Our handmade leather bags. Step by Step
We tell you, in detail, how we make handmade leather bags in our workshop
The making of handmade leather bags is a central activity of our workshop and we love to explain it in detail, so that the public knows and values it. Each bag is unique and is made manually, in an operation that we carry out with dedication and care and that in the case of large bags lasts between 4 and 6 hours. Here we summarize the generic steps we follow.
Before making a craft bag there are essential phases, such as design with exact measurements, choosing the leather, making patterns, etc. When all of this is settled, we can move on to making the bag.
In the making of handmade leather bags different elements coexist, as Laura Gómez, designer and manager of Juan-Jo explains. , and because we believe that it is the ideal way to offer more quality. An entirely handmade bag is very different from an industrial, mass-produced one,” she says. Furthermore, handmade bags require love, precision and dedication from those who do the work. “It is an artisan elaboration, where the work is combined on the board, with the hands, and then the seams are sewn by machine. It takes a lot of precision, because if you make a mistake you can't unsew and sew it again like fabric, because the needle holes remain in the skin. When this happens you have to cut the piece of skin again and start over. You have to be very careful and do everything with love,” she adds. The first step in handcrafting leather bags is to cut the pieces of leather that we are going to use. To do this, we cut on the natural skin, following the contour of the patterns that we have previously made. There are patterns for everything from the sides, front and bottom of the bag to the handles. This cutting operation is essential. Leather is not perfect and, although part of its charm lies precisely in its imperfect beauty, a good cut of the pieces implies selecting the optimal areas so that tones and textures fit perfectly. And, at the same time, it is necessary to leave out some imperfections. A high-precision job. In many leather bags, cutting means creating dozens of small and large pieces of leather in various shapes that, on the workshop table, can look like a puzzle. In the following operations we are going to solve the puzzle and shape the bag. The next step is to start putting these pieces together, for which we have to glue and sew the various elements. Every bag requires a way to put it together, and you have to have the skill, patience, and tools needed. We use special glues for leather. And we use various tools to reduce the skin, make small cuts and incisions, put pressure on it, etc. To sew, since we generally work with soft and flexible skins, we use special machines. Other machines are specialized in sewing the fur and when it is necessary, because the skin is very thick or special, the seams are done by hand. Once the body of the bag has the basic shape, we proceed to cover it. Most of our handmade bags are lined with fabrics chosen for their quality and color. The secret of this work is that we make the lining separately, as if it were another bag, with its pockets, zippers, etc.And at the end it is sewn to the leather bag, so that it adapts perfectly to its structure We're close to the end. Although at the end of each operation we do a first review, now a general assessment of the bag is imposed to detect and correct any problem. Threads are removed from seams, zippers are waxed, handles are checked for functionality, and so on. We look at it from top to bottom, inside and out. We also slung it over our shoulders and verified that its structure and ergonomics are optimal. And when everything is reviewed and agreed, the OK arrives. The bag is ready. It is time for each of the handmade bags made in our workshop to begin its life and become a good companion for our clients. Broadly speaking, this is the process. In the handmade making of a large leather bag, we invest a lot of time and energy. It is something we do with passion and pride because the result is a quality bag, made with the training we have as artisans with decades in this trade and arising from the desire to create a beautiful, practical and durable accessory. 
