The production process begins with removing the hair and cleaning the hide. Next, the moisture and oils are removed from the skin. Once thoroughly cleaned and drained of all moisture, the hides are placed in large tanning drums, where they are treated with high grade oils, preservatives and individual coloring. Hours later, they are removed from the tanning drums, pressed flat and completely dried.
On occasion, natural marks or lines will appear in the leather. These are anything but imperfections, reflective of the the cow’s journey through life. When they are visible, they are typically the remnants of cow branding, brushes with barbed wire or “skirmishes” with other cows! They distinguish your bag as truly unique. In leather circles, this is considered desirable, as the marks provide a unique individuality, unlike any other bag. (If you would like your bag to have the character remnants, please let us know, and we will attempt to locate one for you.)
Next, your leather is lined with premium suede and cut into one of several unique and timeless patterns. Your bag is then hand assembled by skilled leather craftsmen, using the finest grade thick nylon for stitching. Stylish rivets and rings are added to reinforce potential stress points. Finally, we add both attractive and functional nickel-plated buckles. The result is a ruggedly elegant bag that becomes more beautiful with age. As an added bonus, it quickly converts to a backpack.
We photograph our bags under natural light without post-editing tricks to enhance their appearance. Simply put, what you see, is what you will get . . a beautiful V.T. Bag! (Pictured above, Model# L03)
We are proud of our Vagarant Traveler brand. That’s why every bag we make and send to you, arrives with our unique Vagarant Traveler tag, just one more indication that your bag is the “genuine article”! Recently, I wore a hole in my favorite pair of jeans just as they were getting broken in. On a whim, I used a small piece of leather to patch the hole. Initially, the patch was a little stiff, but after a few weeks’ wear the patch softened up, taking on a darker richer shade that looked pretty cool.
The same is true of our bags. Although full-grain handcrafted leather looks great from the get-go, with the passage of time, each bag will develop its own unique appearance. This appearance will be influenced by exposure to weather, the environment, and handling. With every outing, a new series of “character marks” will appear, each with its own story to tell. This is a distinction of high quality full grain leather. It’s rugged, yet sophisticated, bold and beautiful, representing you as the unique individual that you are!
Another important feature is our use of thick nylon thread. Our expert craftsmen realize that the weakest link in every leather bag is the thread that binds the pieces together. Industry standard thread is subject to breaking, fraying, and stretching, which creates loose seams. Our bags exceed industrial standards and are hand sewn with superior heavy-duty nylon thread, which, like our leather, will make your bag last a lifetime!
