"The road is life" Custom Eco-friendly Leather Messenger Bag

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Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles This 10" x 12" x 3 " messenger bag was hand cut from the most exquisite eco-friendly full grain leather hide.

The cows are raised organic by nature, although not always certified, and are free range, grass fed animals that roam on vast expanses of land year round. The pre-tanning is done using farm bred mimosa and is free of chemicals. It is very important to know where your leather is coming from.

A message from Organic Leather:

"Our primary focus at Organic Leather is on how our leather is tanned as that is where we can best prevent further toxicity entering our environment and our bodies. Our organic leather is free from chrome, metal, formalhyde, sodium sulphide, glutaraldenhyde and sulphuric acid which are all usually found in regularly tanned leathers and tanneries. We are very aware of how polluting and harmful tanneries are to the environment and we intend to help to reverse this damage step by step every way we can.

Our tanneries only use natural materials to cure, preserve and tan leather, these are all natural biodegradable tanning materials such as bark tannins, plant tannins, lime or smoke which allows us to keep this process 100% environmentally friendly, so much so that the run off from one of the tannery's we work with goes straight out on to a read bed and then to the fields where they raise their sheep. The natural tanning process takes any where from 5 weeks to 12 months (regular chrome tanning takes less than a week). It is still hard to find people willing to put in the time and effort to do this, but the numbers are growing and the word is spreading."

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

The large vintage buckles on the front of this bag are solid hammered brass. Unfortunately beauties like these are quite rare and these were the only two I had, but I do have a stock pile of other awesome buckles that I have collected like a little squirrel getting ready for winter. These buckles date back to the late 1960's.

 

But....underneath the buckles are magnetic snaps so you get the cool look of the buckle, but you don't have the hassle of doing and un-doing them every time you want to get into the bag....

 

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

The strap buckle is also a one-of-a-kind find. It was originally made in India and dates back to the early 70's. This buckle, along with the hammered brass buckles, were handed down to me from my step-father's old leather shop which he ran in British Columbia. I am very lucky to have them. They are little gems from the past I can pass on to you.

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

The straps are attached with brass rivets to give a little edge to the look of the bag...everything needs a touch of rock 'n' roll.

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

Burnt under the flap of the bag is the Jack Kerouac quote, "Our battered suitcases were piled high on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life."

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

Custom Leather Messenger Bag with Antique Buckles

Have a beautiful, laughter filled weekend!