Leather Tote Bag

Soft and supple, with a natural grain you can feel under your fingertips. Full-grain leather keeps the whole surface of the hide, so it feels like real leather, not a smooth plastic coating. Cedar and Maple are smooth aniline leathers with a gentle, waxy warmth. Mountain is nubuck, brushed to a velvety, suede-like softness. Each has a reassuring weight without feeling stiff, and relaxes further the more you carry it.

They are signs of a real hide. Full-grain leather is not sanded or coated to hide its history, so you may see natural grain patterns, small healed scars, fine creases and slight differences in colour where the soluble dyes have soaked in more deeply. No two bags are quite the same, and these marks are part of what makes yours yours. If something looks like damage rather than character, email us a photo and we will take a look.

Slightly, yes. Every hide takes our soluble dyes a little differently, so the shade can vary a touch from one hide to the next and from one run to the next. It makes no difference to how the leather performs, feels or wears: it is the same full-grain leather, made to last and repaired for life. It is part of what makes each bag your own.

It gets better. Over the months the leather softens and relaxes into its shape, picks up a gentle sheen where your hands and shoulder touch it, and slowly deepens in colour into a patina. Cedar and Maple glow and darken the most, Mountain’s velvety nap softens, and Charcoal changes more quietly. Small scuffs blend in over time. It is made to look lived-in, not factory-new, and after a few years it will be unmistakably yours.

It is not waterproof, but a shower on the way to work will not hurt it. If it gets wet, blot it (don’t rub) with a soft, dry cloth, stuff it loosely with paper or a towel to hold its shape, and let it dry naturally at room temperature. Keep it away from radiators, hairdryers and direct sun, which dry leather out and can make it crack. Water marks usually fade as it dries. Once dry, brush Mountain gently with a soft brush to lift the nap. In a proper downpour, tuck it under your coat.

Very little is needed. Day to day, wipe it with a soft, dry cloth and shake out the crumbs now and then. When you are not using it, store it stuffed with paper to hold its shape, in a breathable cotton bag and out of direct sun. Avoid baby wipes, household cleaners, alcohol, silicone sprays and kitchen oils such as olive or coconut oil: they can stain the leather, dry it out or darken it unevenly.

Use it. Leather stays supple by being handled, and it will feel softer in a year than it does on day one. Two or three times a year, give the smooth shades a thin layer of neutral cream or wax-based leather conditioner: test a small hidden patch first, apply with a soft cloth, let it soak in and buff off any excess. More often is not better. Mountain is nubuck, so skip creams and give it a light brush instead. And keep it away from radiators and long spells in strong sun.

It depends on the shade, and we show which applies next to the button. In-stock bags are dispatched from Bath within 3 to 5 working days. Made-to-order bags are made for you in our Cape Town workshop and dispatched within 15 to 20 working days. UK delivery is free either way.

Call us on 01225 683 729 within 14 days of receiving your order. Bags must be unworn, with all tags attached, in their original dust bag and packaging. Exchanges for another shade are free: we send you a prepaid label. For a refund, return postage is paid by you.

Faults in how your bag was made are repaired for life. We arrange and pay for the repair with Tanis Brain, a qualified saddler at TPJB Leather in the UK, and post it back free; you cover the postage to us. Most repairs take up to two weeks. See what's covered.