The Story Behind Azle-Based ‘Leather Ministry’ Saddleback Leather Co. — A Different Kind of Luxury Goods Brand

Since opening Saddleback Leather Co.’s dedicated factory in León, Mexico, in 2008, founder Dave Munson has built a luxury leather goods company synonymous with quality, durability, and timeless style. The Azle-based company has developed a near-cult following, with collectors trading pieces and treating the bags like heirlooms rather than accessories.

The man who dreamed up slogans like “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead” is as colorful in person as his brand’s marketing and as authentically bold as his company’s claim of featuring unbreakable parts. As we chatted over lunch at Hotel Drover, the hours slipped by as he described the unexpected beginnings of his company after his failed efforts to find a bag Indiana Jones would carry — more on that later — and his current focus on opening “the coolest headquarters in the world.”

“There’s a lot going on,” he tells PaperCity Fort Worth, pointing to the new headquarters rising in Azle, the upcoming launch of a more refined Silverback bag line, the debut of Saddleback Leather’s handcrafted boots based on a 1912 military design, and the release of his first book, “They’ll Fight Over It When You’re Dead.” After finding an Italian factory steeped in generational shoemaking traditions, the longtime youth minister whose faith continues to drive his personal and professional life says he is weighing how best to use his time and resources.

“I’m trying to slow down,” he says, adding that for him, the business is more than a way to make a profit. “Everybody tells you to grow, grow, grow. But I’m thinking more like the Italians now. I get calls from venture capitalists wanting to buy my company. Why would I sell my ministry? I have a ton of fun with this.”

How an Accidental Beginning in Mexico Led to a Luxury Brand with a Cult Following

When telling the origin story of a now-iconic luxury leather company, Munson is quick to note that he didn’t mean to start the company. In 1999 and after years of working in youth ministry, he volunteered to teach English in Mexico at the request of his old youth pastor. While looking for a leather bag to keep his books and accessories, Munson had an image of what he was looking for.

“I asked myself, ‘What would Indiana Jones carry?’” he recalls. “I was in high school when the movie came out. “I had this idea in my head and couldn’t find them in the markets. So I found someone to make it for me. Turns out, I have a knack for designing things. People seem to like it. When I got back up to the U.S., four or five times a day, people would ask where they could buy my bag. I realized I could make money at this.”

Munson eventually landed in Juárez, where he lived simply in a $100-a-month apartment without hot water, saving money while building his leather business. Demand quickly outpaced supply, with bags selling out every few days. Around that time, Munson met his wife on MySpace and relocated to San Antonio. By 2008, he opened his own factory in León, Guanajuato, the heart of Mexico’s leather industry.

“Our company turns 17 years old in October,” he says. “If you want to grow as a person, start a business. Running a business requires continual problem-solving.”

One principle that has guided his approach to running a business is that his company always strives to make the best possible product, whether that requires focusing on longevity, comfort, or craftsmanship that refuses to cut corners.

“Not everyone is after trying to be the best,” he says. “If you don’t plan to be great, you’ll be average.”

A People Company Disguised as a Leather Brand

As we chatted, Munson placed the original Saddleback travel bag and the soon-to-be-released Silverback bag nearby. He explained that while Saddleback bags are built with rugged rivets, thick hides, and unbreakable parts, Silverback takes a more refined approach. The new line features Italian leather, goat-skin lining, painted edges, and finer stitching. The product’s details nod to European luxury houses while keeping the durability that defines his brand. The current launch date for the Silverback line is late October, he added. Another release he is excited about, the new line of leather boots, eased years of back, knee, and hip pain that he had endured.

Munson is also pouring energy into the “coolest headquarters in the world,” which is currently under construction in Azle with a completion date set for December. The sprawling project includes four interconnected buildings with swinging bridges, spiral staircases, cavernous fireplaces, and even a hidden wardrobe passage leading to a secret room. When asked why he aspires to make the coolest headquarters in the world, he responded simply: “Why not?”

Munson visits the company’s factory in Mexico about four days a month. Saddleback Leather runs a private school where children are taught in English and grounded in weekly lessons on virtues like generosity, patience, and honesty. Parents are offered marriage and parenting classes, financial counseling, and access to local mentors. Although his day job has shifted from youth ministry to managing a large luxury leather company, his dedication to ministry and spreading the love of God to others hasn’t.

“I didn’t stop loving people,” he says. “We are a people company cleverly disguised as a leather bag business. I have a leather ministry now.”