S-Zone Women Vintage Genuine Leather Tote Bag Review

Sometimes when I was bored with the options of bags I could buy, I would browse on Amazon to see what the sellers there had to offer. I would add them to my Amazon Wishlist, but I haven't bought them partly because I was unfamiliar with the brands and didn't want to take a chance. I did think there were some promising options with much more approachable price tags, however. Recently S-Zone offered me to try out their tote bag so that I could do a sponsored video for my YouTube channel. Reviewing this bag on my blog wasn't part of the deal, but I wanted to share my thoughts here because I was generally pleased with the quality.

So who is S-Zone? After talking to their representative and looking through their website, I learned that the owner Kevin, who was in Texas, developed a passion for making leather goods and was able to find a reputable Chinese manufacturer to start his brand. People often discriminate against China-made products, but you may not realize that many luxury brands manufacture their bags partly or entirely in China. It is about quality control and how well a company can manage its material sources and product lines. For example, Portland Leather moved their production to Mexico to reduce cost and increase revenue, and they kept up with the quality and popularity. People still love them as they used to be, and more, because Portland Leather can provide better value for their purchase. As an American, I love supporting US-made products and local businesses, but I also see room for good quality affordable products to be present in the same realm. Some of us may be dealing with financial strain and have a limited budget to pay for higher price locally-made bags. I am not worried about their quality because their workshop is located in China. After seeing the bag in person, I am impressed by the quality and design, and it has nothing to do with my sponsorship video.

Previously, I mentioned that S-Zone is one of the bag companies you can find on Amazon, but after checking out their website, I prefer to shop on S-Zoneshop.com. The reason for that is that everything is clearer. It is easier to see what they offer, and I can quickly go through the options to find the bags I like. On Amazon, the search result is often crowded with random items that I may not be interested in, so if you like what you see here, I suggest you check out their website, and hopefully, you can find some good sales there as well. While shopping on S-zone's website, I found many bags I wanted to buy! I love the options, and the prices were exceptional! I love great quality leather bags, and everyone should be able to afford that. If we eat beef, we should be able to afford good leather bags; after all, leather is an environmentally friendly byproduct from the food industry. Sometimes, it puzzles me how leather could become unattainable luxury goods. If you have looked into leather pricing, you would know they are mostly inexpensive.

Most of the bags on S-Zone's website are made with Crazy Horse leather. Despite its name, it is not made from horses. It is made from full cowhide and named after the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. I am not a professional in the leather tanning process, so if you love learning more about leather, I highly recommend the YouTube channel "Tanner Leatherstein." As a regular customer, when I look at the tote I received, I see leather grains, pores, and natural marks that you would see on full-grain leather. Due to the leather's wax, it has a pull-up color variation effect when I bend or fold the leather. When you look at the bag, you can tell it's made with real leather and doesn't have questionable textures like other bags from other companies. Similar to the full-grain leather bags you see from other companies, the Crazy Horse leather bags will have scuff marks once you start using them. However, you don't have to worry because a little leather conditioner will get the marks out if it is not a deep scratch.

Besides the leather quality, I am also impressed by the craftsmanship and the bag's design. The design goes above and beyond to provide longevity and versatility. All the stitches are straight where needed, and I don't see any wonky stitches. The rivets are in the right places and well-centered. I can't understand why some bag companies can never get the rivets to line up. The term handmade products should not be the cover for sloppy work.

Let's discuss the design of this tote. The shoulder straps are lined with cotton webbing. They look polished, feel comfortable, and stay on my shoulder like magic. Besides the shoulder straps, the tote has d-rings on the sides for you to use the provided crossbody strap. The crossbody strap is lined with cotton webbing like the shoulder straps and has durable antique brass hardware. It has two fabric-lined pockets under the d-rings for items like a phone or an umbrella, or a small bottle of water. On both the front and back, the tote has a zip pocket, and you can also find an extra pocket on the front with a magnetic closure. What amazed me was the zip pocket at the back that had a luggage handle strap hidden inside. If I use this tote for travel, I can simply unzip the back pocket and pull out the strap to hook it onto my luggage handle. The main compartment has a zipper closure so that you don't have to worry about people stealing your stuff, and the zipper is so smooth. Inside the bag, it is fabric lined. By the back panel, you will find a laptop compartment. By the front, there is a zip pocket and a few slip pockets with leather trim.

Overall, I am happy that I got a chance to try a bag from S-Zone. They probably knew I would love their bags when they approached me. I assure you, you will see more S-Zone bag unboxing because I want to buy so many bags! I am very into green leather bags and have seen a few green and blue leather bags on their website that I am interested in. The leather pull-up on those green and blue leather is so dreamy, and you must see them yourself! Lastly, I want to mention how much I appreciate companies that provide excellent quality leather bags with a customer-friendly price tag. The economy may be gloomy in 2023, but if you still want new bags, I am sure you will be pleased with what you can buy from S-Zone!