Men’s leather bags Singapore: Things to look for to make the best purchase

Bags display luxury and men like to make a statement with leather bags that are elegant, sophisticated and refined. When you carry a quality leather bag, it is easy to use it as a tool for ice breaking in networking and professional events.  But buying leather bags can be tricky because these come in various types and quality you must be smart enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. It is not easy to detect fakes unless you know what to look for or what constitutes genuine leather. There are instances when people fall for the good looks and do not mind paying a hefty sum hoping to take home a precious product only to discover soon that the leather starts cracking or the stitching gives way or the hardware starts rusting. Besides the leather the quality, the hardware and artistry also matter.

When you are shopping for leather bags, there are a few things to look for.

The leather used for leather bags Singapore

Full grain leather is the topmost grade leather that retains the good looks year after year, and you must look for when shopping for luxury leather bags or jackets. The leather is unique because as time passes, it looks even better and better. The best leather develops a patina which is a weathered sheeny look that shows upwith ageing. The patina is the hallmark of any high-quality genuine leather products and the reason why people fall in love with leather products. Patina is what differentiates high-quality leather with lesser quality that can never match it.  Keep away from bags made of bonded leather which are pieces of scrapped leather reprocessed with chemicals and plastics to produce sub-grade leather. It neither has that nice leather smell nor ages well.

Tanning process

Leather that is good for bags might not be good for cases because the production methods are different.  For leather, the method of tanning contributes to the quality, price, and usability and there are two methods of tanning – chrome tanning vegetable tanning. learn about Hackathons

Since chromium and other harsh chemicals are used for tanning leather, it derives the name chrome tanned leather. It takes a few days to complete the process, and the majority of leather you find in the market belongs to this grade which is also cheap. The other variety known as vegetable tanned leather uses an eco-friendly tanning process and natural materials like tree-bark for tanning which is why people call it vegetable tanning. During the pre-tanning stage, cowhides have all hair removed and rehydrated.  After cutting each hide into two pieces, it is put in large vats containing natural tannins and soaked for several weeks. Vegetable tanned leather is thicker and stronger (stiffer) than chrome tanned leather but eventually gets soft as the leather breaks in. Vegetable tanned leather is superior to chrome tanned leather and expensive too.

Durability and artistry

Durability is a quality parameter for leather bags Singapore, and it comes from good artistry that is much more than just stitching pieces of leather to make a bag. It is professional art and not just ordinary artistry. A high-quality leather bag must have good quality leather and fine stitching. Full grain leather makes the most durable bags, and it can withstand the recommended load and stress without showing signs of weakening. However, top grain leather is also a good alternative.  The stitching of the bags should be straight but invisible and without any loose threads. Using metal fixers or reinforced stitching for fixing handles ensures its longevity instead of using glue to fix it which can give away any time.

photo/ Awaix Mughal

Hardware

When judging the quality of leather bags, you must also consider the small parts or hardware that goes into its making like buckles, handles, shoulder strap fittings, metallic rings, zippers, and locks. Look closely from each side of the bag to see that the quality of the hardware is good.  If you are buying at some stores, check these parts closely and try out the zipper by opening and closing several times to see that it performs smoothly and consistently.

Colour

The colour of leather bags has a bearing upon the environment where you use it. For example, for use in professional environments, the only choice is dark brown and black leather bags that underline power and authority.  For a more relaxed and casual working atmosphere, using tan and light brown leather bags would suit fine. Black is the universal choice because of its high adaptability in all kinds of settings and environments. Dark brown leather comes very close to it as it stays elegant and classy for many years.

With so many options, in the end, what matters is the kind of statement you want to make with the bag because it must be appropriate for the purpose. The bag should support your initiatives in making a strong statement.

Author: Charlie Brown