Leather Types Explained: Full-Grain, Top-Grain, Bonded & Vegetable-Tanned
Full-grain, top-grain, vegetable-tanned, chrome-tanned, bonded — what these terms actually mean, how they differ, and what to look for when buying a leather bag.
The Carry List
Christmas Gift Guide: Find His Bag
Answer a few quick questions and get one gift recommendation from twelve leather goods brands I’ve profiled, by budget, occasion and taste.
Christopher Kane’s Mulberry Debut Leaned on Football Casuals and Parkas. Does Any of That Reach the Antony?
Christopher Kane’s Mulberry debut drew straight from football casuals, parkas and rugby kits — currently marketed as women’s ready-to-wear. The question worth asking for anyone who actually carries a Mulberry bag: where does that design direction go next?
What the Man-Bag Moment Actually Means for the Rest of Us
Athletes and celebrities have made bags the biggest story in 2026 menswear. The coverage keeps landing on the same word — craftsmanship, not logo. Here’s what that actually means if you’re not buying designer.
Carl Friedrik’s Fall Campaign Sells a Story — Not Just a Suitcase
Carl Friedrik’s new fall campaign trades on vintage rail romance and heritage styling — an odd look for a brand whose whole pitch is not paying for a heritage story. Here’s what’s actually in the frame, and what it means for buyers.
Ettinger: Brand Profile
Ettinger has been making leather goods in Britain since 1934, holds two Royal Warrants nearly thirty years apart, and covers more ground on price than any other brand on this list — from an £80 card case to a £4,060 attaché case.
So Many Types of Leather (Before You Even Get to Colour) — Leather4Craft, Newhaven
An open morning at a working leather studio in Newhaven — what a family-run business tucked into an industrial estate taught me about leather before I’d even picked up a needle.
Aspinal Reporter North South: Two Months In (A Hands-On Review)
The first review on this site built from actually carrying the bag, not researching it — two months with Aspinal’s tan saffiano crossbody, including the one pocket that doesn’t earn its place and what the zips feel like day to day.
Tusting Wymington: A Researched Review
A closer look at one of Tusting’s signature business briefcases — the satchel-style construction, the leather choices, and where it actually sits against Bennett Winch.
Carl Friedrik Palissy Briefcase: A Researched Review
A closer look at this site’s minimalist-pick briefcase — the direct-to-consumer pricing, the full-grain leather, and what independent reviewers have actually said about it after months of use.