A Fair Companion - a contribution from Adventure and Travel
Harold's Bags, a Hessian manufacturer with a British name, continues the Offenbach tradition
leather processing – with stylish, sustainable bags and a lot of ethos.
The Lanscape Travelbag accompanies our editors on their short trips
The Landscape Travelbag from Harold's Bags is quite different from most leather travel bags – more modern and extravagant. The Hessian family business with the British-sounding name has been producing leather bags in Obertshausen near Offenbach since 1936. Since 1985, it has also had its products manufactured in Colombia, and since 1998 in Calcutta, India.
A comfort for trend-conscious bag buyers: Harold's Bags emphasizes that its employees in Colombia have "legally regulated employment contracts and jobs with social security benefits." This counteracts the trend toward cheap migrant labor. Social security, fair conditions, regular working hours of 48 hours per week, and 18 paid vacation days per year are paying off: Most workers have been with the factory for over 20 years, securing important expertise in "artisanal" production and guaranteeing quality.
The robust leather of these Colombian-made bags comes from local cattle that live outdoors. The hides, which are primarily vegetable-tanned, are processed as naturally as possible, preserving grain, bite marks, and scars. This gives the bags a unique, somewhat tough look.
Sustainable is a term that's often thrown around—ultimately, the question is whether a product is of long-lasting quality and whether its design isn't too trendy. In our opinion, the Lanscape Travelbag from the Concepts collection fully meets both requirements.
The edges and corners of the bag are stitched to the outside and secured with denim rivets, creating a unique, striking look. The weekender has two zippered outer compartments, a zippered inner compartment, and—very practical—a bottom compartment for shoes, for example. With carry-on dimensions (57 x 24 x 36 cm), the bag offers enough storage space for a two- or three-day trip. It's available in six colors and retails for €379 .
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