the really big phones like the iPhone 12 and 12+ that weren’t even out in the market quite yet. 

Embrazio Sottile Leather Cellphone Case

Keeping up with phones is a big part of this battle. We took a bet that phones would continue to get bigger and they did. This meant instead of continuing to redesign and release, we were able to get more mileage out of a design our customers loved. 

The new version is called the Sottile Satchelita Leather Cellphone Case and it’s been a best-seller since we released it. This case eliminates the internal leather sleeves so it could be slim and sleek and is the most advanced leather phone holster we’ve designed to date.  It was initially made with elastic channels in the front but has now evolved to a plain leather face.  With 3 holes on the front strap that go over a Sam Browne rivet, the case has plenty of room and adjustability.  

The design journey continues.  As you can see, changes in customer’s taste and the near continuous change in the size of cellphones demand leather cellphone case makers evolve quickly to meet the needs of the market.  It will continue to be so in this dynamic marketplace. 

ABOUT

Scott Schaefer is co-founder of Embrazio, a leather accessories and jewelry manufacturer in Boulder, CO.  Scott has been working in the leather industry for over 12 years with his wife and partner, Stephanie Boyles.  Together, they have created many leather accessories as well as a patented a curved leather belt design that eliminates “gapping” and pulling in the back of your belt.