Joe Lotuff

"I'm going to have a manufacturing company," said a 19-year-old Joe Lotuff to the parents of one of his college fraternity brothers over dinner in the mid 1980s. This declaration was years in the making, and one of those outlandish, bright-eyed college boy statements that would actually come to be true. So Joe went out and used the knowledge and experience of growing up in a manufacturing household to create his own footprint in the world of American manufacturing.

An upbringing surrounded by quality things and a hands-on education in the business of craftsmanship taught him the nuances of a well-made product and gave him the keen eye to tell the difference between exceptional and "acceptable" quality. Sunday mornings spent with the Style section of the New York Times or the latest edition of Women's Wear Daily strewn about his dad's office would later become key to Joe as he embarked on differentiating his mission and his business from the masses. As Joe came of age, he began to respect and incorporate fine handmade items into his life.

Joe developed an appreciation for the way a Savile Row suit made him feel, the way a great fly rod was cast, the other-worldly balance of a best quality gun, the way fine art evoked certain deep emotions, or the way a wooden boat beautifully coasted across the water. He knew that the time, precision, and pride that went into each of these things were indicative that a certain type of product - if created well - could enhance one's life in a meaningful way. It was this knowledge of distinction that sparked the idea that he could help create something himself that could be distinguished from the ordinary and the banal.

Joe loves the immersion that comes with crafting that fine quality product - getting caught up in the nuances and blocking out the distractions of the outside world as one concentrates on the intricate details. Being completely immersed in a fine craft translates well into the other endeavors of Joe's life, which then come back full circle in his vision for Lotuff Leather. "Understanding quality and living a quality life and having a definition for that is something that has helped me in the formation of this company," he says, "the ability to really seek quality, purity of design, simplicity of construction and to make something that is elegant is what has always appealed to me."

Growing up in the manufacturing town of Ware, Massachusetts and then attending Deerfield Academy and Denison University have given Joe a rarified but grounded perspective on life. Half debonair gentleman and half messy-haired country boy, Joe is the kind of guy who can glide with ease from a leather strewn factory floor to an isolated upland bird shoot to a sea drenched deck of a wooden sailboat to a gin soaked cocktail party.  

He loves sailing, skiing, upland bird shooting, and exploring the world one city and countryside at a time. Above all, though, he enjoys sharing these experiences and memories with his family.

Rick Lotuff

For a young Rick Lotuff, his parents' garment factory in Ware, Massachusetts was his playground. A cardboard box and tubes of fabric set for sewing were his pale and shovel.
He would rove around the historic century old mill on the banks of the Ware River - with its hardwood floors, granite facade, and 60-foot chestnut beams - and be in awe of the goods being made within its confines. The work ethos of meticulous effort and lasting quality that made it all so great became a part of his blood.

As he grew into an adult, Rick watched his family's business bow to the inevitable pressures of overseas competition and a changing marketplace. But this presented an opportunity for him. After two brief stints in Vermont and Colorado, Rick returned to Massachusetts intent on recreating the world in which he grew up. His father's idle sewing machines and cutting tables became a means to an end for realizing his dream and answering his life's calling. Soon he began cutting garments of his own. After a few years of experience and some much needed financial backing, he partnered with his brother Joe and Alden Edmonds to establish Berkshire Blanket.

It is a love of manufacturing and building that really drives Rick as he continues his venture in American craftsmanship. He truly enjoys seeing customers incorporate Lotuff Leather goods into their lives in a meaningful, enduring way.

And it is a meaningful life that motivates Rick as he now charters the waters of parenthood. His experiences and knowledge, both of which were heavily influenced by his parents, are things he will pass down to his three young children. "The building of something for future generations is of utmost importance. That's what I saw growing up. And those experiences that I had as a kid are what I would like to pass on," he says.

Rick is an avid skier and loves being in the mountains of Vermont and the Berkshires. On warmer days, he can be found sailing or motoring off the waters near his home on Cape Cod with his wife and three little youngsters in tow.

Alden Edmonds

Alden first met the Lotuff brothers during his childhood days spent racing Wianno Seniors across Nantucket Sound. With the bonds of sailing cementing a deep and lasting friendship, Alden joined together with the Lotuffs when they founded Berkshire Blanket in 1993 and has been a trusted business partner ever since.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and educated on the shores of Buzzards Bay and the banks of the Charles River, Alden is a global businessman with experience working across continents. But his disgust with the growth of a culture of cheap, disposable goods and a strong desire to combat it through the reinvigoration of the American factory keep bringing Alden back to his roots. "With the emergence of the great Asian manufacturers, a lot of people thought that New England Yankee ingenuity was dead. Now that everybody is thinking of one quality bag rather than five disposable bags, I believe that there is a great opportunity for craftsmanship to come back to the heart of New England," he says.

Lotuff Leather is the third New England manufacturer for which he has worked. To Alden, the beauty of Lotuff Leather is the love that goes into each product: "I love the way each bag gets handled. You can really see a difference at the end of the day. I enjoy working with companies with a heart and soul."

Alden is married and has two teenagers. A perfect day for him is spent roaming the hills of the Berkshires or exploring the historic waters of coastal New England.

Lindy McDonough

Since her days spent growing up amidst the centuries old brownstones of Boston's Beacon Hill and the Tudor buildings of her rural Massachusetts prep school, Lindy McDonough has cultivated a love for old things. An old soul, one might say, hoping to bring back the thoughtful ways of an earlier time.

Whether she is admiring the ingenuity of the worn and weathered Cape Cod house, with its construction allowing the sea air to waft from back to front, or her father's quirky but timeless collection of early American volcano paintings, Lindy sees in the past an appreciation for practicality, utilitarian luxury, and time tested quality.

Growing up in a family of New England manufacturers, she has seen the ups and downs of American manufacturing personally and professionally. It is this up close perspective, though, that inspires her to seek out ways to capture and express a world that has come close to the edge of extinction far too many times.

Lindy's love of design, function, and the New England aesthetic drew her to the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied Industrial Design. After graduation, she went on a search for a brand whose goods are made in a hands on, local way - a place where she could have an active role in design and see factory production up close. Lotuff Leather is her dream company.

Lindy envisions for Lotuff Leather a look that honors centuries of New England tradition and history in a respectable, understated but essentially practical and elegant manner. "What I like about the New England aesthetic is that it's comfortable. The minute you try too hard it becomes a 'style.' Then you lose the stoic nature of New England," she says.

The work ethic and pragmatism of New England women shape Lindy's vision for the Lotuff woman. She loves the casual sophistication that comes naturally to women who combine that pragmatism with a touch of femininity. And, as she's learned from stealing her father's worn oversized wool sweater with leather elbow patches, it's always best to borrow a little bit from the gentlemen.

Lindy lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her own two, true American gentlemen - Conor and her Boston Terrier Tuxedo.