Choose leather, change the world for the better

Wilder Dry Goods producing stylish and ethical products at a fair price

Brendon Friesen (Left) and Nate Bezoplenko (Right)

Kevin Legge
Kevin Legge
Kevin Legge

Nestled in the back of Thom Bargen Coffee & Tea is Wilder Dry Goods, an inviting storefront and workshop specializing in beautiful, handmade leather products.

Brendon Friesen and Nate Bezoplenko, both 26, run the small operation together – with sporadic assistance from friends – and are what you might call reluctant business owners. After all, neither of the young men necessarily envisioned themselves as leathersmiths even five years ago.

“I’ve always sewed since I took Home Economics in high school” recalls Friesen. “Nate and I have always been doing design... but I needed a backpack for school while going to Red River, and I thought it would be fun to build one, so I made it on my mom’s old Kenmore sewing machine. I broke about 20 needles, but in the end I had something that was pretty usable. I thought if I could make a backpack that was usable with my mom’s old machine, I could make way sweeter things if I actually had proper equipment.”

In 2010, Friesen and Bezoplenko were granted a rare opportunity to kickstart what would later evolve into Wilder Dry Goods: a free space inside the Exchange Community Church. In return for keeping its doors open and serving coffee, the room became a workshop in which the duo’s first leather goods were completed.

Today, Wilder has united with Thom Bargen’s successful community enterprise and settled into a comfortable space at the back of the coffee shop. A quaint and calmly-lit showroom displays an eclectic range of items including satchels, rucksacks, tote bags and accessories, while large sliding doors open into a bustling studio permeated with the piquant aroma of leather.

“I think we like the idea of being a hole in a physical wall” ruminates Bezoplenko with a chuckle. “It’s unique and you can’t really ask for a better situation than what Thom Bargen has afforded us. We get a lot of awesome foot traffic and we’re even having trouble keeping up with current orders.”

Although Wilder’s small scale prevents it from pumping out a surplus of leather goods, its attention to small details – and a progressive mandate – benefit both the customer and brand. In Bezoplenko’s words, there is an importance in “becoming less dependent on what is potentially destructive.

It’s stuff that can blend in with your style and personality. We stick to bags but we’ve experimented in different areas, too. We’re branding ourself in such a way that we can deviate and try other things, so we’re always dreaming.

Brendon Friesen, co-owner, Wilder Dry Goods



“In our heads,” he continues, “there are some ethical concerns around leather, and I understand that, but there are a lot of disposable goods out there right now... We’re working with materials that are durable and trying to source our leather.”

Friesen adds that, as the two learn more about their materials, they’re simultaneously trying to make more ethical choices surrounding them. 

“We’re learning that there are a lot of environmental controls on tanneries in North America. If leather is tanned in, say, Argentina or Mexico, the contaminated wastewater could be pumped into local streams. We want more accountability [so] we’re buying from a wholesaler called Warkov Safeer.”

Ethical concerns aside, design and function are also central components of Wilder Dry Goods. Focusing on near universal staples allows its products – from a vintage canvas rucksack with leather shoulder straps, to a tan satchel with gold buckles – to blend in with any style or dress.

“We don’t want [our products] to stand out too much,” confirms Friesen. “It’s stuff that can blend in with your style and personality. We stick to bags but we’ve experimented in different areas, too. We’re branding ourself in such a way that we can deviate and try other things, so we’re always dreaming.”

Between 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, you can find Brendon and Nate bustling away in their workshop, keeping up with overflowing orders and envisioning new products for an ever-changing line. 

To Bezoplenko, “people need to dig their heels in the dirt a bit to make Winnipeg, or Canada, awesome. For a direct trade cup of coffee or a handmade leather bag to become popular, or become the norm, you do need to go out of your way and spend more time and money. But I think, in the end, the return is great and you get a very distinct community from it.”

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