Awl Together Leather, East Vancouver’s custom leatherwork and shop repair shop, has become the most awarded small businesses in Vancouver this year – securing a hat trick of awards across disciplines. The booming small business was named the inaugural recipient of the Christine Bergeron Woman Entrepreneur Award for Sustainability, co-presented by Vancity and WeBC in July 2025; won the 2SLGBTQI+ Business of the Year 2025 by the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce (CQCC) in November 2025, and was honored by the 2025 Untapped Workplace Inclusion Award for Social Enterprises while also being a finalist for the Small Business BC Category, presented by the Open Door Group.
By modernizing the cobbling trade, Awl Together Leather diverts textile and leather waste from landfills and offers affordable and sustainable alternatives to fast fashion. Their commitment to sustainability goes hand-in-hand with their goals to create a more inclusive future within the industry as a whole, particularly for queer, trans, and non-binary individuals often underrepresented in these spaces. For this, Awl Together Leather was ‘Green Certified’ by the BC Green Business Program – becoming the first cobbling shop to receive the accreditation. Awl Together Leather was also chosen as the 2026 Consumer Choice Award for Tailoring & Alteration for Greater Vancouver. Awl Together Leather is reviving their trade – find them in their East Vancouver studio at 1183 Odlum Drive, or access their mail-in services from anywhere.
Christine Bergeron Woman Entrepreneur Award:
The Christine Bergeron Woman Entrepreneur Award, co-presented by Vancity and WeBC, honours a woman-identifying or non-binary entrepreneur demonstrating innovation, resiliency, ethical leadership, climate action, and community impact. The award reflects a growing commitment to equitable, sustainable economic development in BC. This award came with a $5,000 prize.
“This new award celebrates the extraordinary achievements of woman-identifying or non-binary entrepreneurs who demonstrate resilience, innovation, and leadership in building successful businesses that contribute to their communities and beyond.” Said Christine Bergeron. “Awl Together Leather’s commitment to leading with purpose, integrity and a deep love for their craft and community is what this award is all about.”
https://blog.vancity.com/nominations-inaugural-christine-bergeron-woman-entrepreneur-award/
The CQCC 2SLGBTQI+ Business of the Year 2025:
This award celebrates a business that is owned, operated and controlled, by a 2SLGBTQI+ individual(s) that has made a significant economic impact on the local/regional/national community, while making contributions to the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Canada. Presented at a the SOLD OUT 10th Annual Black & White Gala on November 14, 2025 at The Carlu in Toronto, shortly after the CQCC launched their new branding.
https://queerchamber.ca/news/2025-business-award-winners/
The Untapped Workplace Inclusion Awards Presented by the Open Door Group
For over a decade, the prestigious awards recognize businesses of all sizes and individuals that are leading the way in workplace diversity, inclusion, and accessibility! The Inclusive Culture Champion – Social Enterprise recognises a business that has a clear sense of its social mission and tries to create a lasting and positive impact (social, cultural, economic, or environmental) through the sale of its goods and/or services. Social Enterprise champions know representation matters, and demonstrate that through an inclusive workforce, that taps into the strengths of people with diverse abilities.
The Inclusive Culture Champion – Small Business category, for which Awl Together Leather was a finalist from over 60 nominated businesses, recognises small businesses that go above and beyond to foster an equitable and inclusive workplace
https://www.opendoorgroup.org/untapped-series/untapped-workplace-inclusion-awards/award-recipients
