How long did it take to make your first duct tape wallet, and do you still have it?

It probably took me a couple of hours. Definitely a lot of trial and error at first. Essentially, I figured out a process to make my own wallets: tape sticky side up on table, tape sticky side down on table, make tape fabric, cut tape into pieces, tape together and fold into a wallet, add stunning design to exterior, put on a cute little branded db sticker on and go sell wallet at market. That was my life for about 5 years, but the wallets evolved as demand evolved. I constantly asked myself, “How do I make these things faster and better?”

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the greenest), how eco-friendly is your lifestyle?

Probably a very low number. I’ve definitely been doing a lot of thinking about the topic of “green” recently. As my buddy Bruce would say, it is all a scam. Though I think it a worthwhile pursuit, I think it is being handled poorly by the fashion industry (and other industries as well). I am not trying to be a doomsayer, but from my perspective, the green movement by nature is counterintuitive. Fashion by nature spawns over-consumption and consumerism…not a bad thing necessarily, but something that is definitely ingrained in our society and is the antithesis of green. That said, I support the purpose of the movement. I agree with the ideas of social consciousness and sustainability and clean manufacturing. But the green movement is going to require an entire shift in our culture as we know it. It won’t be achieved overnight…but ideally we can figure it out before 2012!

For the 3.1 collection, you describe it as “eighteen life experience-based designs.” Which one is the most personal for you?

I have a special soft spot in my cold dead heart for Adult Chores. DB Clay is moving quickly and often, I feel this whole wallet-company-building-project-thing is analogous to smoking cigarettes. Each day I work takes some time off my life. I certainly am addicted to lists but I tell you what, I love doing it, I love checking things off. I love commemorating life experiences vicariously through wallet design.

If you weren’t creating for DB Clay, what would you be doing for a living?

For the last 8 months DB Clay has been on the verge of implosion as well as explosion. A bit of a weird and wild dichotomy. I’ve often thought, “If this doesn’t work out, what I would want to do next?” If this all goes under, I would probably take a year off, walk around the world and clear my head and then probably come back and start a software company or work for a marketing firm. Or, maybe I would get into producing short films.

What’s next for DB Clay? Handbags? Apparel?

Good question! Perhaps our next big hill to climb is going to be DB Clay for women. And then we have plans to get into travel goods and software development. All along though, our goal is definitely to become the global standard for the word wallet. Wallets, wallets, wallets, etc.

What did you all do to celebrate your 10-year anniversary?

We put out our Version 3.1 collection in celebration of a decade in the wallet business. Each of the 18 wallets tells a story of DB Clay, the team, how we got here, our life experiences, etc. This line signifies 10 years of hitting it hard. We also threw a party at one of our flagship Portland boutiques called Lizard Lounge. I probably drank some red wine, passed out and woke up at 6am the next morning to go into the office and work on year 11.

What’s your favorite movie?

Better off Dead

If we had just one meal in Portland, where should we eat?

Huber’s