I had always wanted an undyed, vegetable-tanned leather bag. But unfortunately, natural vegetable-tanned leather bags are not broadly available because they could be tricky for everyday use. Also, since the leather is not dyed, it looks like flesh color, which may not be the most fashionable statement or desirable color. However, once you use it for some time, the leather will age and develop a patina from exposure to sunlight and the grease on your hands.

Bags with wow elements are excellent, but sometimes, I love to have a bag that would stand the test of time and age into something beautiful in my life. By wanting a bag that matches this desire, I would also need to endure the leather's imperfection. Undyed leather gets stained easily without a protective coating. You can't hide scratches because the leather color is so light. However, if you could look past the beginning stage of the aging process, all the flaws will blend away through time and become a bag with a unique characteristic.

When I purchased my first vegetable-tanned, undyed leather bag from Winter Session, I was disappointed by the leather quality. Although I love the look of the tote, the paper-thin leather left me moments of regret with the price I paid. Therefore, when I saw KMM was offering their classic tote in vegetable-tanned leather, I decided to try my luck! When I ordered the tote, I chose to have longer handles and added the button snap closure and a crossbody strap. With KMM totes, I found 10-inch straps are easier to sling the bag over my shoulder when I am not using it as a crossbody bag. In addition, the button snap closure is helpful to keep my things secured when I am out with the tote. I am not sure if I would use the crossbody feature frequently, but I want to keep my options open as I plan to keep this bag with me for a long time.

Knowing KMM offers many different types of leather in various thicknesses, I was nervous and worried if it would be like my first undyed bag. Thankfully, KMM didn't disappoint this time! The leather was stiff and had the right thickness. However, I want to point out that I heard the mini tote might have thinner leather if that would bother you. Right out of the box, the tote could stand on its own, and I knew it would slowly soften as I use it more.

I remember reading other customers saying KMM doesn't recommend you condition the bag right away. Not sure about the reason, but I decided to do it my way. Before taking the tote out, I conditioned the bag three times with Chamberlain leather milk No. 1 and 3. My thought was, I didn't mind it developing a patina slower, but I was hoping it would age more evenly. Once the bag was dried, I let it sit under the sun for a few days. That did help the tote to turn slightly brown instead of fleshy color. After using the tote for a few weeks, the bag did get some scuff marks but nothing major. This is just the beginning, and I can't wait to see how the bag looks after one to two years!