* Classic leather looks at a surprisingly affordable price-point
* More environmentally responsible
* A new wrinkle in an age-old leather working tradition
You can compare leather bags and luggage until the cows come home, but if you really want to explore some of the newest and more, relatively speaking, environmentally sustainable “genuine leather” options, forget bovine baggage and check out goat leather. You may just find that when it comes to messenger bags and more, a goat leather bag would be the GOAT, or “greatest of all time.”
Goat leather is not only softer and more rugged, it takes on a cool patina with age, giving you that much-desired vintage look and feel, without actually having to use a musty, old bag. The best part: goat leather bags are surprisingly affordable and easy to find online, making it a solid alternative to those pricier cow leather contemporaries.
1. Handmade Briefcase
This goat leather messenger bag doubles as a briefcase with its sturdy top handle. It’s large enough to fit a large laptop, iPad or tablet and more, and features a ton of exterior and interior pockets for your stuff. We like the vintage-look patina, which gives it a soft, distressed look and feel. It’s also a bargain for its low price-point, despite its high-quality materials and rugged construction.
2. Goat Leather Luggage
This goat leather duffel bag is capacious and stylish, with a sophisticated appearance and comfortable carrying straps. It’s sized for carry-on and its distinctive looks mean you’ll never have to worry about mixing up your bag with someone else’s again. The duffel features reinforced rivets, sturdy zippers, large top handles and an adjustable shoulder strap.
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3. Vintage-Look Goat Leather Gym Bag
This rustic gym bag gives you that much coveted “19th-century country doctor in a Western” look, while also being practical and a great deal. It doubles as a handsome carry-on piece for your next weekend getaway.
4. Goat Leather Tote
This minimalist, elegant goatskin tote fuses age-old know-how (didn’t they have goat-skin bags in “The Odyssey?”) with modern style. Fits an iPad or, we suppose, a bottle of fine Greek wine, too. This leather tote makes a chic workbag as well as a casual bag for running errands.
5. Goat Leather Handmade Messenger Bag
This slim cross-body messenger bag is just the right size for a laptop, notebooks and more. It’s also one of those rare bags that can be casual and formal alike, and as suitable for a college student as it is for a CEO.