Project TransAction is love-child of San Francisco artist Jacob Vaughn Gushue. It is an independently owned shop specializing in screenprinting and leatherworking and focusing on hand-crafting, local sourcing and working in the most earth-friendly way possible. Hence the title borrowed from TransAction's bio, "Eco-friendly, fresh, and indie."

Thin on Thick Vertebrae Cuff. photo: etsy.com
Eighty percent of the leather Project TransAction uses in their belts and cuffs is scrap purchased from saddlemakers and other large leather manufacturing industries. This idea of upcycling takes something that would have otherwise been tossed away and makes something of value out of it. All of TransAction's leather gear is hand cut, punched, branded and/or screenprinted and then finished by hand with rivets, snaps or buckles.

2Tone Mariposa Belt. photo: etsy.com
In addition to interesting and tough-looking leather goods Project TransAction has a line of printed shirts - all printed in house - all limited to lots of 25 - all American made. Even this process, which has traditionally been a bit of an environmental hazard, is cleaned up by Gushue's choice of water-based inks and screen cleaning agents that are 100% biodegradeable. Obsessively balancing a dedication to high quality products and enviromental friendliness is no small feat. Project TransAction deserves further investigation by you and all your friends.

LIMITED EDITION - Side Fly Tee. photo: etsy.com
Check them out here. Also available at RAG 541 Octavia Street between Hayes and Grove; 415-621-7718.