useful feature on the hobo is that the gusset is expandable. when you have to carry many books, folders, ipads, laptops, kindles or whatever else, you can better fit them into your bag.
in other news, i had to re-source leather... again. it ends up that the full grain eco-friendly leather looks and feels high quality but does not act like it. i wear-tested the tote to and from san fran, and the color of the leather was wearing off. sad.
after two failed attempts with eco-branded leather, i decided that making a disposable bag that wears out quickly is not eco-conscious. therefore, i decided to try one of the highest quality leathers in the world - a french, full grain, vegetable tanned leather. as with all high quality veg tans, it will darken beautiful with age and exposure to light. additionally, it is vegetable tanned in france which has strict eco standards for tanning and dyeing.
i am trying to strike the best balance between quality and eco-consciousness - they seem to complement and conflict with each other at different times.
