Ladies Bottlebag

The template for this shopper made of vegetable tanned, lightly waxed cowhide was the original of a bottle bag, as they have already produced Harold’s in the 1950s and 60s. At first glance, the Bottlebag appears to be simply made of two large leather cuts sewn together on edge, but it comes with useful details that the original did not have. The new edition now closes with a full-width zipper and has a small slip pocket inside. A second layer of leather reinforces the punched-out handles, which are comfortable to hold even when fully loaded - the bag was originally designed for three 1-liter bottles. The Bottlebag can also now be carried over the shoulder or "crossbody" by means of a strap. Both ends are sewn to the back so that the bag fits close to the body. Unlined processed, the Bottlebag brings only 700 g on the scale and is therefore quite light.

Fine leather craftsmanship is in the blood of the Schmelz family. They are behind the Harold’s brand and have been producing leather bags since 1936, now in its third generation. In the 1950s, the manufactory began cooperating with foreign partners, initially in Italy and later also in Colombia and India. This not only led to the relocation of parts of the production facilities abroad, but also to the brand name Harold’s, under which production was henceforth carried out. The designs are all created at the company's German headquarters near the Hessian metropolis of Frankfurt. The top priorities are well thought-out shapes and functionality, timeless design and, above all, first-class craftsmanship and natural, durable leather. This is the only way to achieve the declared aim of producing "bags for a lifetime". Production takes place primarily in Colombia and India - always taking local conditions into account - and since 2010 also in Obertshausen.

The successful cooperation with a small factory in Colombia has existed since 1985 and involves more than the usual: it is based on statutory employment contracts that offer the workers stable working conditions with security such as health, accident and pension insurance. The majority of employees have therefore been working in the company for more than 20 years and have the relevant specialist knowledge and many years of experience in leather processing. This is not a matter of course in South America's leather goods industry, which is characterized by migrant labor. Equally unusual are the extensive safety regulations, thanks to which the working environment comes close to European standards, for example in terms of acoustics, distances and cleanliness. The majority of the machines used for production also come from Europe. Most of the leather comes from cattle from Colombia, which are kept outdoors all year round, as is customary in South America; for the German site, it comes from Germany. After tanning, the leather surface still shows the natural grain with the traces of an animal's life, such as mosquito bites or small tears, and soon forms the patina typical of leather. Fabrics and metal parts are also produced in close proximity to the Colombian and German sites.

Please note that the bag is unlined, so the velour on the inside may initially give off fluff or rub off, as with other leathers. The dark colour on the outside may rub off on light coloured clothing.