Flashback to when I started planning product for East to Opal, and I found an old template for an envelope clutch. I gratefully employed my husband to cut dozens of clutch shapes, while I painstakingly hand-carved, stained, and assembled a whole grip of clutches. This was the beginning, but I was never in love with the envelope clutch. It never felt like mine, and while some leather workers have built entire businesses around that simple design, I just couldn’t find any passion to consider making hundreds of envelope clutches for years to come.
Using scraps, I pieced together a prototype of what we now call the “Handhug.” In true artist fashion, I threw that prototype in a box and hid from it for the next 18 months, before finally revisiting it and gaining some energy and inspiration from it. And so, the Handhug came to be what it is today. A simple leather design, with a sliding handle that hugs your hand to make it an even more comfortable hold.
These clutches have made up 60% of our inventory for the past two years, and are still our most requested item. You’ll find the majority of our Familiars Collection to be made of handhugs as well!
HANDHUG HARDWARE FAQ
If you purchased a handhug prior to November of 2022, the hardware used to attach the handle on your handhug clutch is removable. I believe that this makes the clutch easier to condition and clean. The two fasteners or binding posts can be twisted off using the screw head on the inside of your clutch, then replaced by screwing them back together. If you would like this hardware to be permanent, you can simply unscrew the back plate, add a small amount of superglue into the post (I prefer to use a toothpick to coat the inside of the post threads with glue lightly), and screw the two pieces back together.
If you would like to purchase a replacement set of binding posts you can do so “here” for a minimal cost plus shipping. If you would like us to replace the posts for you, we can certainly do that, but you will be responsible for packing and shipping your handhug to us, the cost of the replacement posts, and the shipping to return your clutch after the hardware is replaced.
Beginning in November 2022, I will be affixing this hardware permanently, as I hope this will help simplify the care of your clutch.