Business Belts
CLASSIC. REFINED. LIMITED RUN.
Fits effortlessly into worldly affairs of business meetings and lunches. Yet, connects you to something more profound than annual projections and sales charts, inspiring you to contemplate the deeper meaning of life.
Hand picked vegetable tanned leather, made with the finest European hides. Painstakingly handmade with attention to the finer details that are an absolute must-have in the wardrobe of a man who has everything. It's one of those things that will bring joy into your life. The longer you possess it, the better it gets. That is what makes it so special and rare.
Idea behind the belt...
A dress belt is an integral part of formal attire. Isn't it?
I found myself thinking back to my years as a business consultant in New York City, when I used to wear business formals day in and day out. I miss those mornings, walking from my Manhattan apartment to my office on the Upper East Side, dressed in a crisp suit, coffee in one hand, cigarette in another timing it perfectly to reach my office in 15 minutes. This was 2012.
Didn't give much thought to belts until I took up leathercrafting in 2013 as a hobby. One of the first things I ever made was a formal belt for a dear friend and colleague.
11 years later my take on the formal belt is going to be leaps and bounds ahead of what I made then.
It's 2024 now. Lots is changing around us. The older we get, the faster the pace of change seems to be. And yet, we still need belts to hold up our pants. That's a comforting thought. Not everything's changed. Not yet.
The idea has been there for a long time. A refined leather dress belt that is built tough. Raised, padded and fully lined with three layers of full grain leather. Hand-stitched with solid brass hardware to boot. Make it good. Make it right.
We have chanced upon some beautiful leather that is just right to make these dress belts. Better late than never.
Time to make some dress belts!
There's really just three things you need to make a good belt - get the right leather, get the right hardware, and make it right.
Choosing the Right Leather
A full grain leather made for formal wear while being able to endure the test of time
The leather needs to be full grain, strong, supple and should not stretch. We were able to source this leather from a small family-run Polish tannery.
I really liked how their leather feels. They seem to have a deep knowledge and understanding of their leather. Their leather has a wonderful woody and earthy aroma, without being too pungent - the hallmark of skilfully tanned leather.
making it well in places no one will look
Making it Right, Inside and Out
Many of the nuances that go into making a finely crafted object are hidden from the eye, because it involves refined craftsmanship below the obvious surface level of the product.
As is customary with dress belts construction, this belt consists of three layers - the top leather layer, the bottom leather layer and a sandwiched padding layer. What we have done differently is that we have used full grain leather, and not just for the top and underside, but for the middle padding layer as well. Made from the strongest part of the hide, the middle layer of leather acts to not only create a padded/raised effect, but also to act as reinforcement and makes the belt stronger. No cheap fillers used here. The lining (underside) is also, as expected, full grain.
Made with traditional saddlery techniques
Truly Handcrafted
This belt embodies leatherworking techniques perfected over centuries by generations of leather craftsmen. In today's fast paced world, it is rare to have an object made with such dedication and passion for the craft.
You may have seen many formal belts that have no stitching along the edges. These belts will often, over less than a year, feature a catastrophic failure. The layers simply come apart. We don't want that happening to you. We hand stitch (saddle stitch) along one direction. Then back stitch a few stitches, for good measure. There is no question of our thread breaking or a stitch coming loose.
Solid brass, made right
Solid brass hardware
We source our hardware from a 4th generation, family owned and operated business based in Newburyport Massachusetts. They care about quality as deeply as we do.
These buckles are masterfully cast with zero pitting. Each buckle is hand polished and laquered to prevent corrosion.
We have sourced all our hardware from them for the last 9 years. They have 100% reliably delivered excellent hardware. They make excellent solid brass hardware.
Business Belt / Formal Lifetime Belt
Business Belt / Formal Lifetime Belt
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The Business Belt is made to be worn with formal outfits, typically as part of everyday business attire. But it can be worn in semi-casual settings as well.
It is made completely using hand tools only. It features intricate design details - it is fully lined, meaning the underside has the same feel the same as the top side, a raised padded profile with bevelled edges and painstakingly crafted saddle-stitching all along the edges.
We have used solid brass hardware in three design options and three finishes.
What makes this full grain leather so special?
This leather has been slowly vegetable tanned with tree bark over a period of 1.5 months. The leather feels smooth to touch and has a matte, semi-glossy finish. It is made by a small dedicated tannery in Poland using the finest European hides. The leather has an LWG rating of Gold.
100% Full Grain Leather
100% Full Grain Leather
LWG Gold Rated European Full Grain Leather use for the belt inside and out.
What makes this leather so special?
This leather has been slowly vegetable tanned with tree bark over a period of 1.5 months. The leather feels smooth to touch and has a matte, semi-glossy finish. It is made by a specialty Polish tannery with the finest European hides.
Solid Brass Hardware
Solid Brass Hardware
Buckles and screws are made with high quality solid brass. You can select between three different finishes - Matte Nickel, Polished Nickel, Natural Brass - and three designs - Square, Rounded Square and Half Round.
Dimensions
Dimensions
Length: Varies, based on your measured size
Width: 1.25 inches
Spacing between holes: 1 inch
30-45 Days Delivery Window - Read More
30-45 Days Delivery Window - Read More
✔︎ This is a pre-order event.
✔︎ The delivery timeline will be about 30-45 days after the pre-order window closes.
✔︎ This includes the time required to procure hardware, get monogramming stamps made etc., based on the number of orders received.
Belt Dimensions
Your belt will be sized to fit you perfectly at the center hole. The standard is a 5 hole belt. Distance from the center hole to the tip of the belt is 7 inches, as seen below.
Belt Sizing Guide
📌 TIPS ON MEASURING WITH A TAPE
Wear your best fitting pants (the kind you will use this belt with). Measure your size OVER YOUR PANTS:
1. Run the tape through your pant loops. Hold the tape taut. Not too tight, not too loose. There should be no slack, no folds along the tape, just like you would wear your belt.
2. Stand upright.
3. Don't try to bend over to see the numbers (might change the reading).
4. Use a mirror to see the reading, or ask someone to read it for you.
5. Now, once you get your most accurate reading, enter it in as your Belt Size (inches). Example: if you get a reading of 36.5", type this number for your Belt Size.
- Enter your current measured size only. If you anticipate a change in your belt size in the future (for example: gaining weight/losing weight) email us to discuss sizing your belt accordingly.
In Quest of Superior Quality
What's so special about this belt?
If you are looking to buy a truly masterfully crafted belt, then rest assured that we refuse to bend our standards of quality.
Handcrafting, using the right materials and the right techniques does not come easy or cheap. Which is why, it's hard to find anything that's well made and stands the test of time these days.
In terms of leathercrafting, I am proud to realise that our belts comes closest to Hermès than any other brands explored in the video.
Questions About the Leather
Will the leather get a patina?
Most certainly! One of the hallmarks of using vegetable tanned, full grain leather is the development of patina. The belt will become darker and develop more of a shine as it is used.
This is of course entirely dependent on how and how much you use and handle the belt. The more it is exposed to sun/UV and oils from your hands, faster the patina develops. The parts of the belt that are exposed to pressure and repeated rubbing will become much darker and a bit compressed (for example right under where the buckle sits on the belt. A lighter colored belt shows a more dramatic patina development.
Do note however, that dress belts/formal belts don’t see that much sun, handling, oils as field/work belts do. The business belts will not develop patina as fast as the Casual Lifetime Belt
How do I take care of this leather?
Every three months (or whenever the belt looks like it needs some care) clean the belt with saddle soap followed by an application of leather balm to keep the leather supple. More details here https://godbolegear.com/pages/taking-care-of-leather-goods
What's special about this leather?
This leather has been slowly vegetable tanned with tree bark over a period of 1.5 months. The leather feels smooth to touch and has a matte, semi-glossy finish. It is supple and firm with low stretch. Made by a small, family run Polish tannery using the finest European hides. The tannery is Gold rated by the Leather Working Group (LWG).
⏰ Order Deadlines & Delivery Timelines
What's the deadline to get my order in?
✔︎ We have a limited supply of leather in all three colors, brown being in the shortest supply.
✔︎ We will run out of this leather soon. Order early to secure your belt.
✔︎ Deadline will be announced 3-4 days after launch, as we estimate the number of orders coming in.
I have placed an order. When can I expect delivery?
✔︎ This is a pre-order event.
✔︎ The delivery timeline will be about 30-45 days after the pre-order window closes.
✔︎ This includes the time required to procure hardware, get monogramming stamps made etc., based on the number of orders received.
✔︎ In the unlikely event that we run out of leather and your order's already received, we will reach out to you with other color options. Based on your inputs, if other options don't work out, we will issue a full refund immediately on determining our stock inventory status.
Belt Sizing Issues, Order Changes, Cancellations and Returns
Can I change my choice of colour or belt after I place my order?
Send us an email after you place your order and we'll let you know what can be done. We have a limited supply of leather. After you place an order, we'll try to accommodate any changes, but cannot make any guarantees!
Belt Sizing Related Issues
We are fully committed to getting a great fit for you. But we need a careful measurement from your side to make this happen. It will take only 2 minutes of your time, but we ask that you strictly follow the Belt Sizing Guide.
➜ If you order a belt that is too long, we can resize it for you for an additional fee
➜ We cannot resize a belt that's too small even if you are willing to pay an additional fee. Please do order carefully as per belt sizing guide!
➜ If we have made a mistake in sizing your belt, we will replace / resize the belt for you.
Order Cancellations Policy
➜ Order cancellations are not possible, but we can assess on a case-by-case basis
➜ Order cancellation requests will be entertained only by email, with your order number [No WhatsApp / No Instagram].
➜ If an order is ready, we will not be able to accomodate a cancellation request
Returns Policy
➜ No returns permissible for belt for non-defect related reasons
➜ If you suspect you belt has a defect, we will examine your claim and repair/replace the belt for you at our own cost. If that's not possible for any reason, a refund will be issued
➜ Refunds cannot be issued for ill-fitting belts, if we make a belt as per your specified size
