The Complete Handbook of Handbags, Wallets & Cases

Chapter 1: Understanding Handbags, Wallets & Cases

A handbag, wallet, or case is, at its most basic level, a containment system for objects you need to move from one place to another. It is a simple proposition, but the engineering required to do it reliably, securely, and for years is deceptively complex. A good bag must hold its shape against the constant pull of gravity. It must protect its contents from water, dust, and impact. It must open and close tens of thousands of times without failing. And it must do all this while being carried on a body that is moving, bending, and encountering countless environmental hazards, from a rainy commute to the abrasive edge of a desk.

To understand why a bag costs forty dollars versus four hundred dollars, you must look past the logo and look at the material costs and labor hours. The difference lies in the hide, the thread, the hardware, and the time spent cutting and sewing. Consider a standard leather tote. The cheapest version you can buy at a fast-fashion retailer costs around twenty dollars. It will be made of a split leather or a bonded leather, which is a thin sheet of leather fibers glued to a polyurethane backing. It will be sewn with polyester thread at a density of four to six stitches per inch. The handles will be attached with a single line of stitching and perhaps a simple rivet. The bag is constructed, folded, and glued at some joints.