Unique Handmade Leather Goods By Local Sacramento Artist Jake Castro

Are you looking for unique, handmade accessories to upgrade your style?  Shopping local is a great way to support your community and find one-of-a-kind products unlike any other!  On this episode of Sac N Gaged, we’re visiting the studio of local Sacramento artist Jake Castro.  From wallets and purses to backpacks and totes, these high-quality leather goods will blow you away.

Moving from Chicago to Sacramento about 5 years ago, Jake brought his love of crafting and art to his new home.  After joining local co-op workspaces, he began experimenting with laser-cut designs in wood and leather.  His early products—beautiful earrings and intricately designed wallets—found a quick following at the Midtown Farmer’s Market.  With a market demand in place, Jake decided to focus on expanding and perfecting his product lines.

Leather Goods And Laser-Cut Wood

Working with leather was a new medium for Jake, and he had to teach himself how to work with leather as well as how to sew. Through trial and error, he’s since perfected his craft and expanded his line.  One of his bestsellers is a slim horizontal leather wallet, that along with all of his leather products, only gets better with age.  Another top performer, a supple leather crossbody with brass hardware, features veg-tanned Argentinian cowhide that adds a natural look to any ensemble.  Some of his other gorgeous goods include envelope-style small crossbody bags, passport books, and a variety of wallet designs to suit every taste.

Besides his leather goods, Jake also makes a variety of products out of wood.  Using his laser cutter, his intricate earrings carved out of walnut are like wearable art for the ears.  He also makes wooden signs and menu boards, with his work featured behind the menus of Sacramento’s own Beast + Bounty.  Always open to custom orders and ideas, many of Jake’s products have begun as suggestions from clients.  Want to learn how to DIY your own accessories? Join Jake’s monthly laser cutting class at Hacker Lab to let your creativity run wild.

Sacramento’s Artistic Community

Besides his penchant for handcrafted goods, Jake has also been a mural artist for the past 10 years.  His work graces buildings and businesses in Chicago, the Bay area and here in Sacramento.  By using his signature colors—a palette of teal and grays—his handiwork can easily be distinguished.  The most recent mural Jake created in San Jose was for Quickbooks.  Featuring splashes of bright blues and greens in honor of the company’s colors, Jake was able to weave his own style into the design.  That’s one thing that Jake loves about Sacramento: its community of artists and a culture that embraces creativity, always supporting him and encouraging him in his creative endeavors.

So if you want to own one of Jake’s handmade leather or wood creations, then check out his website at www.jakecastro1.com to see his collection of unique products.  Shopping local is a great way to support our amazing Sacramento community, and you’ll own a one-of-a-kind piece handmade with love.  Make sure to stay tuned to my next episode to see what local business I feature next!