
This Made in Arizona purse is the result of a collaboration between a fashion designer and a woodworker.
When shopping for a purse, fashionistas often adhere to the premise of “when your handbag is small, but your style is big.”
A Tucson startup company has taken this adage to new heights with the creation of TimberTote, a wearable wood clutch. Yes, you read that right: Small purses or clutches are being manufactured from wood with custom fabric linings that can be designed into anything from colorful patterns to photos of your loved ones.
Woodworker Jason Robinson met fashion designer Chelsea Adler in 2022 at a downtown Tucson retail collective called the Proper Shops, which showcases the work of local artisans and makers.
“That’s how Chelsea and I got connected,” said Robinson. “She was doing her own independent women’s boutique, and I had my own independent woodworking company.”
As often happens at these maker marketplaces, the two became friends and eventually explored the idea of collaborating on a retail product.
“I said, ‘how about you and I collaborate and make something?’ said Robinson. “She told me, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about, you can’t wear wood.’ I told her that there is a woodworking technique with a laser cutter that allows the wood to bend. We put our heads together and came up with the idea of a wood purse.

“We started off using a non-profit resource in downtown called the Forge, a university of Arizona lab that had one of these lasers available. So, we prototyped a bag, made some improvements and posted them on social media, and they actually started selling.”
In February 2024, TimberTote Purses officially launched as a retail and direct-to-consumer online product and so far this year business has increased by 50% over last year. Approximately 75% of TimberTote’s sales are through the wholesale market, but the company is seeing a burgeoning e-commerce demand.
“The trajectory here has been positive and that is what I am trying to work for,” said co-founder and CEO Robinson. “I am excited about creating more jobs as we grow. I am excited about creating jobs in America.”
The purses are constructed from premium birch hardwood and feature a customizable fabric lining. The wood is cut to always make one piece that wraps all the way round. Smaller pieces for the ends of the purse are also cut from birch.
“When we use the laser to cut it actually cuts all the way through and creates what they call a living hinge,” said 47-year-old Robinson. “Those relief cuts are purposely staggered so it makes it appear as one complete piece but allows it to bend without staying permanently bent. It allows constant flexibility, and it doesn’t deteriorate the strength of the wood.
“What looks like stitching is completely aesthetic. Even though it is a wood purse, Chelsea wanted to have that look or feel that resembled a purse so she asked me if we could use the laser to cut those holes for stitching capabilities, but it is purely aesthetic. It throws people off sometimes.”

The TimberTote team does traditional wood stains such as mahogany and golden oaks, but they can also finish with an array of colors. They are often blending colors and can make any shade on the color scale. The wood is stained with American-made paints.
When the purse is opened to reveal the inside liner, people are even more intrigued by the colors and designs of the fabric. Rather than rely on standard fabric and patterns, a TimberTote interior can reflect any design you request, from artwork to photos.
“We have a fabric printer so we buy all white fabric and our printer is able to print whatever design Chelsea comes up with,” said Robinson. “We respect copyright issues; however, we can do certain pop genre styles that may work for what the customer wants.
“We had a husband come in for a purse for Mother’s Day this year and he gave us a photo of his wife and their twins that we were able to print the liner out and build the purse around that. He said it is one of the best Mother’s Day gifts she had ever received.”
TimberTote carries a line of stock items but can customize both the wood and the liner to meet customer’s specifications. They employ a gluing process and there is a lot of friction fitting that keeps the purses together. The colorful fabric linings are attached to the inside of the purse with a process they consider their “trade secret.”
Each purse or clutch is about eight inches wide, three inches deep and five inches tall. Although the size relates more to a clutch than a purse, each bag comes with a standard chain strap that can easily be removed and replaced by a leather strap.

“We do tell people that we didn’t design them to be your everyday purse. However, it is definitely a statement piece going to a dinner party or an event,” said Robinson. “That’s really where a lot of people love what our pieces give them. We’ve got people that will have some of their favorite artist’s art inside their TimberTote and they are able to take that art with them out on the town.
“It’s that self-expression that makes people love this style of liner or whatever it is we build for them that can show off their favorite art or whatever the case might be. It’s a conversation piece.”
Robinson, who also works as financial planner and owner of Sports Class Customs woodworking shop, dreams of being on Shark Tank one day to at least get national exposure and a possible investor. Adler owns Mariposa Boutique in the Proper Shops where she features her own clothing line.
Their collaboration on TimberTote merges the engineering skills of Robinson with Adler’s understanding of function and aesthetics, which allowed them to create this unique product that is truly a wearable piece of art.
If you are considering a TimberTote purse as a holiday gift, there is still plenty of time to submit a custom order.
“A lot depends on the customer’s approval and what they want to change after they submit a design,” added Robinson. “We have a free modeling program so we are able to show people what their purse will look like in three dimensions.
“Once we have the design elements completed it takes one week from that point to have a complete build and then we can ship it in a safe box. Knock on wood, but we haven’t had any issues yet.”
TimberTote prices range from $80 to $200 for the luxury models that come with an exotic wood veneer. To shop TimberTote purses go to https://timbertotepurse.com.