The Ellis — Waxed Canvas & Leather Tote, Olive & Tan

Olive canvas against tan leather is the oldest color pairing in outdoor kit, and it is the combination people ask us for most. The tan handles will darken well before the canvas does, so the contrast softens over the first year rather than sharpening.

It comes in two sizes. The small is 13.5″ (34 cm) wide, 10.75″ (27 cm) high and 5″ (13 cm) deep, with a 9.75″ (25 cm) handle drop, and takes up to a 13-inch laptop. The large is 18″ (46 cm) wide, 13″ (33 cm) high and 6.25″ (16 cm) deep, with a 11″ (28 cm) handle drop, and takes up to a 16-inch laptop. Pick the size in the menu above; the price changes with it.

It is for a long walk, a school run or a train, where a third of a kilo saved matters more than formality.

The canvas and the leather

18oz waxed cotton, dry to the hand rather than tacky, carried on tan full grain at every wear point. The canvas is water resistant rather than waterproof, and it can be re waxed at home with an ordinary wax bar.

How it is made

Load bearing seams are saddle stitched by hand, two needles through one hole, so a cut thread stays put instead of running. Brass hardware throughout, unplated, because plating wears through to gray exactly where your hand goes. Cotton twill throughout, with one zipped pocket and two open, and no glue anywhere in the assembly. This one is cut when you order it and leaves in 3 to 5 working days.