08/31/2025
It’s been a while since I had a custom bag order. Don’t worry, I still do them! 😆 This bag was ordered to replace a customer’s favorite, but literally crumbling, Urban Outfitters bag made from “Genuine Leather”.
Absolutely no shame on the customer, but I thought this was a perfect chance for an educational PSA that could save you A LOT of money in the long run: When you see the term “Genuine Leather” on items in stores and online you might think it’s an indicator of quality and luxury. It’s a marketing trick to intentionally mislead consumers into believing “you can be confident buying this because it’s real leather”. What it really means is “it’s made from a percentage of leather”.
“Genuine” and “bonded” leathers are actually the lowest quality material a manufacturer can buy and still technically label their finished item as leather. Think of it like hotdogs or bologna. They take all the leftover interior shavings of a hide that have the least amount of strength and durability and they glue layers of it together, add all kinds of binders and then have to overly process and press it to get a uniform appearance. What they get in the end is so thin and weak that it has to be backed with fabric and/or cardboard. It doesn’t take too long for the protective polyurethane top coat to come off these products with any amount of wear and soon after the “genuine leather” begins to flake or peel away. I’m sure you’ve seen it on a wallet, bag, belt, couch, or car upholstery at some point.
The original Urban Outfitters bag actually had a tag inside that said “KEEP AWAY FROM OPEN FIRE”.
“Genuine Leather” is usually stamped on these types of products or the packaging, they’re often made overseas, and another good indicator is price. For example, a belt from the department store going for $25-$50 will inevitably fall apart.
When buying leather products, keep an eye out for “full grain” which is the highest grade you can buy. It means the hair is removed and it’s sent right into tanning. The natural markings and character of the hide are preserved. It is the strongest and most durable and will patina over time. Full grain leather can last a lifetime and be used by generations.
The second highest quality leather you can get is “top grain”. This means that the very top layer is sanded, buffed, or shaved down to remove imperfections before other finishes and/or textures are applied. Top grain is also known as “corrected grain”. Still very strong and high quality, but is going to be ever so slightly compromised over a long period of time compared to full grain since the top layer of the skin was removed.
Buying full grain or top grain pieces will be more expensive initially, but will last considerably longer. If you buy one full grain belt for $100+ it might sting, but you’ll have it for years. Decades even. It’ll actually get better with age. Now consider how much you’ll spend if you keep going through $25 “genuine leather” belts once or twice a year for the same length of time.
“Buy once, cry once”.
This new tote is full grain, soft, supple and light weight (one of the things she loved about the previous bag was how light it was and this new one wasn’t much heavier than that “genuine leather” fabric based version) and most importantly it’s built to last!
Rolled edges, magnetic closure, front and interior pockets, and a minimalist handle attachment style that mimicked the original. I hadn’t done it before, but it grew on me by the end.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk 🤣
