Schneider Goods Co

What inspired you to start this business?

National Park trips and camping under the stars bonded us in our early married life. When we started having babies, our days became a bit more ordinary. That inspired us to bring our awe for nature and real things into the simple moments. Our story starts with a hardwood dining room table. With a growing family, we went on the hunt for dining room furniture that could withstand crayon art, homework frustrations, deep conversations, and sippy cup spills. We visited the same furniture shop where Stephen’s parents bought their family table (a hardwood oak that’s standing strong, five kids later) with high hopes to find a duplicate. But as we browsed, we found only cheap synthetic wood materials that wouldn’t hold up against our family chaos. Stephen went into problem-solving mode and learned how to craft a durable hardwood table himself. (We host all our family dinners there now.) But for us, this experience led to deeper questions. How much dignity and beauty did we trade for mass-market synthetics? Are quick and cheap really the best options for our health and our world? As Catholics, we feel an innate responsibility to protect the world God created and to bring its beauty into our homes. We created Schneider Goods Co to bring real things back to our community. Instead of cheap synthetics, we use hardwoods, tallow, herbs, and botanicals — on a mission to bring God’s created world back into our ordinary homes.

How does your faith shape your work?

Dignity Even for the Little Things: Even our baby spoons and piles of laundry have integrity. In a world that’s created by God, nothing is too small for our utmost care and attention. We’re bringing dignity back to the tiny details and finishing touches made by caring hands. Inspired by the Character of God: God created the world with expansive beauty and intention, with all things designed to break down and recycle. When we create from natural materials and fill our homes with beautiful things, we see His character all around us. The Importance of Family, Home, and a Life of Virtue: In past generations, home goods were passed down with stories and recipes — a connection point that’s lost to cheap mass-market products. We’re helping families hold tightly to their stories with natural materials that last through generations again. We teach our children how to be grateful for what they have, and to care for it.

What's a favorite patron saint or scripture?

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a fundamental devotion for our family, since we were married on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, consecrated our family to the Sacred Heart, and treasure the Sacred and Immaculate Heart images hanging in our dining room. St. Joseph the Worker is also a special inspiration for our business, in his hardworking, careful craftsmanship.