Happy Friday Amigos,

Welcome to the next edition of JM’s Weekly Roundup. A quick hit of what’s new at La Matera and a few things that’ve popped up on my radar lately.

TL;DR:

• La Matera Highlight: A fresh shipment of our Exótico belts just landed.

• Book of the Week: A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

• Band I’ve Been Grooving To: Susto - longtime buddy Justin making some damn good jams. Also worth a listen: Susto Stringband.

• Weather Watch: Time to dust off that old winter jacket and lean into the layers.

• Weekend Wisdom: “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.” - John Ruskin

1. La Matera Highlight: Exótico Restock

If you’ve read this far, then you already know more of our Exótico belts just went live on the site. These quickly became a staple around here. Hard to beat the bold pattern, solid construction, and the kind of character that stands out without trying too hard.

These go quick, so if you missed out on the last run, now’s a good time to take a look before they disappear again. Keep an eye out for a couple Exótico rundown emails hitting your inbox next week, but consider this your early invite.

2. Book of the Week: A Sand County Almanac

I’ve been spending some time with A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. It’s one of those books you don’t rush. You pick it up, sit with it for a bit, and come back to it later.

It has a way of slowing you down and pulling your focus back to the present moment, the land, the seasons, and the small details that usually slip by when everything’s moving fast.

3. Band I’ve Been Grooving To: Susto

This one’s personal. The lead singer of Susto, Justin Osborne, and I grew up together, and I’ve known him for the better part of 30 years. I feel lucky to have a buddy like Justin in my life, he’s endlessly creative and always inspiring in the way he approaches his craft.

I still remember his hardcore days playing shows back in the Block Building, and now here he is years later making some damn good jams with Susto. We grabbed lunch yesterday in Austin, got to catching up, and it felt like the right time to put them on your radar this week.

Also worth checking out is his side project, Susto Stringband, a stripped-down, rootsy take that’s perfect for long drives or winding things down at the end of the day.

4. Weather Watch: Time to Layer Up

If you’re in Texas or anywhere across the South, things are about to get properly cold this weekend. Could be as cold as 17°F over the weekend, which, as most folks down here know, isn’t exactly what this part of the country is built for.

Probably a good weekend to take it easy, layer up, and lean on the dependable stuff. Stay safe out there, amigos.

5. Weekend Wisdom: John Ruskin

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.”

This one’s been sticking with me lately. It’s a good reminder that the things we end up valuing most - whether it’s craftsmanship, relationships, or habits - don’t happen by accident. They’re built slowly, with care and intention.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for tuning in and stay warm out there. Appreciate you being here, as always.

On to the weekend.

Cheers,
JM

Jon-Mark Craddock
CEO

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Originally sent through JM's Substack on 2026-01-23.