Our Values
Made with intention.
For over 40 years, Streets Ahead has made belts and accessories by hand in Los Angeles. We work in small batches, with responsibly sourced Italian leather, and a commitment to using every piece of material we touch.
Sustainability, for us, has never been a policy. It is simply how we have always worked.
Made in Los Angeles
Handcrafted here.
Every Streets Ahead piece is made by hand in our Los Angeles studio, in the city we have called home since 1982. We work in small batches, with a team of skilled craftspeople who have honed their work over many years.
The same core team that built Streets Ahead still works here, bringing new people into a craft they know deeply. Every belt is touched, shaped and checked by hand at every stage. There is no automation. It is slower, and it is better.
Making locally keeps our supply chain short and transparent, and supports skilled craft work in Los Angeles.
- Made in Los Angeles since 1982
- Small batches, finished by hand
- The same core team for over forty years
Responsible Materials
Italian leather, sourced in Milan.
We source our leather exclusively from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group, the global standard for environmental stewardship in leather production. Certification covers water use, chemical handling and waste management throughout the tanning process.
All of our leather comes from Italy. We source it ourselves on buying trips to Milan, choosing each leather for its quality, its character and how it will wear over time.
Our hardware is cast in solid brass and zamak. Our gold buckles from Italy are plated in 24k gold, and other finishes are plated in brass or nickel. Each one is made to age alongside the leather it sits on.
- Leather Working Group certified tanneries
- Italian leather, sourced on buying trips to Milan
- Solid brass and zamak hardware, Italian gold buckles plated in 24k gold
Made to Last
Waste less. Make it last.
We do not produce speculatively or hold excess inventory. When you place an order, we begin making your piece. We buy leather only after production orders are confirmed.
Cutting leather always produces offcuts. We keep all of them, and repurpose what we can into handbags, wallets and small leather goods.
We build every belt to get better with age. The leather softens, the hardware patinas, the fit becomes yours. And we would always rather repair a belt than have you replace it. If something needs attention, reach out. As long as we still have the buckle or the leather, we will repair it.
- Made to order, no overstock
- Offcuts kept and repurposed
- Repairs wherever we still have the parts