Behind the Scenes: Wondering How We Make and Stamp Personalized Keychains? Here’s How!

Northwind custom keychains are used to celebrate all kinds of special occasions--first cars, first jobs, new homes, couples moving in together, and more. We know how important these moments are, and when we make your handmade leather keychains, we take that responsibility seriously.

Every one of our personalized leather keychains is handcrafted by talented USA-based makers. The talent and skill of these craftspeople is what makes our products successful. Our handmade leather keychains are our most popular item, but no matter how many we make, we always approach each keychain with time, attention, and care. Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how we create custom keychains just for you!


Cutting the Leather


We start all our handmade leather keychains the same way: by selecting a high-quality piece of full-grain leather. Sometimes, this is a full hide. Other times, it’s a piece of remnant leather from another order. No matter where it’s from, it has the classic leather feel and smell that you expect from a Northwind item. 


We prioritize sustainability at Northwind--we don’t want any of our leather to go to waste! So, when we’re cutting leather to create custom keychains, we think outside the box and cut pieces for as many keychains as possible. Our skilled makers work hard to satisfy your needs and help the planet at the same time!


Adding your personal touch


Once the leather has been cut, our makers create custom keychains specifically for you. First, we select the correct letters from our vintage typeset. Next, we heat up the dies in our stamping machine until they’re warm enough to make a crisp, clear impression in the leather. Finally, after carefully placing the leather in the correct position, we press the stamp into the keychain.


This is the part of the process where we add foil--we lay our gold or silver foil down on top of the keychain before stamping. The heat seals the foil into the leather, adding an elegant touch to your handmade leather keychain.


Assemble with hardware


Next, we finish your handmade leather keychain with your chosen hardware. You can choose antique, silver, or gold--whichever best suits your personal style. Our makers attach the rivets to the keychain and press them together for a final touch.


Package and send


Once we finish creating your custom keychain, it’s time to send it out into the world! Your keychain is packaged with care and shipped to your home. After all that hard work, we hope that your brand new personalized leather keychain can help you celebrate a special occasion, express your love for someone, or simply brighten up your day!


Explore our website for other great keychain designs, including our circle keychain, heart keychain, and more. Need help personalizing your item, looking for gift ideas, or want to know the status of your order? You can chat with one of our customer representatives by clicking on the chat button at the bottom right side or call us at 240-594-9382. We'll be happy to assist you!



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