By Phil Kalas, co-founder, Ashland Leather.
Short answer: A good leather work bag fits your laptop with room to spare, stays comfortable at the weight you actually carry, stands up on its own when you set it down, and is built from leather and hardware that will outlast the job you bought it for. For most people who carry a laptop and a day's gear, that points to a structured briefcase. If you carry less, a sling covers the hours after work.
I started at Horween® Leather Company in 2006 and have spent the last 15 years building leather goods at Ashland in Chicago. Here is how I think about choosing a work bag, including the cases where one of ours is not the right answer.
What a leather work bag has to do
- Carry a laptop, a charger and a day of paper and gear without bulging.
- Protect the laptop when the bag gets set down, bumped or dropped on a floor.
- Stay comfortable on a commute, on a plane and in the office.
- Look right in a meeting and still look right at dinner.
Briefcase, messenger, tote, backpack or sling: which work bag fits your day
| Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Briefcase | Laptop, files and a structured look that stands on its own | More formal, and heavier than a nylon bag |
| Messenger | Quick in and out, worn across the body | Weight sits on one shoulder, and the bag is less rigid |
| Tote | Roomy, easy loading | Open top and little protection for a laptop |
| Backpack | Long walks and heavy loads, because weight spreads across both shoulders | Less formal, and it sits against your back |
| Sling | Phone, wallet, keys and a few small items, hands free | Too small for a laptop |
Ashland makes leather briefcases, leather sling bags and leather dopp kits. We do not make messenger bags, totes or backpacks, so I will not pretend those are ours.
Seven checks before you buy a leather work bag
1. Laptop fit
Measure your laptop, then compare it with the inside sleeve measurement, not the outside size of the bag. The LaSalle briefcase has a padded sleeve that measures 16.5″ × 10.5″. The Wells briefcase is unlined and fits a 16″ MacBook Pro. A sleeve with padding protects the corners. An unlined bag does not, so you may want a slim sleeve inside.
2. Weight
Leather has weight, and everything you add goes on top of it. The LaSalle is listed at 3 lbs. The Wells is listed at 3.8 lbs and is built from 6 oz. Horween® Chromexcel® with no lining. Pick the structure you need, then keep the load honest.
3. Structure
A work bag that folds over when you set it down makes every desk and airport floor harder. The LaSalle uses Volara® closed-cell foam between the lining and the leather so it holds its shape and stands upright. The Wells gets its shape from heavy leather alone.
4. The leather itself
Ask which leather it is, and who tanned it. A name such as Horween® Aspen Horsehide or Horween® Chromexcel® tells you more than "genuine leather." Aspen horsehide has a casein protein top coat that makes it scratch resistant. Chromexcel® is combination-tanned and hot-stuffed with oils and waxes, so it is water-resistant (not waterproof) and shows pull-up and scuffs as it ages. For a deeper read on grades, see Leather Grades Explained.
5. Hardware and zippers
You open a work bag all day. We use YKK Excella® zippers and solid brass hardware on every metal part of the LaSalle. Brass is durable and warms with age.
6. Lining and pockets
A good layout means you stop digging. The LaSalle has three internal leather-trimmed pockets for water bottles, cables, chargers and sunglasses cases, a front quick-access pocket for a wallet and keys, a leather passthrough that slips over a roller luggage handle, and a Cordura® nylon lining.
7. Where it is made, and what stands behind it
"Designed in" and "made in" are different claims. Our bags are cut, stitched and finished in our Chicago shop from Horween® leather tanned in Chicago, six-tenths of a mile away. Read how we define it on our Made in USA page. Our work is Guaranteed for Life: we stand behind the stitching and leather against coming apart under normal use. The details are on the returns and guarantee page.
How leather ages at work
A leather work bag changes the longer you carry it. Horween® Chromexcel® pulls up and scuffs as it ages. A scratch resistant finish such as Aspen horsehide shows less of that, and still picks up character over time. Neither is waterproof, so keep it out of standing water and wipe it down when it gets wet. Our leather care guide covers cleaning and conditioning for each Horween® leather.
Our work bags, and who each one suits
| Bag | Leather | Built for | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaSalle briefcase | Horween® Aspen Horsehide | Laptop carry with padding and organization | Padded 16.5″ × 10.5″ sleeve, 17″ × 12″ × 4.5″, 14.2 L, 3 lbs, all-leather shoulder strap included |
| Wells briefcase | Horween® Chromexcel® | A raw, unlined bucket bag that ages fast | No lining or dividers, fits a 16″ MacBook Pro, 17″ × 12″ × 4.5″, 3.8 lbs |
| English Tan sling bag | Horween® Dublin | The bag after work, not a laptop bag | 9″ × 5.5″ × 2″, 15.77 oz, quick-access phone pocket, Cordura® lining |
If you carry a laptop and a full day of gear, start with the LaSalle, and see how it is built. If you want something rougher that develops patina quickly and you do not need padding, look at the Wells. If you travel for work, a self-standing leather dopp kit keeps the rest of your trip organized. Availability changes, so check the briefcase collection for what is in the shop now.
The LaSalle took us 18 months of design and testing in Chicago. We compared hardware from four vendors, tried three foams and three nylons, and built it to work hard all day and look like nothing else in the room.
Leather work bag FAQ
What is the best leather for a work bag?
It depends on how you want the bag to age. Horween® Aspen Horsehide has a scratch resistant top coat and a natural pebbled grain. Horween® Chromexcel® is oily, supple and develops a visible patina. Both are tanned in Chicago. Choose a named leather you can look up rather than a generic label.
What size leather work bag fits a 16 inch laptop?
Look at the interior sleeve measurement. The LaSalle has a padded sleeve at 16.5″ × 10.5″ and the Wells fits a 16″ MacBook Pro. Always measure your own laptop before you buy.
Is a leather work bag too heavy for daily use?
A structured leather briefcase weighs more than a nylon bag. The LaSalle is listed at 3 lbs, and it includes an all-leather shoulder strap so you can switch between a handle carry and a strap carry. If you commute on foot for long distances, weigh the trade-off.
Are Ashland work bags made in the USA?
Yes. We cut, stitch and finish them in Chicago from Horween® leather tanned in Chicago. See our Made in USA page for how we define it.
Can a leather work bag get wet?
Horween® Chromexcel® is water-resistant, and none of our leathers are waterproof. Keep the bag out of standing water and see the care guide for what to do when it gets wet.
Browse our leather briefcases or read the full bag collection. Every piece is handcrafted in Chicago and Guaranteed for Life.