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Anna Warren and Sarah Heck are the talents behind Tactile Craftworks, a small, local company that creates quality, hand-crafted leather goods such as journals, passport wallets and flasks. The makers' signature work, the Atlas Series, features antique maps of American and International cities laser-etched onto leather.

All of Tactile Craftwork's goods are handmade in their Milwaukee-based studio from leather that was sourced from American tanneries.

Most of the stores who sell their work are small businesses themselves, so nearly all of their orders have been placed on hold and the future is very unclear.

"We're doing out best to keep things going," says Warren.

Tactile Craftwork is taking orders on their website and fulfilling them as quickly as we can while working safely. They've also collaborated with another local business, La Lune Collection, to laser-cut face shield parts for them to assemble.

"Money is a real concern right now, but we're trying to take things day by day, do what we can for our business and our community and be grateful for what we have," says Heck. "We've always been grateful to be a part of such a supportive community of other makers and small businesses. Watching the ways our friends and neighbors are rising to the occasion is inspiring."

Tactile Craftwork items can be found here. They are also on Instagram. 

"We're inspired by place. We both love to travel, but we also find deep connection to the places where we've made our homes over the years. We like to think of our work as honoring both the spirit of adventure and the comfort of home," says Warren.