In going through all the entries for this year’s K+BB Product Innovative Awards (the winners will be announced in the December issue of K+BB Magazine), I noticed quite a few made a point of mentioning that their product is “Made in the U.S.A.,” which I guess can be a selling advantage these days.

After all, with the economy ever so sluggish in its return, who can’t get behind the rallying cry—uttered by many a politician and TV pundit—of “bring manufacturing back”? Another version of this that I often hear on cable news is “We don’t make anything anymore.”

Oh, but we do, as those entries strove to emphasize and as Liberty Hardware’s latest collection illustrates.

Aptly named “Homegrown Hardware,” it debuted last month in New York City with a line of limited-edition artisan handcrafted knobs and pulls in iron and glass. Unfortunately, I did not attend the launch, which not only introduced the collection but also showcased its two designers.

On hand to discuss their work were blacksmith artist Matt Waldrop, of Zirconia, NC (kinda like the tatts),

who created this line:

and Tammy Newhof, a glass artisan based in Grand Rapids, MI,

who produced these pieces:

Plans are already underway to expand Homegrown Hardware’s offerings. In addition to introducing ceramic designs in the coming months, the company is recruiting artisans to be part of future line extensions. As Mary Krawiec, Liberty Hardware associate marketing manager, noted, “We want to further expand our Homegrown Hardware line and are interested in speaking with craftspeople who have a unique style and exude a passion for their art.”

For more information, visit the company’s website.

In the meantime, check out the other cool images from the press kit (which incidentally came in a cute little wooden box):

—Alice Liao

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 2nd, 2011 at 6:00 AM and is filed under Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.