Genuine Leather Backpack
- Full-grain American leather, cut and stitched by hand
- Built to last decades, not seasons
- Over 100 years of craft from Gloversville, New York
Real Women. Real Harlan Bags.
Carried every day, built to last a lifetime.
Verdotti Bags
Gloversville, New York — Est. 1921
Leather that gets better every year you carry it
Most bags are made to look good on a shelf. A Harlan bag is made to be used. We source only full-grain American leather — the highest grade, with the natural surface intact. It doesn't crack, peel, or fall apart after two seasons.
What it does instead is develop a patina. The leather darkens where you grip it. It softens at your favorite pocket. In five years it looks nothing like anyone else's bag — because it's been shaped by your life, not a factory mold.
Hand-cut and stitched — Gloversville, N.Y.
Made by hand, the way it has always been done
Since Roy Harlan cut his first bag in 1921, nothing about how we work has changed. Every piece starts with a full hide, inspected by hand. Every panel is cut along the grain. Every seam is stitched with waxed linen thread — the same thread cobblers used a century ago because nothing made since has outlasted it.
There are no machines that do this work for us. There are no shortcuts that don't show up in five years. A Harlan bag takes three days to make. That's not a selling point — it's just what it takes to do it right.
Three days.
Every single time.
Most bags are stamped out by machine in minutes. A Harlan bag takes three days of focused hand work. Here is exactly what happens — and why it cannot be rushed.
One
Chosen by hand.
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Full-grain inspection Only the top 15% of each hide — tightest grain, most even surface. The rest is set aside.
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Hand cutting along the grain Cut with steel templates Roy Harlan made in the 1940s. Cutting with the grain means the bag holds its shape for decades.
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Edge beveling Every cut edge beveled and burnished by hand — the step most manufacturers skip. It's what stops leather cracking at the edges.
Two
Set for life.
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Waxed linen thread The same thread cobblers used a century ago. Does not rot, fray, or weaken. Synthetic thread — used in nearly every bag today — breaks down within years.
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Saddle stitching by hand Two needles, one thread. If one stitch breaks, the seam holds. Machine stitching unravels from a single break.
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Hardware setting Solid brass, set and pull-tested by hand. No hollow rivets. No chrome plating over cheap metal.
Three
Built to age.
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Natural conditioning Conditioned with pure neatsfoot oil — used on fine leather for 200 years. Feeds the leather and starts the aging process correctly.
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Final inspection Every seam, edge, and piece of hardware checked by hand. If anything is not right, it goes back.
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Wrapped and shipped Natural cotton wrap — no plastic — with a leather care card. Because a Harlan bag is meant to last a lifetime.
Verdotti Bags
Carried. Loved. Passed Down.
"I've bought bags from everywhere over the years. This is the first one I've never thought about replacing. The handles have developed this beautiful dark patina that you simply cannot buy — you have to earn it. It just keeps getting better."
"I accidentally ordered Brown when I wanted Blue. Emailed them the same day and they sent the correct one with a prepaid return label — no forms, no waiting, no hassle. The bag itself is stunning. The leather smells exactly like a real leather shop should."
"I ordered it skeptically — I've been burned by 'quality leather' online before. When the box arrived the bag was wrapped in tissue, stuffed to keep its shape, and came with a care card. Before I even opened it fully I knew this was different. You can feel the difference immediately."
"Thought I'd made a mistake on the size — too small for everything I carry. Called them, they walked me through the Tote instead, sent a return label same day. The exchange arrived within 4 days. I'm giving this one to my daughter eventually. First bag I've thought about who inherits it."
"Ordered on a Wednesday, had it by Friday. Tracking updated every step — didn't have to wonder where it was for a second. The bag arrived in perfect condition, stuffed neatly in a box that actually felt like someone cared about it getting there safely. No logo. Just real leather."
"My only hesitation was the color — Chestnut looked beautiful online but I've been fooled before. It arrived and it was exactly right. Warm, rich, not orange. They include a small leather swatch in the box so you can see what it'll look like with age. That detail alone tells you everything about this company."
"A small stitch worked loose near the handle after 11 months. Sent one photo. They shipped a replacement strap within 48 hours, no pushback, no 'how did you use it' questions. That's how you know a company stands behind what they make. The bag itself has aged beautifully — looks better now than day one."
"I did the math. More than $2,000 on bags in the last decade. Every single one is gone — donated, worn out, or embarrassing. This one I'll still have in ten years. Free returns gave me the confidence to try it. I didn't need them. It's the last bag I'm ever buying."