Japanese Craft, American Feel: Inside Cedar Athletics with Jaxon Jabara
36 min
What happens when collecting baseball gloves turns into a mission to create your own? Jaxon Jabara, founder of Cedar Athletics and the glove enthusiast behind Coachella Gloves, joins Scott Payne to share the journey from collecting and working in the glove industry to traveling through Japan and developing his own brand. His goal: combine Japanese craftsmanship with the familiar patterns and deeper pockets American players love. We explore what separates Japanese and American glove designs, how pocket shape and heel padding affect feel, and why Jaxon wants a premium glove to be easier to break in. He also shares his thoughts on water break-ins, leather colors, quality control, and building a glove that earns its place as someone's longtime gamer. Behind the product is a personal story: a name honoring his family's Lebanese heritage, design inspiration gathered abroad, and lessons from Japan about respecting the leather and listening to how a glove wants to break in. Stick around for the lightning round, including his favorite glove in his collection, a Japanese maker he thinks more players should try, and an unexpectedly practical desert island pick. IN THIS EPISODE • From Coachella Gloves to Cedar Athletics • Japanese craftsmanship and American glove patterns • The TK-1, OS-2, and Cedar's developing lineup • Break-in preferences and intentional design choices • Family heritage, customer experience, and lasting quality • Why he'd rather see a customer return in 10 years CONNECT Jaxon / Coachella Gloves: https://www.instagram.com/coachellagloves/ Dude Nice Glove: https://www.instagram.com/dudeniceglove/ Follow Dude Nice Glove for more conversations with the people behind the gloves. For people who love gloves way too much. Product development plans and estimated release dates discussed reflect the time of recording.