By B. Crawford 

There are few views as inspiring as the view of Mt. Rainier from Tacoma, Washington, and few leather craftsman as inspired by wilderness as Caleb Arthur, the founder of Camp Leather Goods.   

“I get out in the wilderness as much as I can,” Caleb says. “Nature allows me a space where I can hear my thoughts and start making productive plans. The second that I leave the woods, I start to miss it.”  

Wilderness informs Caleb’s leather work and his brand, Camp Leather Goods. Though he lives in the city of Tacoma, his studio takes him out to the wilderness. “Through the support of family, friends and my Camp crew, I was able to remodel our old, detached garage and turn it into 250 square feet of all leather working space with a cozy cabin feel. I just added a metal roof that won’t leak on me.”  

A one-man team working in his studio, Caleb creates billfolds, wallets, sunglass cases, playing card cases and stylish skillet sleeves. His work is personal, functional and designed for life on the trail or in the home.  

“I would describe my brand as tough as nails, purposeful and minimal in design,” Caleb says. “There is not a lot of flash or bling to my products. I want the focus to be on the quality of leather and the craftsmanship. I want to bridge that lost gap between the crafter and consumer. To know exactly who and where your product came from is pretty darn cool, if you ask me.”  

Caleb is a fan of the Every Day Carry (EDC) movement, the less is more ideology. “What I love about the EDC community [and products] is that it promotes everything having a specific place and purpose. No more, no less. I see my leather goods as having a direct seat in the EDC products lineup.”  

Although Caleb’s brand connects directly with the wilderness, it also connects with his family. When he was thinking about the name for his enterprise, Caleb wanted to include his initials, CA, and then he thought back to one of the most important people in his life, his grandfather, Clyde. “It was through observing him as a child that I took a passion and pride in working with my hands and creating something out of nothing.”   

Caleb was the youngest of five children, eight in total from a blended family. His grandfather Clyde loved them all unconditionally. “He called me Mutty,” Caleb recalls. “So, after rearranging the letters, I came up with ‘The Clyde and Mutty Project’ (CAMP).  I knew that if I honored him in my brand name, then he would keep me honest and in line with my vision.” 

The Camp Leather brand reflects Caleb’s personal style. “For most of my life, I have been referred to as an ‘Old Soul,’ which I take as a massive compliment.” Caleb is committed to bringing quality back to marketplace. “I’m a big fan of the one-and-done mindset. Paying more upfront for a quality product that is going to last, rather than a disposable, built-to-fail, piece of junk.”  

I myself am an old Deadhead (a Grateful Dead fan), so I immediately connected to the Camp Leather skeleton-on-the-trail logo. Caleb graciously acknowledged my sordid past and then explained more about the logo. “My hope with the name and logo is that it is a slight, but constant, reminder to get outside every once in a while, and appreciate nature. I have found great healing and therapeutic qualities wandering in the woods: physically and mentally.”  

Experiencing wilderness has always been important to Caleb, but sometimes life gets in the way. “My wife, Katie, and I just brought little Lincoln, our son, into the world. He’s only a year and a half, and the love of our lives, so we stay pretty busy. But we are taking off to Whidbey Island in the next two weeks to stay in our first yurt experience out in the woods. My wife knows me better than anyone, and recently she said to me, ‘Whenever you need to take off to the woods, just let me know.’” 

Wilderness has been inspiring Caleb since he was a young man. He grew up in Puyallup, Washington; Eager, Arizona; and Federal Way, Washington. “Our home in Federal Way was on a cul-de-sac and it backed up to forest acreage. I spent hours there, fighting off dragons and playing Indiana Jones.” 

After high school, he joined the Navy. “At that time in my life, I knew that a bit of discipline was just what I needed to get on course. Having no idea of what was to come, I stepped out into the unknown – scared but willing to serve.”  

After leaving the Navy in his mid-20s, Caleb went through a rough patch. Like many of his comrades in arms, he suffered from, and was diagnosed with, PTSD, depression and anxiety. His self-respect plummeted. With the support of his family, Caleb was able to cut through the fog and decided to plunge into the woods for five days, with only the survival basics and a few books.  

“All I can say is that during my time alone, I had never felt so free and alive. TRULY ALIVE. Nature was my coach and the local wildlife, my cheering fans.”  

Caleb returned home a changed man, a man with a plan. He went to community college, graduated and found his path.  “I highly encourage it to anyone struggling with making a change. Head out to the woods and get to know yourself.” 

He worked on oil tankers as a merchant mariner for five years. Caleb loved the work, but the long separations were too much for his relationship with Katie, his future wife. He took a job as a sheet worker in Tacoma, but was laid off suddenly because of the economic contraction caused by the corona virus pandemic.  

Camp Leather Goods came from that layoff and from his need to survive. After the layoff, Caleb had a lot of free times on his hands and an unstoppable urge to put those free hands to work. He had never started a business, but was attracted by the work of other crafters. He started teaching himself graphic arts – everything from photography to website design – and turned his vision of a business into a physical working operation.   

“I am a firm believer that we are absolutely capable of making our dreams a reality, if we only allow ourselves to make that first frightening plunge into the unknown,” Caleb says. “While the security of constant income can be devastating to part with, the complete liberation into creative freedom has been a lifesaver.” 

Why leather? Caleb can’t really explain his choice of a craft, but he does know one thing, he loves leather. “I love the smell, the texture and the sound of leather. I am obsessed by it.” 

“It just so happened with me that I took to leathercraft insanely fast and when I start something that tickles that nerve of interest, I dive all in – 110 percent,” Caleb explains. “I find it to be no coincidence that the same time I decided to give up alcohol for good, was the same exact time I started Camp Leather Goods. I am now celebrating two years sober, and I owe it all to my extremely supportive wife and the leathercraft community. I think a lot of folks remain unhappy because we fear change, or the unknown, so we stick with what we know for security purposes; I’ve done it. But I feel that the sooner we can find a way to do what consistently makes us happy, the sooner we will start to feel free and alive.” 

Caleb is proud that he is a one-man shop, but it hasn’t been easy. When he started out, he considered himself a YouTube University crafter. “I studied the work of seasoned leathercrafters on YouTube, and the obsession really took hold for me.”  

For Caleb, trial and error was the mother of creation. “I ruined a lot of projects, and made a lot of bad leather goods, but I always took away the learning experience and applied them to my future crafts. Oh yeah, and a lot of blood, needle pricks and sliced fingers, and even a short stint with carpal tunnel.”  

Today his main workhorse machine is a Sailrite Fabricator machine. “I recently added a 60-watt CO2 laser cutter/engraver by Monport Lasers, and I am so excited to start putting that beast to work.” Caleb is in the market for a cylinder arm sewing machine. All leads are welcome!!  

As his skills increased and his equipment improved, Caleb realized that one thing was more important to his craft than anything else – the quality of the leather. 

“The leathers that I use in my collection are of the highest quality. I source my leather from Italian cowhide tanneries that have been in the business well over 50 years. No corners are cut here when it comes to quality. The best products start with the best ingredients.”  

It’s been a wild ride for Caleb, but he has no regrets and a few words of advice for anyone else who wants to start a small craft business. “I would say have fun. You have to enjoy what you are doing for your best work to shine through.  Focus on a few products that you are proud to offer, rather than trying to make so many things just for the sake of having another product to sell. I learned this the hard way. Anxiety keeps me going. Anyone who lives with it will know exactly what I’m talking about.”  

Caleb has recently taken his brand in a new direction by introducing non-leather products such as Backwoods Bonfire Candles. “I’m a big proponent of collaborating with other brands that I admire,” Caleb explains. “For the candle, I teamed up with the amazingly talented guy at All American Maker in New York. I truly believe that above all else, all products have to be true to the brand and the candles are right on target.” 

Caleb is expanding his business in other directions as well. “I’m really excited to announce that I’ve started collaborating with leathercraft toolmakers to design and manufacture my own line of tools. I’m going to start off fairly small with CLG leather scratch awls. I am also working with local knifemaker Jacob Anderson, owner of Tahoma Knives, to make a small batch of Japanese leather skiving knives, made right here in Tacoma, Washington.”  

Caleb is not stopping with leather goods, candles and tools. His dream project would be something every woodsman needs. “I would love to make a pair of heritage-style work boots, I’m talking Redwings Iron Ranger quality here, I think it would be a great learning experience to learn traditional-style bootmaking.  

Caleb has found that his fellow leathercrafters have helped him face some of his biggest challenges. They’ve helped keep his spirits up and maintain a positive, healthy outlook, while working hard to build his business. “I know a lot of other crafters who struggle with similar challenges, and it’s been quite a relief in hearing and sharing our experiences.”  

Through it all, Caleb’s family and friends have been his biggest supporters. His sister, Emily, is an experienced crafter who helped inspire Caleb to take the plunge and his other siblings have also provided inspiration and emotional support. But his immediate family is his most important source of strength. “My wife, Katie, has been the best supporter of this whole leather adventure. And I would like to be able to pass a business down to my son one day, if he so chooses.”  

Caleb is especially grateful to those who keep him in business: his clients. “I am dedicated to keeping my creative momentum moving me forward and offering my best work to my clients. I would like to thank them all, especially those who have been on board since the beginning.” He also thanks his fellow veterans and offers them a discount. 

“My clients know that when they order a product from me, my hands are on the product from receiving the order to crafting and shipping out the door. From beginning to end. I am a one-person shop; it doesn’t get any smaller or more personal than this.” 

With luck, Caleb will keep pleasing his clients with Camp Leather Goods made by his own hands as long as Mt. Rainier looms majestically over his studio in Tacoma.  

Caleb learned his craft by trial and error. “Oh yeah, and a lot of blood, needle pricks and sliced fingers, and even carpal tunnel.” 

Nothing has been more important to Caleb’s business than the support of his wife, Katie, and his son, Lincoln. 

Camp Leather Goods reflect Caleb’s personal style: tough as nails and purposeful. 

Other leathercrafters have supported Caleb by sharing their experience as he grows his business. 

Caleb takes pride in being a one-man shop. “It doesn’t get any smaller or more personal than this.”