Notebook bag, cognac

Harold’s produces this office bag in a classic format and with an understated, well thought-out design. One of the two large zipped compartments is padded so that your notebook, tablet etc. can be transported safely to the office. What we really like is that the other compartment is so spacious thanks to the inserted side wedges and wide zipper that it also offers space for a conventional file folder or a whole bunch of analog documents or Magazine. An external front pocket with magnetic fasteners holds everything that needs to be within easy reach. For convenient handling on longer trips, the back compartment can be opened at the top and bottom so that the bag can be slid over the extended handle of a trolley.

To ensure that the notebook bag can carry weighty contents but is not too heavy itself, Harold’s uses an exceptionally light yet robust cowhide leather. The vegetable-tanned leather is only waxed, but not otherwise finished, so that its surface is velvety soft and rich to the touch and will develop a lively patina. The handles and shoulder straps made of strong, dark brown saddle leather contrast beautifully with the soft, cognac-colored leather of the body. They are open-edged, the carrying handles are partly doubled and reinforced on the gripping surface so that they fit comfortably in the hand. Metal feet protect the base of the bag when it is put down. Inside, the Notebook bag is lined with a strong panama fabric made of equal parts cotton and polyester. The large compartment has a zipped pocket and a slip pocket.

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.

Staining of light-coloured clothing, furniture and other objects is possible.