The most popular material with fashion-conscious individuals is leather. Leather can be easily cut, shaped, and designed but it is an expensive material. Therefore it is commonly used for luxury bags and designer labels. The bags bring beauty to you and add a charming style.
One of the most popular accessories is the handmade leather crossbody bag. It is a bag that can be worn with the strap over the shoulder and the bag on the opposite side. It can be worn with different strap positions and paired with dresses, coats, and shirts.
The bags come with straps or chain straps and they do not completely cover your shirt or coat. The chain straps can make your outfit look more dressy. You can wear the bag with a matching dress to create a streamlined look that is perfect for a business event.
You can wear a bright bag with a dark dress to make your bag stand out. This will make your outfit look cheerful and it is perfect for a casual outing. Alternatively, you can wear a dark bag with a bright dress.
How are handmade leather bags made?
The leather bags are made using raw materials like vegetable-tanned genuine leather, teak wood, linen or waxed thread, adhesive, and quality lacing. Other things needed are buckles, hole-piercing gadgets, rivets, stitching needles, leather dyes, and acrylic paints.
- First, all the components are cut from the raw material - finished leather. The leather is of irregular shape and size and not uniform. There is variation in the grain structure of the leather.
- Next scissors and rotary cutters are used to cut the leather. Proper tools and techniques are used to cut the leather in different shapes.
- The cut components are skived to the edges to ensure ease of folding and stitching and to remove the bulkiness at the seams.
- The components are then taken for stitching. The edges are folded inside to make them appear neat and clean. It is ensured that beauty and cleanliness are maintained while stitching the connecting parts.
- As per the specifications, zips and other fasteners are attached. The outer material which is leather and the inner material of the bag are glued together and then stitched. Sometimes reinforcement material is also used.
- The lining and the stitched ends are trimmed and sealed. The surface of the bag is cleaned and polished. The decorative items like buckles, buttons, and chains are fitted. The leather bag is now ready to be packed and sold.
Caring for your leather handbag
Leather bags should be maintained from the outside and should be preserved when they are stored inside. Leather bags should be cleaned with a suede brush once a month to brush away the dirt and grime from the sides and the seams.
Leather is not water-proof and absorbs moisture in humid conditions and rain. This can lead to the growth of mould and mildew. Therefore you need to protect your bag. You can use beeswax cream on the outside of your bag. You can use a leather protectant spray to protect your bag from the elements.
To prevent the leather bags from cracking or drying you should use a leather conditioner. You can put a few drops of the conditioner on a clean cloth and rub your bag from outside. This should be done once a month to maintain the life of the leather bag.
If you are using your bag every day then it will wear out faster. You can take a break and use another bag for a while. You can rotate your bags rather than wear the same bag for a month. You can use your leather bag once a week rather than every day.
If water gets inside your bag then you should not try to dry it with heat as it can damage the leather. You should use a clean cloth to wipe out the majority of the water and let the bag air dry. The water should be allowed to dry naturally.
Leather bags with long straps can rub against your jeans and can get stained. The colour of the jeans may transfer to the leather bag. You should take your bag to a leather boutique and get it cleaned.
