Quiet objects for daily rituals

Why we exist

Alder & Ash began in a shared studio in Portland, Oregon, with two dogs, a borrowed sewing machine and a frustration with the disposable logic of modern pet goods. The market offered bright plastic, squeaky synthetics and objects designed for a season. We wanted fewer, better things — pieces that would live with an animal for years and look better as they aged.

Our name comes from the alder trees that grow along the rivers here and the ash that feeds the soil after a fire. Both are part of the same cycle: growth, renewal, return. That cycle shapes how we design, how we source and how we think about the full life of every object we make.

Materials first

Our materials are chosen for touch, wear and quiet. Recycled cotton-nylon canvas forms the shell of our Travel Carrier — water-resistant, structured and soft to the hand. Milled wool pads are spun from post-industrial waste and can be removed, aired and replaced. Solid brass hardware is uncoated, so it develops a dark, living patina rather than chipping. Ceramic bowls are thrown in small batches and glazed with lead-free mineral pigments. Oak is sourced from managed Oregon forests and finished with food-safe oil.

We avoid plastic wherever possible and package every order in paper, wool padding and cardboard — no foam, no bubble wrap, no plastic tape. Our entire supply chain, from fiber to freight, is audited for environmental and labor standards.

The studio

All design happens in-house. We cut, sew, assemble, glaze and finish in a 200-square-meter workshop with large north-facing windows. Our small team of four works slowly, in small batches, with the lights on and the music low. Most pieces are made to order; nothing sits in a warehouse. When you place an order, we cut the canvas, stitch the seams and pack the box ourselves — usually within two to four days.

Design principles

• Quietness: no unnecessary features, no branding on the face of an object.
• Durability: every material is tested for a decade of daily use.
• Repairability: frames, straps, pads and hardware are replaceable, never welded shut.
• Waste: pattern layouts are calculated to leave less than 4% offcut fabric per run.

The promise

Every Alder & Ash object is guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for five years from the date of purchase. If a seam unravels, if a frame cracks under normal use, if a zip fails — we will repair or replace it. Replacement parts are sold at cost, forever. We believe the strongest sustainability statement a company can make is to keep its products out of landfill for as long as possible.

We do not drop collections, we do not run clearance sales, and we do not manufacture urgency. The price you see is the price the object costs to make sustainably, plus a fair margin for the people who make it. No more, no less.

Visit the studio

The workshop is open to visitors on the first Saturday of each month, 10am to 2pm. Stop by to see the materials, meet the team and (if you bring your animal) try a carrier or a bed before you commit.

Alder & Ash Studio
1420 SE Alder Street
Portland, OR 97214

For questions, repairs or wholesale inquiries, write to hello@alderandash.co.