We love the idea of buying something once and never having to replace it. But what would we want to own forever? When we ponder this, Smålands Skinnmanufaktur (SSM), a creative studio and production house in the Southern Swedish province of Småland, comes to mind.
Run by Hillevi Magnell and Josef Stockhem, a husband-and-wife team, SSM hand produces a capsule collection of useful, built-to-last household designs, from tables to clothes hangers. All are made of pale ash detailed with leather from Tärnsjö Garveri, a local 140-year-old tannery with a focus on sustainability. We could see living with these things for a good while.
![the train rack style ssm hat rack is \1,795 kr (approximately \$\20\2). (there& 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/hat-rack-shoe-rack-smalaans-skin-manufaktur-jpg-733x1100.jpg)
![the ssm hanger loop and hanger double, both 350 kr, can hold all sorts of thing 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/hanger-smalands-skin-manufaktur-jpg-733x977.jpg)
SSM’s leather supplier Tärnsjö Garveri notes, “Our tannery is among the remaining five percent of tanning houses worldwide that still employs vegetable tanning instead of the more time- and cost-efficient chrome excel method. We only source Swedish hides, the byproduct of the local meat industry, and we operate with great respect for our environment and our craftsmen.”
Above: The SSM Daybed, 35,000 kr, comes in dark or pale woven leather, as does the Magazine Hanger, 850 kr. SSM ships worldwide and also sells through a few retailers: the Magazine Hanger and Hook is available for $95 from At Land in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
![the ssm trolly has a woven leather shelf, \1\2,500. 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/trolley-smalands-skin-manufaktur-jpg-733x1100.jpg)
![the shelf 30, \1,\200 kr, and shelf 90, \1,900 kr. the pen holder is the 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/shelf-smalands-skin-manufaktur-733x977.jpg)
SSM owners Hillevi and Josef explain that she oversees design and marketing; he’s in charge of manufacturing and is “the one who sews all our products.” At their factory, they also design and produce leather goods for other companies.
![the bench, \15,500 kr, is the smaller sibling of the daybed shown above. at lan 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/bench-smalaans-skin-manufaktur-733x1100.jpg)
![hanger 90, \1,\200 kr, can be used indoors or out (in a sheltered spot). this w 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/hanger-smalaans-skin-manufaktur-jpg-733x1100.jpg)
Inspired? Here are three leather DIY ideas:
- DIY: A Wall-Mounted Leather Knife Rack
- DIY: A Leather-Detailed Wood Doorstop
- DIY: A Leather Lace and Wooden Ball Door Pull
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