Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hattie Nottleman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hattie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

After I graduated from college, I was offered what I thought was my dream job as a bench jeweler. Not only was the location and pay great, but it was a position at one of the top jewelry stores in the area. I worked there for a few months trying to convince myself that this was a great fit for me. The only issue was that I hated it! All along I thought that being a bench jeweler was what I wanted but when it came down to it, I realized that this was not the job for me. I enjoy designing and making pieces come to life from start to finish- not just repairing jewelry. This was a hard pill to swallow as I then had to rethink my whole career path. Looking back, I can see that it was a valuable lesson learned. If something isn’t a good fit in your life and is making you unhappy, go out and fix it! You don’t have to stick with something just because you thought its what you wanted. (This doesn’t only apply to your job either!) I definitely don’t look at this period as a bench jeweler as a waste of time either because I never would have figured out what I actually want to do if I hadn’t experienced this.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Hattie, I am from Minnesota and am a jeweler and leather worker. I primarily make minimalist leather bags and wallets along with 14k and sterling silver jewelry. Working with metal and leather started as just a creative outlet for me. I loved that I could create accessories that were both beautiful and useful. My parents are both artists, so creating art has always been an important part of my life. After spending time in college on a business degree, I decided that I wanted to go to school for metalsmithing and gemology. I had such a fantastic time studying at the Gemological Institute of America and am so grateful for the formal education that I now have in this field. I got a job at a jewlery store in Oregon and during this time is when I discovered leatherworking. Originally, the idea was to create pouches for custom jewelry orders in place of a traditional box. I spent many hours reading books/watching youtube videos along with many failed projects to learn some basic techniques. I finally figured it out enough to make a few leather jewelry pouches! Later, I decided to try a wallet which then led to custom leather bags. I learned that many of the skills that I gained in jewelry school were useful in leatherworking, so it was a good combination for me. I went on to finish my business degree and formed Hattie Rose Co. in my final semester of college. This was also during the covid19 shutdown so everything in my life at this time seemed very unknown. What I did know was that I had a passion for creating hand-made accessories that fight fast-fashion and endure the test of time. I take a great pride not only in the final product, but the process it takes to make each piece.

These pieces are made to last which means that customers won’t need to replace them over time if they are properly cared for. Additionally, each piece is carefully and ethically made in the USA. There’s an ongoing problem in the fashion industry today— it is the second largest consumer of the world’s water supply and pollutes the oceans with microplastics. The fashion industry also produces 10% of the global carbon emissions. Much of this is a result of fast-fashion. These are goods that are cheaply made by mass retailers to keep up with trends. The low quality and trendy nature of these products means that they quickly find their way into landfills. Many of these products are also made with microplastics which contribute to global water pollution. In an effort to create timeless, long lasting, and sustainably made accessories, Hattie Rose Collective was established. Conscious shopping means choosing products that will better serve you and the planet over time.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I really decided to take my business seriously and picture the possibilities as a business owner during the covid19 shutdown. I was in my final semester of college so I had plenty of time to plan out all of the details. I also had a big stimulus check headed my way! I knew that in order to scale the business I needed an industrial sewing machine which can be quite pricey. I used my whole stimulus check along with some cash I had saved up from bartending to purchase my “Cowboy 2500” sewing machine. This was one of the biggest risks in my business but that machine ended up paying for itself in just a few months with the time it saved alone. Looking back, this was not the most practical way to fund my business, but I am sure happy I went for it!

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I currently hand make all the leather and jewelry pieces myself from my home studio. I took some basic metalsmithing courses in college which was how I originally learned that I had a passion for the craft. I then went on to study stone setting and gemology at the Gemological Institute of America. This was such a valuable experience not only learning goldsmithing techniques but meeting other likeminded individuals who I still stay in touch with! Learning leatherworking was much less formal. Most of what I know came from either youtube tutorials, books or trial and error. It was such an exciting/humbling process and I always felt very triumphant when I would finally figure a technique out.

I know that someday I may have to outsource some of the manufacturing in order to scale the business. However, I am currently enjoying the process and quality control I have with making all of the pieces myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: hattierosecollective.com
• Instagram: @hattierosecollective

Image Credits
Molly Slough