Most leather goods don’t tell you what kind of leather they use. That’s usually intentional.
Vegetable tanned leather is real leather — animal hide tanned using natural plant extracts like tree bark and vegetable matter. The process takes weeks. It produces leather that is firm, dense, and built to last decades.
The alternative is chrome tanning. It takes 24 hours. It produces softer, more uniform leather. It is also the method used in the vast majority of mass-produced leather goods.
At Bagsmith & Co., every bag uses vegetable tanned cowhide. Here is what that means for you.
It ages. Vegetable tanned leather develops a patina over time — a deepening of color and character that comes from use. The more you carry it, the better it looks.
It lasts. The dense fiber structure of vegetable tanned leather makes it significantly more durable than chrome tanned alternatives. These bags are built to outlast trends, seasons, and casual use.
It is real. No plastic coating. No synthetic finish. What you see is what it is — and what it becomes is yours.
That is not a defect. That is vegetable tanned leather doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
A bag that gets better the longer you carry it. That’s the whole point.
Vegetable Tanned Leather: Real leather. Animal hide. Tanned using natural plant extracts. Ages beautifully. Develops patina. Durable and biodegradable.
Vegan Leather: No animal products. Usually plastic-based (PU or PVC). Does not patina. Tends to peel over time. Not biodegradable.
Both exist. Both have their customers. We just want you to know exactly what you’re holding when you pick up one of our bags.
— Bagsmith & Co.