How leather handbags are made

Some leather bags are made from almost 100 separate pattern pieces, and each visible cut edge is painted by hand.

stations: 6
things upstream: 67
raw sources: 20
steps from the ground: 9

The short version

A leather handbag starts as tanned hides, which are checked for flaws and cut into flat panels with steel dies. The edges of the panels are thinned so seams do not bulk up. Stitching builds the bag from the inside out, linings go in, and metal hardware such as clasps and rings is riveted on.

Inspect the hides

Each hide is examined for scars, insect bites and thin spots. Cutters plan which part of the hide goes into which piece, because the strongest and most even leather goes where the bag takes the strain.

Goes in
Leather
Die-cut the panels

Cutters use a razor-sharp knife for one-off pieces and machines for regular shapes, working around scars and flaws. Lining pieces are cut from cotton, nylon or a lighter leather.

Goes in
Cotton fabric Nylon
Skive and paint the edges

A skiving knife shaves the edges of each panel thinner, so seams with several layers stay flat. Any cut edge that will show is stained, sealed and polished, either with a small wheel or by hand on tricky shapes.
Glue and reinforce

Stiffening and foam are glued behind the leather to give the bag its structure. Contact cement holds seam edges together so they can be stitched evenly.

Goes in
Adhesive
Stitch the bag

Heavy-duty machines or craftspeople sew the panels together with waxed thread, usually in several passes. Handles and straps are stitched to the body with extra stitching at the stress points.

Goes in
Sewing thread
Fix the hardware

Buckles, clasps, rings, rivets and zip pulls, which are cast or stamped from brass or steel, are riveted or screwed on. The lining is then closed, and the bag is stuffed with paper to hold its shape.

Goes in
Brass Zipper

End of the lineLeather handbag

Worth repeating

Tusting cuts only one thickness of hide at a time, so a hidden defect cannot slip through into a bag.
The oldest known surviving handbag is thought to be the Courtauld bag, made in Mosul in the early 1300s.