Real Leather Custom Laptop Bag | Handcrafted Durable Cases

Custom made laptop bag made of real leather

The idea from Valerie from Berlin:

I would like to have a laptop bag made of real leather, preferably brown for my husband. The leather should have a rugged or weathered look to it, like a vintage look but the bag should look smart enough to be taken along to business meetings. A MacBook Air should be able to fit in it. The compartments should be well padded for protection, with a compartment for the cables and a phone.

The customer's rating:

Valerie 28 Jan 2018 3:34 pm

I love the bag. The quality is absolutely fantastic. Well done!!!

The story of the Custom made laptop bag made of real leather:

Negotiation phase

Offer from Virginia Kariuki within negotiation

Virginia Kariuki 16 Nov 2017 9:07 am

Hi Valerie,
Thank you for this project. I am looking forward to working on your project.
Please choose what kind of design you'd like, if it's a feminine trendy laptop bag or vintage laptop bag.
Regardless of the design you choose, I will use genuine Kenyan leather that has been aged to give it that raggedy vintage look.

Valerie 27 Nov 2017 10:33 am

Hallo Virginia
The laptop Bag is a vintage bag for a man. Could you please send pictures of suggestions for the brown leather tone you would be working with?

Virginia Kariuki 27 Nov 2017 5:35 pm

Hi Valerie, Apologies for the delay. Here is one of my bags and a design for the laptop bag.

Valerie 05 Dec 2017 2:35 pm

Hi Virginia.
I would prefer have the bag without the outer pockets. Even though it should have a vintage look I would still like to have it on the sleek, elegant side since my husband (who's receiving it as a gift, already has a bag that's more on the casual side) But I do like the type of leather depicted in that particular photo (with the Ferell bag).

Virginia Kariuki 05 Dec 2017 3:26 pm

Hi Valerie.
Great. So I will pad it and put a compartment for the Mac book for shock protection. If you want the laptop to fit perfectly, I'll need the dimensions if it's the 11' or the 13'
It will also have a compartment for a notebook and pens an a lager compartment.

Valerie 06 Dec 2017 8:34 pm

Hi Virginia.
It's a Mac Book Air 13'
Size
Height: 0.11–0.68 inch (0.3–1.7 cm)
Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
And there should be enough room for the charger.

Virginia Kariuki 06 Dec 2017 10:12 pm

Hi Valerie.
Yes the charger will have room in the bigger compartment. And I will include a lining for scratch protection. 🙂

Valerie 07 Dec 2017 8:12 pm

Awesome! Thank you.

Virginia Kariuki 07 Dec 2017 8:18 pm

Great So I think am comfortable with starting the project on Monday. It will take at most 3 days so by Thursday or Friday latest I should deliver it to the Kenyan office.

Valerie 08 Dec 2017 10:59 am

Hi Virginia
Could you please provide photos during the work process? And also a picture of the type of leather so I can see what we're working with?
Thanks

Virginia Kariuki 08 Dec 2017 1:59 pm

Hi Valerie.
Yes, I will take pictures as I work on it. I don't have the leather in the workshop as we speak but come Monday I'll go to the tannery and get the exact vintage brown leather that you had approved. If it's ok I can send you the pictures of the leather when I get it?

Valerie 12 Dec 2017 7:16 pm

Yes that’s fine.

Production phase

Custom made laptop bag made of real leather within custom made realization

Virginia Kariuki 12 Dec 2017 7:39 pm

Hi Valerie.
I went to the tannery on Monday as promised and this is what I got as per our earlier discussion. Please let me know if it's what you had mind.

Virginia Kariuki 14 Dec 2017 7:50 pm

Hi Valerie,
I have sent the general idea of how the bag will look like. Today I cut the leather patterns and got everything except the zips which I plan on using brass zip to make it even more manly. Will send the other pics tomorrow as I work to finish it.

Valerie 19 Dec 2017 6:53 am

Sounds good.
Please go ahead.

Virginia Kariuki 19 Dec 2017 8:38 am

Hi Valerie,
Apologies for the delay but good news is the bag is ready. Here are the photos of the process.
I hope you like it.

Valerie 24 Dec 2017 11:59 am

Hi Virginia.
The bag looks amazing. The only thing my husband is worried about is that the hand straps are too long, making it look like a ladies bag. Could you please make the straps shorter?

Virginia Kariuki 25 Dec 2017 9:42 am

Hi Valerie.
I'll adjust them on 27th and give you feedback. Glad you like the bag.
Merry Christmas 🙂

Virginia Kariuki 04 Jan 2018 12:18 pm

Hi Valerie,
I hope you've been well, I adjusted the straps' length and design too. Let me know how you like it.

Valerie 10 Jan 2018 5:33 pm

Hi Virginia.
The length is perfect. Would it be too much trouble to make the straps rounded like in the first version (as in where the straps were too long) ? Because my concern is that there is more friction carrying it with straight straps rather than when they’re rounded.

Virginia Kariuki 13 Jan 2018 1:44 pm

Hi Valerie,
Hope you're well. I hope that's good? I used the same straps I hope it's not too small.

Valerie 16 Jan 2018 6:45 am

Hi Virginia.
The straps are fine.
I’m looking forward to seeing the final product.
Thank you.

The final Custom made laptop bag made of real leather:

Custom made laptop bag made of real leather photos from customer

Material: tan brown or mocha brown Kenyan leather
Reference: ON001103E-3765

Costs to realize this Custom made laptop bag made of real leather

	Price
Cost of material	89.93
Cost of labour	19.67
Cost of packaging	1.87
Cost of delivery to local operations manager	0.94
Subtotal – payout to craftsman	112.41
Customer aquisition costs (advertising etc.)	11.24
Handling fee Urban Change Lab	11.24
Shipping costs from Kenya to Germany^*	15
VAT (Germany)^*	28.48
Total	178.37