HANDCRAFTED CUSTOM LEATHERGOODS • MADE FOR YOU IN LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND • SINCE 1966

Customization guide

1

Select your style

2

Select your color

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Select personalization

We have a large selection of sizes and styles to choose from, many of which have customization options. Please make sure you know the style you are purchasing as some of the customizations are only available for certain styles.

Let's think about color

Please explore our range of colors in our color guide to help you to choose the perfect shade for you.

The color you see on screen can vary depending upon the monitor you are using, so If you need a little help to decide on or confirm the color of leather, we have leather swatches available so that you can actually feel and smell the leather as well as see the exact color. You can choose any 10 leathers and we’ll post out samples to you together with a voucher code so that you can redeem their value upon ordering. All you pay for is postage. We usually send swatches via Royal Mail international. You can order swatches below. You can also see the colors in our color guide.

Now, let’s personalize your bag

You’ve chosen the perfect style, size and color for your bag so now it’s time to add those little extras that will make it perfect. As we make each bag to order in our workshop, we are able to offer a range of customizations that our craftsmen can add just for you. Listed below are our standard customizations, but fully bespoke work is also available (see below).

Monogramming

Our leather goods can be monogrammed in Silver-leaf, Gold-leaf or blind (debossed).

Up-to eight characters/letters can be embossed for the cost of $20 in blind or $30 in color – with or without periods. Additional characters cost $4 extra. The maximum number of characters that are available will depend upon the style of bag chosen, and can also be influenced by the choice of characters (e.g. an ‘M’ is much wider than an ‘l’). We are happy to verify if something will fit if you are unsure, so please contact us with your inquiry. We do also offer a custom monogramming service, where we have an embossing plate made especially for you, if your selection won’t fit or if you would like something a little more creative.

Our standard monogramming font is ‘Edinburgh’ in point size 30, and we can emboss in uppercase, lowercase or a mix of both. We have punctuation marks and a selection of characters like ‘&’ and ‘-’ but not many characters with accents. We do not have subscript or superscript characters available. If you need a particular font or a mix of unique characters then our bespoke monogramming service may well be the answer.

Bespoke Monogramming

If you’d like something a little different (or even a lot different) eg. more letters, different font selection, Cyrillic or Sanskrit text, unusual characters, your full name, a phrase or quote, or would like a specific design, symbol or logo on the bag, then our bespoke service is for you

Special brass plates can be created by our toolmakers with your exact design. Very fine details are attainable allowing us to create signatures, custom text, logos etc which can then be embossed onto the bag in gold or silver leaf or with a blind emboss.

Another option we have available is laser engraving. We can laser engrave onto either side of the leather meaning that you can have a quote or message engraved inside or under the flap which will be seen every time you open your bag.

Our custom monogramming service is available for $60, depending on your requirements.

Handles

For convenience or aesthetics, many people love a handle to be added to the top of their bag, allowing them another method to carry.

A briefcase style handle customization can be added to any of the satchels from 11” upward, although it is usually seen on the larger bags. This customization costs $40, and when we add the briefcase handle to your satchel the top of the bag is flattened instead of the standard curved shape, meaning that there is a slight reduction in the height of the bag (between ½ to 1 inch, depending on the style of bag). Please see the example photos. This option can not be retrofitted to an existing bag.

An alternative is the bolt-on handle which is available for most of our styles and costs $25. Please see the images. This style of handle can be retrofitted to a bag after it has been made, so you could add this later on if you decided that it would be useful.

As standard practice when making a bag with a handle, we accompany it by fitting a detachable shoulder strap (a strap with trigger hooks at each end so that it can be removed) allowing the bag to be used as either a shoulder bag or as a handle only carry bag. This method also gives the option of using a pixie or sporran as a clutch. If the handle is fitted at a later date, then please be sure to request that your fixed strap is also changed to a detachable one as this won’t be done as standard. We can of course supply a bag with a handle and a fixed strap, please just let us know when you place your order.

Shoulder Strap

A fully adjustable shoulder strap is supplied as standard with each bag. On smaller bags the straps are 38-inches in length and the larger ones have a 46-inch long strap.

Our Standard straps are designed to fit people sized between 5’6” (168 cm) to 5’10” (178 cm) and have a good deal of adjustability so will usually fit people between 5’3” to 6’1” of average build. If your bag is to have backpack straps, then these will be adjusted accordingly for your size.

A longer shoulder strap is often a good idea for anyone who has a broader or taller stature or for people who like to wear their bag across the body, instead of off-the-shoulder.

We are also happy to shorten the straps for you if you are smaller in stature, or if the bag is for a child, or we can add extra holes to the strap (*along with a strap keeper to keep the excess strap in place). Straps can be easily replaced at a later date if required

Our strap adjustments are charged at a $10 for 6 inches and $15 for 12 inches.

Shoulder Pads

If you carry a lot of things in your bag and know that it is likely to be heavy, then a shoulder strap pad is available to help spread the weight on your shoulder. The shoulder pad is a removable item and slips over our standard straps and for $20 we will craft you a shoulder pad in any of our leathers. Shoulder pads are available for our 19 mm and our 25 mm wide straps.

We have designed our shoulder pad so that it is a little curved and fits comfortably on the shoulder and it is backed with suede to add cushioning and grip. We highly recommend a shoulder pad for anyone carrying a lot of weight in their bag and particularly for students who carry a lot of heavy textbooks.

Shoulder Strap Width

We have two standard shoulder straps, 3/4″ (19 mm) or 1″ (25 mm) depending upon bag size. We can also supply a 1 5/8″ (37 mm) which can help in spreading the weight of the bag over your shoulder, which can be particularly useful for people who commute or travelling regularly. We usually recommend adding a wider strap to our larger products such as our 14″, 15″or 16.5″ satchels.

Gusset Depth Altering

Our bags are crafted with generously sized gussets, but many people, particularly students, find they have to carry a considerable number of items on a daily basis; textbooks, laptop, notebooks, papers, tech and all manner of other things. A deeper gusset can be a useful customization, effectively allowing you to carry ‘more books’ in your bag – not bigger books.

Bespoke gusset sizes can also be added from just 3 cm (perfect for a tablet, laptop or a few notepads) up to a maximum of 42% of the satchel’s width. We would generally recommend that a gussets should measure one-third of the bag width, eg. for a 15″ satchel would recommend a 5″ gusset.

We charge $30 to boost the depth of the gusset by an inch.

Backpack Straps

When we fit backpack straps we also fit a detachable shoulder strap, making it interchangeable with the backpack straps allowing for a choice in carrying methods. If you would prefer not to have a shoulder strap at all, then please be sure to request ‘Backpack Straps Only’.

Backpack straps are ideal for cyclists or smaller children who carry a lot of heavy books, but may find that a traditional shoulder strap puts a little too much weight on just one shoulder. An upgrade to interchangeable backpack straps and shoulder straps costs $45 for 19 mm ones and $65 for 25 mm ones..

Traditional Fasteners or Magnetic Fasteners

Traditionally, the classic satchel uses buckles to fasten down the front flap. There is an art to mastering them, and it only takes a regular satchel user a couple of seconds to buckle or buckle them. Buckles are also a good deterrent to thieves. No matter how good traditional buckles are, they still require you to actually unbuckle them to gain access to your bag. For $15 we can modify your satchel to fit it with magnetic fasteners; these still look like classic buckles, but are fitted with discrete magnets hidden underneath the conventional buckles, allowing speedier access to your bag.

A single buckle or magnetic fastener is also available for some of the smaller styles instead of the classic pair. This option depends on your personal style preference .

Gold Hardware

As standard our products are fitted with silver colored hardware. We can exchange this for gold hardware on most of our products (not available for Music Cases). This customization can be added to your bag for $20. We know that many people love gold fittings so with this customization you can add that little hint of gold to your favorite leather bag.

Full Inner Slip Pocket

When you feel that a little more space to have your things organised would be useful, a full inner slip pocket is the perfect customization to add to your new leather bag. A full inner slip pocket is a great way to keep your laptop or tablet safe and secure, depending of course on the size of your laptop and bag. We are happy to offer advice as to whether your laptop will fit in a particular bag or not, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Most of our medium to large handcrafted leather bags can be fitted with a full inner slip pocket. Please check in the customization options of our products to see if this option is available for your favorite design.

Rear Outer Slip Pocket

A rear outer slip pocket is a great addition and is available on most of our bags. Depending on the size of the bag, it's the perfect place to keep a phone or tablet to hand, or even a diary or notepad if you’re a little more old school. Please check the customization options on the product page.

In a Creative Mood?

This website has examples of some of the things that we make – most styles have standard customizations available, and can easily be ordered via the website. If you need a customization that you can’t find here on the site, it doesn’t mean that we can’t make it especially for you. We can make just about anything you want!

All you need to do is email us at team@leathersatchel.com with the following information:

  1. Style and size of the bag (e.g. 14″ Briefcase Satchel).
  2. Any standard Customizations (e.g. gold hardware, wider straps, magnetic fasteners).
  3. The color(s) for your bag or the reference to your chosen design (e.g. SS15-002), or a scan, drawing or photo of your custom design.
  4. Shipping Address (including name and phone number of the addressee).
  5. Please let us know if your order is required by a specific date.

When we’ve received your requirements via team@leathersatchel.com we’ll then confirm your order by return email. We’ll send an electronic invoice so that you can pay securely via credit or debit card. We also accept payment by cleared cheque or bank transfer if you don’t want to pay via card. Read about our payment methods for more information on payments. Invoices are usually sent within 24 hours but occasionally it can take up to 48 hours for us to check over your order and to send you an invoice for a custom satchel.

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