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Our duffle was designed by our intern Will Waris, who came from Kansas State University’s industrial design program.
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Handcrafted in the USA from full-grain, vegetable-tanned harness leather sourced from our local tannery, Hermann Oak. Each bag is cut, edge-finished, and constructed by hand in our downtown Kansas City studio.
Harness leather is a type of full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather known for its durability, strength, and ability to withstand the elements. It is traditionally used for horse tack such as harnesses, saddles, and bridles, where the leather needs to be both tough and flexible. Harness leather is specifically designed to handle heavy-duty use, which makes it ideal for high-quality goods like bags, belts, and straps.
Key Features of Harness Leather:
Hot-Stuffed with Oils and Waxes: After tanning, harness leather is treated with a mixture of oils, waxes, and tallow (a type of fat), which makes it more supple, water-resistant, and long-lasting. This process is called "hot-stuffing," and it ensures the leather remains soft and flexible while also gaining a slight sheen.
Durability: Harness leather is prized for its ruggedness, making it resistant to stretching, cracking, and wear over time.
Aging Gracefully: It develops a rich patina as it ages, with the oils and waxes enhancing its natural look and feel, making it more beautiful over time.
How Hermann Oak Makes Harness Leather:
Hermann Oak, a renowned tannery based in St. Louis, Missouri, has been producing premium vegetable-tanned leather since 1881. The process for making their harness leather includes several key steps:
Vegetable Tanning: Hermann Oak uses traditional vegetable tanning, which involves soaking hides in natural tannins derived from plant matter (like oak bark, hence the name). This process takes several weeks but results in a leather that is both firm and flexible, with a high level of durability and character.
Hot-Stuffing: After the hides are tanned, they undergo a hot-stuffing process, where they are impregnated with a blend of tallow, oil, and wax. This treatment makes the leather water-resistant, supple, and durable, perfect for outdoor and high-stress applications.
Drum Dyeing: Hermann Oak typically drum-dyes its harness leather, which involves tumbling the leather with dye to achieve deep, rich colors that penetrate fully through the hide rather than just being surface-applied.
Finishing: The leather is then finished with additional waxes or polishes to give it a subtle sheen and to lock in the oils. This ensures the leather will maintain its durability while developing a beautiful patina over time.
Hermann Oak is known for its commitment to quality and sustainability, using eco-friendly, traditional methods that date back over a 150 years. Their leather is highly regarded for its durability, natural beauty, and the rich finish that results from their careful tanning and hot-stuffing process.
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We are so confident in the quality of our leather bags that we offer a lifetime guarantee. If your bag ever breaks or needs repair, we will fix it for free.
What is covered?
Our lifetime guarantee covers all defects in materials and workmanship. This means that we will repair or replace your bag if it is damaged due to a defect in the leather, stitching, or hardware.
What is not covered?
Our lifetime guarantee does not cover damage caused by:
-Accidental or intentional damage (for example, your five-year old decided to take a butcher knife to your nice leather bag).
-Improper care or maintenance (for example, you left your bag outside in the sun for several days and now it’s super dry. We will help bring it back to life, but we won’t be able to accept exchanges).
-Normal wear and tear (normal wear and tear is a good thing!)
How to contact us
If your bag needs repair or replacement, please contact us at service@madisonstitch.com. We will need to see your order number or last name under which the order was placed. Please provide a description of the damage and a photo or two. We will then send you a return shipping label and instructions on how to send us your bag.
We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible products and service. Even if you feel like your situation may not qualify for an exchange or free repair, please still reach out to us; we can help bring your bag back to life. If you have any questions about our lifetime guarantee, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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We offer FREE EXPRESS SHIPPING to any domestic location in the USA. For international deliveries, please contact us — we are able to ship outside the USA, but shipping charges vary.
Our studio is open on Monday to Friday 10-5pm if you prefer to pick up in Kansas City. Most of our orders are now shipped within 1-3 days. When your order leaves our studio we will send you an email together with your tracking number.
Read more about shipping & delivery policies.
Questions? Contact us at service@madisonstitch.com.
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—Made in our downtown studio in Kansas City, Missouri.
—Made from Hermann Oak’s full grain, vegetable-tanned leather. With minimal care, the leather will last generations. Just polish 1-2 times per year with leather lotion.
—Constructed with solid brass hardware sourced from metal suppliers in the USA.
—Dimensions: 18” x 9” x 9” deep.
—54” long adjustable, cross-body strap with pad.
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With minimal maintenance, the leather from Hermann Oak will last generations.
Keep it clean: The best way to prevent damage to your leather is to keep it clean. Wipe it down with a damp cloth regularly to remove dirt and dust. If your leather gets dirty, you can use a mild soap and water solution to clean it. Be sure to dry the leather thoroughly after cleaning it by blotting it with a cloth (do not wipe)
Condition it regularly: Vegetable tanned leather needs to be conditioned once or twice a year to keep it soft and supple. You can use a commercial leather conditioner or make your own by mixing equal parts of neatsfoot oil and beeswax. Apply the conditioner to the leather with a soft cloth and let it soak in for a few minutes. Then, buff the leather with a clean cloth. If your leather gets wet, dry it as soon as possible. Do not leave wet leather in the sun or near a heat source. Dry by blotting a thick rag over the wet spot; do not wipe.
Avoid extreme temperatures: Extreme temperatures can damage leather. Avoid exposing your leather to direct sunlight or extreme heat or cold.
Be careful with chemicals: Chemicals can also damage leather. Avoid getting your leather wet with harsh chemicals, such as bleach, a harsh cleanser, or gasoline. Avoid using polishes or creams that contain silicone. Silicone can coat the leather and prevent it from breathing, which can lead to cracking and drying.
Store it properly: When you are not using your leather, store it in a cool, dry place. You can also put a cloth between the layers of leather to prevent them from sticking together.
Oils: The leather is hot-stuffed with oil, tallow, and wax. While we pre-treat the surface of the leather to remove any of the oils from the surface, initially you may see some bleed-off of the oils and waxes in the leather on to your clothing. This is normal, and will not permanently stain your clothes. After several uses, the leather will stabilize and no more bleed-off will occur.
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Products in their original conditions and including the original packaging can be returned or exchanged within 14 days from receipt. You can read more about our return policies here.