Avryn Co. started as an idea in 2020, when Kate Gaffney had her hands full . . . literally.
“They didn’t allow backpacks at my girls’ preschool, so I’d have armfuls of school papers, my car keys and wallet, and a daughter who wouldn’t quite sit on my hip,” says Gaffney.
She’d seen the carabiner-turned-key ring, the multicolored webbed wristlet/wallet combos, and the chunky silver bangles (reading less fashionable and more . . . jailer).
They all had their downfalls: bulky, garish, flimsy. There had to be a better way, she thought.
“I’ve always had a really classic style. I’m a jeans and T-shirt girl—maybe I’ll pop on a blazer some days—and others I love some athleisure.” So where was a simple, sleek leather wristlet and wallet that could fit her keys and things while also looking nice enough for everyday use?
As the daughter of two creative parents (“my mom was on Etsy before it was even cool”), Gaffney thought: why not just make one herself? So she bought a piece of leather online, mocked up a wristlet, and set up shop within a week.
An idea, now a flourishing business, was born.
Today, the Avyrn wristlet is much the same as that first design: a narrow band of leather (satin or pebbled) grommeted in brass and held together with a sleek oval ring. It’s wide enough to slip over a wrist, even up over the elbow. No more splitting thumbnails to pry open a jump ring; the Avryn ring screws open to slide on keys. With that feature, hands are free to shop, pick up a child, pump gas, live life.
Avryn Wallets and Wristlets
Days after she began selling her wristlets, Gaffney developed a design for a matching wallet. “From the beginning, I knew I wanted a wallet, a really simple no-sew envelope for my cards and a little cash.”
The wallet fits on the brass ring as well, and with the entire system, a person can leave their home with peace of mind. “As long as the wristlet is on your arm, you know you have everything you need right there with you.”
Avryn is a family affair. The company’s name is a conglomeration of both of their daughters’ names, and Kate’s husband Sean creates the company’s logos, website, and design. “The girls both say they can’t wait to be ‘Avryn workers’ one day. I love that they are a part of what I do each day, and also see that I have time to travel with them and be present.”
More than anything, Avryn exists to help women in their everyday lives: over 20,000 of them and counting. “This seems small, sure, but it helps so much. We love that we make women’s lives easier.”
Hands free, effortless simplicity: that’s true style.
For more about the functional leather business, go to avrynco.com.
