About

Milestone Bag Co. started out in 2011 as Sissipahaw Leather Co. on my living room floor with an old box of upholstery leather, a kitchen knife, and a cutting board I used to prep for dinner just two hours prior. I was mourning the very recent loss of my father. Someone suggested I channel my grief into creativity so on this particularly painful day I decided it was time. Little did I know that I would come to love working with leather in a way I've never loved anything. Over a decade later and it is still my absolute favorite form of creativity.

This art form, born of grief, has continued to be my safe haven. I have found a healing power in creating with my hands that has helped me through the loss of my father, becoming a mother across the country from my home, and battling custody as a single mother . As I look forward to the future of this business, I hope to create a space for helping women in shelters and teen girls in high-risk living situations within the community to heal as I did. My goal is to offer free hands-on classes and mentorship for other women and girls to explore the healing aspects of working with their hands and develop the skills needed to develop their own small craft business.

Working with leather inspires me in a way that no other material does - there are infinite possibilities with this form. I love feeling the leather, moving it through my fingers, and finding a new shape unlike any I've seen. The evolution of my business brings my passion to life as it allows me to bring these possibilities to fruition while developing my craft and giving back to my community. My mission? Staying true to what I love: original designs, creativity, supporting my son, protecting the environment by hand-picking leathers from sustainable tanneries wherever possible, and making a bag that will last a lifetime - ready to walk with you through all of life's milestones.