The world is changing and as people increasingly turn their backs on waste and excess, the minimalist lifestyle grows in popularity. At its core, this movement is about simplicity and necessity, bringing life back to the basics of form and function. It is easy to see why this is the case in the modern world because our lives are busier than ever and efficiency is key.

This is where Grovemade steps into the picture. This Oregon-based company designs and creates their own products in house with a distinctly minimalist aesthetic that allows quality to take center stage over extravagance. Wood and leather iPhone cases, small wood speakers with amplifiers, and even catch-alls, their products tend to be eclectic in function, but they all fall in line with the same vision: thoughtful design and superior craftsmanship. We at Dornob took a closer look at two of Grovemade’s products for a better idea of how well the company achieves this vision.

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Grovemade’s bifold wallet side-steps the idea that “more is more” and presents a streamlined, unisex solution to how you carry your money. It holds four to eight of your most important cards (do you really need more than that?) and still has room for a few folded bills. Thanks to the tiered set up of the internal sleeves, your cards are easy to access, and a full wallet can even fit in the notoriously tiny front pockets of a girl’s skinny jeans (so long as the pockets aren’t fake). One of the only downsides is that there is no coin pouch; however, in the world of debit cards and Apple Pay, many people do not carry coins anyway, so whether this is truly a problem depends on the individual using it.

While Grovemade sets out a very simple look with this product, it still doesn’t lack for class. It is made with natural, vegetable-tanned leather and hand stitched by master Japanese leatherworker Yonezawa Leather, so it is soft and smooth in your hands and more than comfortable in your pocket. It’s also durable, yet flexible, and will only develop a more distinguished look with use, as many leather products do.

For all those times you want to go without a bulky wallet or a bag, whether you’re going to a club or on a rollercoaster, this simple piece has you covered.

The company chose a different route for one of their watches, opting for a modern update to the traditional look of a timepiece instead of scaling back. Where an ordinary analog watch has two hands for telling time, this one uses two large dots (one white and one orange) passing through 12 holes in the hand-sanded maple or walnut watch face to tell time. The watch functions no differently than any other, leveraging a shift in style over innovative function with its design.

However, style is something it has in spades. This watch comes with a vegetable-tanned leather strap that can fit both men and women, and Grovemade offers the design in both round and square faces, as well as stainless steel and gold-plated metal workings. From a distance, it provides an eye-catching profile that draws others in to look more closely at the craftsmanship and design, which are both quite impressive. The unique hands, however, might put off some people, as precise time is harder to read with circles than thin lines. This aspect speaks to a more relaxed approach to one’s day-to-day life, where exact time is less important, so while a businessman from a fast-paced company might want to take a pass, others may relish in the opportunity to shift their focus with this stylish piece.

Grovemade finds a niche as a company providing useful products on a large scale with the quality standards of a small town company. Both of the items we spent time with at certainly had something to bring to the table, but they too fill a very specific place in the market.

The post Grovemade Takes Life Back to Simplicity with Hand-crafted Products first appeared on Dornob.