Our Story

Our story begins decades ago in the small attic workshop of a master craftsman in rural England. It was a place filled with the scent of sawdust and oil, where patience and precision shaped everything that was made.

As a child, I would sit for hours beside my grandfather, James, watching him work with quiet dedication. He refined each detail, adjusting every piece, never stopping until it was just right.

I have especially fond memories of that workshop. Yes, I learned how to work a vice and a G-clamp earlier than most.

But years later, long after he had passed on, I realized I had also learned his greatest lesson:

The work isn’t finished when it’s ‘good enough’—you keep going until it’s right.

Years later, as an executive moving between cities in the US, UK, and Australia, I searched for a work bag that met my needs—refined, professional, and built to last.

But everything I found fell short.

The materials felt cheap. The craftsmanship lacked character. Nothing had that sense of timeless quality my grandfather believed in.

That’s when I could almost hear his voice—reminding me that if something isn’t right, you don’t settle. You roll up your sleeves, put in the work, and make it yourself.

So I did, and I named it after him. Thus, James Redwood was born.

From the outset, I knew the leather would define every James Redwood piece. So I went looking for the best in the world.

I visited 18 of Italy’s top vegetable tanneries. One stood apart: MPG Conceria, a family-run tannery in Tuscany that has specialised in vegetable-tanned leather since 1963. Together, we developed a leather of our own.

It starts with full grain French bovine double shoulders. We keep the hide’s strongest outer layer rather than sanding it away. It’s then vegetable tanned the slow, traditional way, with plant-derived tannins, for firm structure and real depth. Aniline dyes keep the natural grain visible, while oils and waxes give it a smooth, supple hand.

Our leather is certified by the Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium and holds the Leather Working Group’s highest Gold rating. Every hide is fully traceable, sourced as a by-product of the food industry.

With use, the colour deepens and a patina develops that is yours alone. No two pieces age the same.

Today, I still personally oversee the design of every bag from our UK and US offices. Each piece must meet the craftsmanship, function, and timeless style my grandfather would have demanded.

But design is only half the equation. Every component is chosen to last: 316 stainless steel hardware, hand-polished and load-tested to 100 kg, YKK Excella zippers, a substantial 100% cotton twill lining and high-strength bonded polyester thread.

Each bag is then handcrafted by expert artisans. Every edge is turned and finished, so no raw edges remain, and stainless steel rivets reinforce the points that carry the most weight.

There are no shortcuts. No compromises. Every stitch, buckle, and strap serves a purpose.

Because just like in my grandfather’s workshop, the work isn’t finished until it’s right.

From the first day in a new role to the daily commute or a weekend away, more than 50,000 lawyers, bankers and executives have trusted our leather bags to carry them with quiet confidence.

Rated 4.8/5 across 1,637 verified reviews, each piece combines timeless design with true world class materials and heirloom craftsmanship.