Where It Started
It was 2014. Mike Watts and his father had a problem that a lot of people had but nobody was really solving well: phones were getting bigger, pockets weren't, and drops were becoming expensive and routine.
They weren't looking to build a company. They were looking to build a solution. A phone grip that was slim enough to actually use, functional enough to justify the space it took up, and designed with enough care that you'd actually want it on your phone.
What they built was LoveHandle.
The name says something about the spirit of the company. It's warm and a little playful. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but it takes the product very seriously. That balance — confident but approachable, functional but stylish — has been LoveHandle's identity from the beginning.
Why Made in the USA?
From day one, Mike and his father made a decision that's unusual in the consumer accessories space: they would build products in the United States whenever possible.
This wasn't the easy choice. Manufacturing overseas is cheaper. The supply chains are established. Every business advisor will point you toward factories in Asia and explain the economics. They were right about the economics.
But Mike's father had a different perspective — one grounded in a generation's worth of watching what happens when American manufacturing disappears from communities: the jobs that go, the skills that atrophy, the towns that hollow out. Making things here mattered on a level that was personal, not just principled.
Today, LoveHandle Original and LoveHandle XL are Certified Made in the USA, meaning they are substantially manufactured domestically from materials to assembly — a verified standard, not just a marketing claim.
For the rest of the lineup, LoveHandle products are designed and assembled in the USA using global materials, maintaining hands-on quality control and product integrity while allowing for innovation and scalability.
What That Decision Costs (and What It's Worth)
Let's be straightforward about it: building products in the USA costs more. LoveHandle grips are not the cheapest on the market. They're not trying to be.
What domestic production and assembly buy you is control. When your operations are close to home, you see them. You can visit. You can catch problems before they become products in customers' hands. The feedback loop between design and production is tight, not weeks-long.
It buys you accountability. When something isn't right, you fix it — because your name is directly attached to it.
And it buys you something harder to measure: confidence in how your product is made and the standards behind it.
LoveHandle charges a little more than the cheapest alternatives. In return, you get a grip that's made right, backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and built to last.
A Decade of Evolution
In the ten years since Mike and his father started LoveHandle, the product has grown significantly. The original grip has been refined, iterated, and improved. New products have been developed:
- LoveHandle PRO Grip ($24–$30): Ultra-slim at 0.19 inches, with a patented two-way kickstand, built-in Neodymium magnets, and the swappable Swap Strap system.
- LoveHandle PRO for MagSafe ($38–$45): Designed for iPhone users, with seamless MagSafe compatibility for chargers, mounts, and accessories.
- Swappable Straps ($15): Interchangeable silicone straps in dozens of colors and styles, swappable in seconds.
Each product reflects the same philosophy from 2014: solve the real problem, do it elegantly, build it right.
What Family-Owned Actually Means
"Family-owned" gets thrown around as a marketing term. For LoveHandle, it means something specific.
It means the people making decisions about the product are the same people who answer to customers when something isn't right. There's no board of directors insulating leadership from feedback. No quarterly pressure pushing quality in the wrong direction.
When a LoveHandle customer reaches out, they're talking to people who care about the outcome — because the company's reputation is their reputation.
The 100% satisfaction guarantee isn't just policy. It's a reflection of how the company operates.
Built with Intention
There's a certain cynicism around product claims today — and sometimes it's earned.
LoveHandle has spent over a decade building trust by being transparent about how and where products are made. Some products are fully Made in the USA. Others are designed and assembled here with global materials. All are held to the same standard.
Customers often tell the same story: they tried a cheaper grip, it fell short, they found LoveHandle, and they stayed.
Not just because the product works — but because they trust it.
The Phone Grip That Started With a Problem
LoveHandle exists because a father and son decided that dropping your phone was a solvable problem — and that solving it well was worth doing right.
Ten years later, thousands of customers, and a commitment to quality — the solution still holds.
FAQ Section
Q: Is LoveHandle really made in the USA?
A: LoveHandle Original and LoveHandle XL are Certified Made in the USA, meaning they are substantially manufactured domestically. Other LoveHandle products are designed and assembled in the USA using global materials, while maintaining strict quality standards.
Q: Who founded LoveHandle?
A: LoveHandle was founded in 2014 by Mike Watts and his father. It remains a family-owned company, which directly shapes how the company operates — from product quality to customer service.
Q: Why does LoveHandle cost more than other phone grips?
A: LoveHandle prioritizes quality, hands-on production, and U.S.-based design and assembly. While that can cost more than mass overseas production, it results in better durability, tighter quality control, and a product built to last.
Q: How long has LoveHandle been in business?
A: LoveHandle was founded in 2014, making it over a decade old in 2026.
Q: Does buying from LoveHandle support American jobs?
A: Yes. LoveHandle supports American jobs through domestic manufacturing of select products, as well as U.S.-based design, assembly, and operations across the entire product line.