Totes & Bags
Summer Tote – Accordion Bag
Hand saddle-stitched Full-grain leather Made in USA
The Summer Tote is cut from a single piece of glossy Earth brown leather and riveted so it folds down flat when it's empty and stretches open like an accordion when you fill it. It's light enough for a day at the lake or the farmers market.
The handles are cut from the same hide as the bag, so the color and grain match all the way around, and every joint is set with copper rivets and burrs.
Details
- Single-piece accordion body that collapses and expands
- Handles cut from the same hide
- Copper rivets and burrs
- Premium glossy full-grain chrome-tan leather in Earth brown, 5 oz
- Collapsed: 5" x 5" x 15"
- Expanded: 5" x 11" x 15" (not including handles)
One of a kind. This exact tote is the one in the photos. In the expanded shots it's holding three notebooks, to show how far it stretches when it's loaded.
Perfect imperfections
It's better than perfect. It's REAL. You can tell the difference between something stamped out by a machine and something made by human hands, and this piece was made by hand from the first cut to the last rivet.
- The cuts and rivets: every strip is cut and every rivet is set by hand, so the spacing has a slight rhythm and variation that a machine can't fake.
- The surface: natural grain, small scars and shifts in color are part of the hide and stay that way. No two panels look the same.
- The edges and finish: trimmed, sealed and finished by hand, with the small variations that come with it.
These details are the fingerprint of the bench this piece was made on. Nobody else will ever own one exactly like yours, and the scuffs, creases and patina you add over the years will only make it more yours.
Custom orders
Want one made for you? I take custom orders on every piece, in a different leather, color, thread or size. Custom work costs about the same as the ready-to-ship version; it just takes longer, usually 2–4 weeks. Premium and exotic leathers cost more, and I quote those individually. Email hello@vanzantleathercraft.com to start yours. Custom orders are final sale.
Materials & construction
Full-grain leather: veg-tan, chrome-tan or oil-tan pull-up, from US cowhide. Bags are cut from 4-6 oz leather, wallets from 2-4 oz. Every seam is hand saddle-stitched with Ritza Tiger thread, so if one stitch ever breaks the thread can't unravel the way a machine lockstitch does. Hardware is solid brass, stainless, copper rivets or nickel, with YKK zippers. Edges are burnished or painted, and veg-tan is hand-dyed and finished with a snow-proof mink oil paste.
Care
Chrome-tan needs very little conditioning thanks to its natural oils; use a water-based leather cream about once a year. Veg-tan should be conditioned at least twice a year with a trusted product. Clean sparingly with saddle soap.
Shipping
Ships within 1–3 business days from Post Falls, Idaho. Custom orders ship in 2–4 weeks. US shipping only; rates calculated at checkout. Ready-to-ship items can be returned unused within 7 days of delivery (buyer pays return shipping). Custom and personalized items are final sale.