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In my opinion a lot of it was a race to zero on pricing, and lack of knowing how to run a business. After a few years they probably looked back and realized it was a lot of work with little reward, and said "see ya". Many appeared to be hobby businesses and I'm sure a day job was keeping them afloat.

I've been giving most of my business to JM Custom Kydex for the past few years, but I don't shop much on price. I'll probably buy a PHLSTER soon, but not much else on the horizon.

Bought a few Vedder holsters to try out, and they're an OK product for a low price, but in the end I'll probably sell them at a loss. Wouldn't doubt if Vedder and the many eBay cheap holsters lowered the price bar for everyone.
 
Actually after a thought on this I wouldn't be surprised if materials shortages due to covid is impacting the boutique holster industry just like any other industry is seeing shortages in supply and materials, which of course also increases cost....
I wouldnt be surprised if the thermoplastic millsource (kydex) has the same issues that ammo manufacturing has gone thru over the last year or so.
 
Kydex killed many of the old school companies that Covid did not. No more leather punches and block molding.
There are also a lot of Chinese cheap leather holsters now. Honestly most of what I see in otherwise decent gun shops are poor quality holsters.

The classic leather companies are still doing well, if not better than usual. Many people will still wait for quality. Just checked the Milt Sparks website: "Our current backlog is approximately 26 weeks"

As an aside, I'm very happy with a recent leather holster purchase from Lone Star Holsters. Nice quality and excellent customer service.
 
Actually after a thought on this I wouldn't be surprised if materials shortages due to covid is impacting the boutique holster industry just like any other industry is seeing shortages in supply and materials, which of course also increases cost....
I wouldnt be surprised if the thermoplastic millsource (kydex) has the same issues that ammo manufacturing has gone thru over the last year or so.
Kydex, ABS, Polyethylene.. etc. has price and availability mostly dependent on Petro.Chem. industry and what impacts it.

How Covid affected the plastics industry was pretty Big . ChinaFlu created a Gravy train-$$$ of Billions to be made overnight when the ' Entire USA ' was mandated in ALL Commercial, Retail, and every Business dealing with customers and all it's employees, The entire United States of America was forced to .. ( Instantly Transform and Remodel ) with Acrylics and clear plastics in everything from barriers to face shields ..etc .
The market/sales of plastics suddenly shifted to acrylics/clears . And the money-$$$$ to be made was manufacturing and stocking the warehouses with Acrylics/clears, and not the other types of plastics that customers normally ordered .
. For example, me.. I go down to to local wholesale warehouse couple times a year. It's is a Big commercial warehouse stocked full with pallets of every kind of marketable plastic product . I buy stack of 4'x8' sheets of different thicknesses of ABS and Hi density Polyethylene . Early last year it was an eyeopener for me when I walked into that warehouse to make an order, and I saw NOTHING but Acrylics and clears stacked wall to wall and to the Top. They had nothing to fill my order. Had to get what I usually buy get shipped in from out of State .
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As a former Kydex bender, I can say most consumers are cheap bubblegums who don't know quality work from a booger in their beak.

Add the compulsion to buy from the cheapest place they can find, and you can see why China owns us.
 
It seems like a lot of new guns come in a case that includes multiple backstraps, magazines, loader and a servicable holster.
Good thing too about the holster because there are so many new pistols being released and then ceasing production within a short period of time, good luck otherwise finding a holster for it.
Back in the old days there were K-frame revolvers (serious every day carry), 1911's and Hi-Powers. That's about it.
 
Kydex killed many of the old school companies that Covid did not. No more leather punches and block molding. You can 3D print them now.
That's not true, the gool old leather artisans are alive and well...
Milt Sparks
Mitch Rosan
5 shot leather
Del Fatti
K.L. Null
Kramer
Brommeland
...and I see no signs of them going anywhere.
 
The classic leather companies are still doing well, if not better than usual. Many people will still wait for quality. Just checked the Milt Sparks website: "Our current backlog is approximately 26 weeks"
Top Gun Supply normally has a decent stock of Milt Sparks holsters ready to ship immediately. Got a bunch of Sparks VM-IIs for SIGs in stock right now.

Other makers such as Ritchie, Blade-Tech, Don Hume, G&G in stock as well.

https://www.topgunsupply.com/gun-holsters-for-sale.html

At the Puyallup WAC show, I always hit up the Kramer guy. Buy one holster at least, even if I don't have a gun for it...
 
It seems like a lot of new guns come in a case that includes multiple backstraps, magazines, loader and a servicable holster.
Good thing too about the holster because there are so many new pistols being released and then ceasing production within a short period of time, good luck otherwise finding a holster for it.
Back in the old days there were K-frame revolvers (serious every day carry), 1911's and Hi-Powers. That's about it.
Good points made. There are some 20 different double stack sub compact 9mms now. All of which are designed for concealed carry. All of them likely have different levels of holster support.
 

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