Introduction
Few accessories transform a watch as dramatically as a well-made strap. Yet with countless options available, finding the right one can be surprisingly difficult.
If you've spent any time in the enthusiast community, there's a good chance you've come across TsLeatherGoods.
Based in Central Vietnam, the small workshop run by husband-and-wife team Steven and Hana.
It has earned a loyal following for its handmade leather straps, loved by collectors looking for something a little more personal than an off-the-shelf option.
The pair works as a small team, carrying on a family craft tradition while serving customers all over the world.
Their work runs the gamut from wildly colourful exotic leather to classic straps at home on everyday timepieces, and the team has become increasingly well known for its quality and fair pricing.
Despite the brand’s growing popularity, not much is known about the duo behind the straps.
I caught up with Steven to talk about how TsLeatherGoods got started, the realities of running a small handmade business, and what keeps them excited about making watch straps every day.
From Family Trade to Global Orders
Could you give a quick introduction about yourself — your name, where you live and work, and how you got into making watch straps?
My name is Steven, and I run the business with my wife, Hana. I live in Central Vietnam, where the sun is so strong it can burn your skin in just a couple of minutes if you step outside without cover.
The name of our brand is TsLeatherGoods—"TS" comes from my name and my wife's name in Vietnamese. We got into making straps through our parents; they did this in the past, and we are keeping that passion flowing through our veins.
How big is your operation today? Is it just you two, or do you have a small team helping out?
Right now, I am running the business with my wife and one other partner who helps me make the straps.
So, you could consider us a small team. We aren't very big at the moment.
From what I’ve seen, watch groups love your straps! When you first started making straps, how did people discover your work? Where did you find your first customers?
Thank you guys so much for loving my straps! I am really happy to hear that. Honestly, I just learned the names of those groups today, haha!
At first, I started locally, making straps for people here in Vietnam. They really enjoyed them, so I decided to expand worldwide. My very first overseas order came from a watchmaker in Germany.
The Craft Behind the Straps
What are your favorite leathers or materials to work with? Are there any that are especially difficult or unpredictable?
I love working with alligator leather because there are so many patterns and colors we can create. I always love finding new colors and unique patterns. As for difficult materials?
Yes, some take a lot of time to work with. Shell Cordovan from the Rocado Italian Tannery is especially tough. It is very thick and stiff—my hands literally burn when working with it!
The natural thickness is around 3 to 4mm, and we need to thin it down to 1mm or less for the straps. Skiving and cutting it to that exact measurement is definitely a challenge.
[Author: Skiving is the process of thinning leather by shaving material off the underside or edge of a strap.]
What details separate a truly great strap from an average one?
I think what separates a great strap is your imagination and the level of perfection you achieve when finishing it. It also comes down to the quality of customer service you provide to your lovely customers.
What’s the most unusual or memorable custom request you’ve received?
For me, any unusual custom request is simply a new challenge. The most memorable one I’ve received was the first time I made straps for a Cartier Santos-Dumont.
I had two straps that needed to be done. When the first one arrived with a friend in Saudi Arabia, it didn’t fit right, so he sent it back for me to fix.
Through that process, I gained a lot of valuable experience with Cartier, and now I can make them fit perfectly for anyone. [Author: TsLeatherGoods now makes straps for the Cartier Santos, which is notorious for its proprietary, precise lug attachment system.]
Have you made any straps specifically for yourself or your own watches? Do you have a favorite personal piece?
I love watches, but I don't actually own any high-end pieces right now. I just wear a normal watch with a classic black alligator strap.
I will definitely be looking to add some pieces to my collection in the future, for sure!
Growing a Handmade Business
What’s the hardest part of running a small handmade business?
Time, time, time! I have to repeat it three times because I constantly wish I had 48 to 72 hours in a day.
A lack of time and a lack of manpower will be the biggest issues if I continue to grow.
Sometimes I can't reply to messages as quickly as I'd like, and I know customers hate that.
What makes you happiest when a customer receives one of your straps?
First of all, the strap needs to fit perfectly, haha! For sure. Since I don’t have the actual watch in front of me, all I can do is strictly follow the measurements.
Sometimes, watches have very weird measurements even when I follow them exactly. The second thing that makes me happiest is seeing my strap paired with [a customer’s] watch.
To be honest, a strap on its own only shows 50% of its beauty; it needs to be mounted on a watch to see its full power.
Besides watch straps, do you make any other leather goods or plan to? Are there any new products, techniques, or ideas you’re excited to explore next?
I actually do make other leather goods, like wallets, bags, pouches, watch rolls, and watch cases... but they take way too much time. If I dive deeply into making those, I wouldn't have time to do anything else!
So, I generally only make those other goods by special request.
Finally, what’s the best way for new customers to reach out to you?
I truly appreciate new customers reaching out to me through any channel. At the moment, I use Instagram, my website, and WhatsApp.
I love WhatsApp and Instagram the most because they allow me to connect directly with customers. It has much more of a [conversational] vibe than email.
For anyone interested in TsLeatherGoods straps, you can find them at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsleathergoods/
Website: https://tsleathergoods.com
Dislaimer: We don't use AI for authoring any of our visual or written artwork. Everything you find in Happy Horologists Magazine is and will be human made.
