Lonsdale Leather

The business was established by Phillip Flintoff on the fourth floor of the original Picture Building in North Vancouver. Under current ownership since 2015, when footwear designer Riley Howlett acquired the company, Lonsdale Leather has expanded beyond leather to include tools, hardware, sewing machines, and a proprietary line of dyes and finishing supplies. The company maintains a physical retail presence at 76 West 6th Avenue in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant neighborhood while generating the majority of revenue through online sales.

Phillip Flintoff founded Lonsdale Leather in 1992, establishing the initial retail location on the fourth floor of the original Picture Building in North Vancouver. The business operated from this location for its first decade, serving the local leather crafting and manufacturing community.

In 2002, the company relocated from North Vancouver to the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Vancouver, expanding its operations and customer base. The business continued under Flintoff's ownership until 2015, when he announced plans to close the company.

Riley Howlett, a White Rock native and long-time customer with formal training in footwear and fashion design, acquired Lonsdale Leather in 2015 to prevent its closure. Howlett, then 29 years old, had earned a footwear design certificate in Italy and completed two years of fashion design education in San Diego. Prior to the acquisition, he worked as a shoe designer for John Fluevog, including a six-month assignment at the company's factory in Peru. Howlett financed the purchase through a loan from his parents and relocated the business to its current location at 76 West 6th Avenue.

Lonsdale Leather operates as a specialty retailer rather than a manufacturer or tannery, sourcing premium materials from suppliers worldwide. The company's inventory includes leather from tanneries associated with luxury fashion houses, as well as high-end hardware such as RACCAGNI zippers. This distribution model distinguishes Lonsdale Leather from tanneries, as the company does not perform leather tanning or finishing processes in-house beyond their proprietary dye line.

The business maintains dual sales channels through both physical retail and e-commerce. The Vancouver retail location employs five staff members with extensive knowledge of leather, tools, and supplies. Despite maintaining a physical presence, online sales have grown to exceed in-store revenue. The company serves professional customers in the fashion, footwear, garment, upholstery, and film industries, as well as individual crafters and enthusiasts.

Following the 2015 acquisition, Howlett expanded the product range beyond leather to include leatherworking tools, hardware components, and sewing machines. The company also developed a house line of dyes and leather care supplies, which are manufactured through partnerships with European suppliers and distributed worldwide.

Beyond retail operations, Lonsdale Leather functions as a community space for leather crafting and creative industries. The company hosts workshops focused on leatherworking techniques and skills development. The retail space also serves as a venue for concerts and community events, fostering connections within Vancouver's maker community.

The five-person staff maintains expertise across leather types, tools, and supplies, conducting ongoing research to source what the company positions as the highest quality products available. This knowledge-sharing approach supports both professional tradespeople and hobbyist leather crafters.

The company's inventory spans multiple categories related to leather crafting and manufacturing. Core offerings include leather from various tanneries worldwide, sourced based on quality and suitability for different applications. The product range encompasses leatherworking hand tools, industrial sewing machines, hardware components including zippers and fasteners, and edge finishing supplies.

The Lonsdale Heritage Series represents the company's proprietary leather line, developed in partnership with tannery suppliers. For detailed information about this product line, see the dedicated Heritage Series article.

Lonsdale Leather's proprietary dye and finishing products line was developed under current ownership and is sold through the company's retail channels as well as through distribution partnerships in Europe. The house brand supplies complement the broader inventory of third-party materials and tools.