Through the Leather Looking Glass: An Inside-Out Journey with Cafuné

Upon opening the package, I was greeted with a well-presented bag. The packaging included a cute dust bag and a returns guide that stated returns would only be accepted if the tag and all packaging materials remained attached, which I found a bit inconvenient—it’s challenging to thoroughly inspect a bag without removing any of the packaging.

Examining the bag, I noticed several intriguing aspects right away. The hardware stood out with its custom touches, including a unique closing mechanism featuring the Cafuné branding. Although the plating and appearance suggested a medium-quality material, the custom work added a level of sophistication not found in off-the-shelf hardware.

The leather appeared decent, with a nice finish, but I detected some looseness and wrinkling, indicating a heavy finish on the top layer. The stitching was neat, and the bag’s structure was impressively maintained by solid support on the sides. However, the interior lining was a polyester-nylon material that didn’t quite feel luxurious or align with the overall aesthetic of the bag.

The zipper was unbranded, lacking familiar marks like YKK or Riri, and the edge paint application showed some unevenness, with drip marks and areas needing additional layers. Despite these issues, the handle’s unique shape, with a slight bump for added character, contributed to the bag's robust and thoughtfully crafted form.

It was time to cut into the bag to reveal its internal construction and materials. As I opened it up, I was immediately impressed with the workmanship inside. The bag's interior showed signs of a highly organized production process, with clean construction and no loose threads. This made me suspect that Cafuné’s manufacturing partner might also produce bags for well-known luxury brands.

To dive deeper into the materials, I conducted some tests. The acetone test removed a significant amount of finish, revealing that the leather had only a surface-level treatment. This explained the wrinkles I noticed earlier, which are often a result of an inadequate finishing process. The leather could easily be upgraded without altering the bag’s appearance, but the current finish left room for improvement.

The hardware also underwent closer inspection. Upon grinding the material, I discovered a decent plating job, featuring a gold top layer and a thick underlying copper layer. The hardware was made of zamak, a medium-grade alloy, and proved sturdier than I initially anticipated.

After thoroughly examining the bag, I estimate around five square feet of leather is sufficient. The leather cost comes to about $20, and assembling a bag of this complexity—likely in China—adds approximately $70 for labor and hardware. Altogether, my total cost estimate for this bag is $90.

With the dissection complete, I turned my attention to Cafuné’s story. I did some online digging while at the Barcelona airport between flights. Cafuné’s founders have a design-oriented background, with one of them being a graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design. The brand emphasizes sustainability, and as it turns out, the lining material I initially criticized is made from recycled polyester. Knowing this adds context and helps justify its use, despite its less luxurious feel. The brand’s thoughtful integration of recycled materials aligns with their values, making the choice of lining more acceptable given the eco-friendly rationale.

After dissecting and analyzing the Cafuné bag, I rated it across several key areas. Here’s how it scored:

Overall, this places Cafuné in the Designer Level range on the Leatherverse Matrix, with a fair pricing multiplier of 5x. While this falls on the higher end of what I consider a fair markup, I find it reasonable given the design and craftsmanship. The bag’s unique design and clean execution really stand out. Though there’s room for slight improvements in leather and hardware quality, I appreciate the brand’s story, visual presentation, and overall aesthetic.

Overall, I was impressed with Cafuné’s craftsmanship and design ethos. The brand brings a refreshing approach to leather goods with its commitment to sustainability and quality. Although there is room for improvement in leather finishing and interior materials, the unique design and clean execution make the bag a worthwhile investment. With the deeper understanding of Cafuné’s values, especially their use of recycled materials, my appreciation for the brand grew. I look forward to exploring more from them in the future to see how they continue to evolve.