There is a visceral feeling that comes about when holding something in your hands that was made in your community – perhaps by a neighbour, a friend, or a friend-of-a-friend. As Toronto continues to refine its voice as a global cultural force, we look inwards at the individuals quietly working away, creating careful objects of beauty with their hands. It is this entrepreneurial gusto and cultural vision that we believe makes Toronto special. Our Made In Toronto series is intended to serve as a looking glass into the minds and workplaces of these creative spirits, all with a unified love for craft, who believe in hard-work and creating something meaningful for their neighbours. Here, we present once again: Made In Toronto with Don Taylor.

Entering Don Taylor’s workshop feels like taking a step back in time. Less a library than a hospital, its patients suffer torn pages, ripped covers–casualties of old age, and ill treatment. But Taylor’s there to look after them. Because he cares. While it’s nearly a forgotten profession in the age of digital media and mass-market paperbacks, the essentials of bookbinding–the sewing, stitching and stamping–go back to the first century, when monks in Europe first bound sheets of vellum for religious texts. No wonder there seems something holy, something ancient about it. And bookbinding is still very much in demand, as Taylor not only restores old texts, but crafts new books using specialized tools and hand cranked machines. And it’s in his own work, the original volumes he fashions that his talents truly shine. In an age where the written word is rarely written, we believe artisans like Don are more important than ever. Find Don Taylor at 176 John Street (Just north of Queen Street). For more information about Don, go here. Or, give him a call: 416.591.8801.