A look into the studio – How a leather bag is made
Have you ever wondered how your faithful companion, your bag , is created?
You take your bag with you every day and carry your entire life in it. Depending on how much you have to carry, your bag sometimes has to bear a considerable amount of weight. Day after day, week after week, and in all weather conditions. A good bag has to be able to withstand this, for years to come. This and much more must be considered during its creation. We cordially invite you to visit our sunny studio in the heart of Munich to learn more about the process of creating a leather bag at my-BagFactory.
A look into the studio – this is where our leather bags and Suitcase
One thing is immediately apparent: we work with leather bags and suitcases! In our airy studio, a wide variety of bag models are on display, and new prototypes are added almost daily. During particularly busy periods, a bit of "creative chaos" can arise... that's just part of the job. In addition to the desks where creative work takes place every day, the back of the studio houses what is probably the most exciting area: the workspace of our Creative Director, Nik Strauß. Here, everything needed to create a leather bag is ready and waiting – from pieces of leather to airbrush paint for that final, personalized touch. Nik Strauß tells us a little more about the steps a leather bag goes through before it reaches the customer's home as a finished, packaged product.
• 1. In the beginning there is inspiration:
As in any creative profession, the most important thing is inspiration. Where do the ideas for new and new products come from? my-BagFactory has over 500 bag models – how do you keep finding inspiration and developing new models?
Leather itself is an endless source of inspiration. As a natural product, leather is a living material, and it always looks slightly different. This presents a challenge and makes the design process particularly exciting. There are soft leathers that feel wonderfully velvety – such as nappa leather, which we aptly call "Smooth." Then there is the classic saddle leather, which is ideal for creating bags with a firm shape. In addition, there is an enormous variety of leather processing methods, as well as the different possibilities for oiling, dyeing, and finishing. This vast range of leather materials alone is an endless source of inspiration. You can find out more about the different types of leather in our Leather lexicon read more.
Sometimes the starting point for the design of a new leather bag isn't the leather itself, but rather the desired function. For example, when it comes to designing a new, stylish leather camera bag.
• 2. Put the idea on paper:
In the second step, the idea for the new bag model is roughly sketched on paper. Often, several variations or different possibilities are still in mind. The rough sketch serves as a reminder to capture all the inspiration for later. Once a concrete idea has crystallized from these various ideas, the actual production process of the new leather bag can begin.
In a second sketch, the bag model is drawn in detail. This not only takes into account the shape and proportions, but also details the most important details, such as the seam design (the so-called stitching).
Looking good? A good leather bag has to do so much more!
At this point, not only the appearance of the bag is designed, but also its interior. How many and which compartments must it have? What do they look like? Where are zippers needed? For a functional bag, like ours Leather camera bag , the interior is of particular importance. After all, not only does all the equipment have to fit inside, but it also has to be well protected.
• 3. Have you thought of everything? The first design check with the paper sample:
To ensure the idea actually works in practice, a scaled pattern of the bag is first created on thicker paper or cardboard. This allows you to review the entire design, add further details, or develop it further. Making patterns on paper is also particularly resource-efficient because no leather is used.
• 4. Leather comes into play: prototyping
After designing, sketching, and testing on paper, the actual production of the new model begins using the specified leather type. This is a particularly exciting moment, as leather naturally behaves differently during processing than paper. This often results in minor modifications or additions. Some leather bags are given additional reinforcement to make them more dimensionally stable. For others, certain interior components are omitted to make the bag lighter. Particular attention is paid to details: Are all the handles sturdy enough? Is the zipper long enough? Are the dimensions of the padded interior compartments actually suitable for the planned devices?
This is also the first time you can see exactly how the seams will look on the leather and possibly adjust the seam color or technique. The lining is also examined closely here. Does the lining choice really match the leather as well as intended? Is the lining material sturdy enough?
All other details such as eyelets, buckles, rings, and closures are also checked. To ensure the bag is truly ready for everyday use, we also frequently conduct a practical test. This means we simply carry it around as normal to ensure that everything has been considered. Often, minor defects or omissions only become apparent during everyday use—which is why the practical test is particularly effective.
• 5. From prototype to production: a new leather bag comes onto the market
Once the prototyping phase is successfully completed, the finished bag design can be manufactured. my-BagFactory places particular emphasis on ensuring that our handmade leather bags are produced exclusively with manufacturing partners who maintain above-average work standards. To this end, we build long-term partnerships with suppliers and regularly visit their production facilities.
Parallel to the production of the new bag model, we are working on the first prototypes of the bag to create the images for the shop. While the bags are still being sewn, our marketing team is taking care of creating all the corresponding product and image images. This way, ideally, our customers can see and order the bag in the shop the same day the delivery of the new bag model arrives at our warehouse.
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