Croots laptop bag

The laptop bag made of strong, waxed 24-oz cotton canvas accommodates everything you need for the office – and it has a signature red zipper ribbon, red cotton carrier strap and red lining. The capacious main compartment is padded to give the laptop additional protection. Three side pockets can hold battery charger and charging cable. The large document compartment closes with a press stud and also contains two leather pockets for mobile phone or calculator and a penholder. Two more outer pockets, one with a zip fastener, provide additional storage space. The handles are made of 3-mm saddle leather and surround the bag to give the base additional stability.

The British leather manufacturing label Croots gained the reputation of a long-established company within only a short space of time (in just four decades). So hundreds of years of experience are not always necessary – far more important are an understanding of the craft in question combined with the use of only the very finest materials. This was the aim of John and Margaret Smith when they started producing their first hunting and tackle bags under the label Field Sports Products in 1978; they used traditional techniques and quality materials such as robust saddle leather and sturdy cotton canvas. Later, the company’s range expanded to include travel bags and small leather goods. When daughter Jackie and son-in-law Allistair Croot took over the business in 2004, the only thing they changed was the name. Since then, Croots has become synonymous the world over with British craftsmanship and robust, long-lasting luggage. Croots has even supplied members of the Royal Family.
The bags are designed and produced at the company’s workshops in Malton, North Yorkshire, and materials are also sourced in the UK. Weaving takes place in Keighley, West Yorkshire, the waxed cotton canvas is purchased from long-established Scottish manufacturer Halley Stevensons, and metal fittings come from a foundry in Walsall, West Midlands, or Sheffield. The only parts Croots imports are RiRi zip fasteners from Switzerland. The leather is vegetable-tanned and processed according to traditional saddlery techniques. Croots usually uses English bridle leather, from which saddles, tack and belts are made, because this leather keeps its shape and appearance thanks to special tanning techniques.

The British label Croots is one of the leather goods manufacturers that has quickly acquired the reputation of a traditional company. So it doesn't always take centuries of experience, but first and foremost you have to understand your craft and then use the right materials. John and Margaret Smith made this claim when they produced the first bags and cases for hunting and fishing under the label "Field Sports Products" in 1978: in the traditional way and from solid materials such as strong saddle leather and robust cotton canvas. Travel bags and small leather goods were added later. When daughter Jackie and son-in-law Allistair Croot took over the business in 2004, they did not change anything except the name. Since then, "Croots" has become a byword for British craftsmanship and solid bags worldwide; even the royal family owns a few Croots bags. The bags are designed and manufactured at the company's site in Malton, North Yorkshire. And the materials also come from the island: the bags are woven in Keighley, West Yorkshire, the waxed cotton canvas is sourced from the traditional Scottish manufacturer Halley Stevensons, and the fittings come from foundries in Walsall, West Midlands, or Sheffield. Only the zippers are sourced from Riri in Switzerland. Finally, with a few exceptions, the leather is vegetable-tanned and processed in the best saddlery style. In most cases, this is so-called English bridle leather, which is mainly used for saddles, bridles and belts, as it hardly gives thanks to a special tanning process.