The Wren — Woven Leather Tote Bag in Chocolate

Chocolate is the Wren for people who like the texture but not the attention. The dark, even tone flattens the weave into something closer to a heavy fabric, and it is the easiest of the woven colorways to wear in winter against a dark coat.

It comes in two sizes. The small is 11.75″ (30 cm) wide, 9.5″ (24 cm) high and 4.75″ (12 cm) deep, with a 9″ (23 cm) handle drop, and takes up to an 11-inch tablet, no laptop. The regular is 15″ (38 cm) wide, 11″ (28 cm) high and 5.5″ (14 cm) deep, with a 10.25″ (26 cm) handle drop, and takes up to a 13-inch laptop. Pick the size in the menu above; the price changes with it.

It is for someone who wants texture rather than a flat panel and still needs the bag to do a day’s work.

The leather

The dye goes right through this hide and takes evenly, which is rare in a dark brown. The weave runs over a full leather backing panel rather than being left open, so the strands cannot spread under load. It looks consistent across a large panel where a lighter brown would show variation.

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. Inside: cotton twill, a zip pocket on the wall and two open pockets opposite it. This one is cut when you order it and leaves in 4 to 6 working days.