PU and vegan leather bag manufacturing
Shoulder bags, crossbody bags, structured totes and mini bags for retail and wholesale programmes. Vegan leather gives you the hand-feel of leather without the material cost, the CITES paperwork, or the price volatility of hides.
What we produce
- Shoulder bags and totes — unstructured to fully structured with board and foam
- Crossbody and mini bags — adjustable strap, magnetic or zip closure
- Structured shoppers — boxed base, reinforced handles, internal organisation
- Wallets, card holders and pouches — matched to the bag as a set
- Laptop and document bags — padded sleeve, trolley strap
- Vegan leather accessories — keyrings, luggage tags, cosmetic cases
Choosing the base material
All four options below photograph well. The difference is in how they age, how they cut, and what happens at customs — which is a bigger cost difference than most buyers expect.
| Material | Backing | Feel and wear | Cost tier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU on knit backing | Polyester knit | Soft, drapey, can delaminate with heavy use | $ | Best value for fashion silhouettes |
| PU on woven backing | Woven fabric | More dimensionally stable, better edge | $$ | The default for structured bags |
| Microfiber PU | Microfiber | Closest to genuine leather in hand and ageing | $$$ | Premium vegan positioning |
| PVC sheeting | None / knit | Very durable, less breathable, stiffer | $ | Water-resistant, but check phthalate rules before selling into the EU |
Two things buyers get caught by. First, embossing — croc, saffiano, litchi and pebbled finishes are achieved with an embossing roller, so the pattern is not available in every colour and a new pattern adds a setup. Second, and more expensively: the outer material decides the duty rate. Into the EU, a bag classified as leather-outer clears at 3.0%, a textile-outer bag at 3.7%, but a plastic-sheeting outer surface — which is how PU is classified when the coating is the dominant outer surface — clears at 9.7%. That is a difference of more than three times, decided by the material, not the price. Model it in the landed cost calculator.
Where the perceived value sits
Hardware and lining change how a bag is read more than any other line in the quotation, and both are cheap relative to the base material.
Hardware plating
Light gold, antique brass, brushed nickel, gunmetal or matte black. Zinc alloy resists tarnish far better than iron; for EU sales, metal parts must meet the nickel release limit.
Lining
210D polyester is the default. Satin reads premium but tears. A custom-printed lining is the single most effective anti-copying measure available to a small brand.
Structure
Board and foam panels turn a flat bag into a structured one. The cost is in the labour, not the material — expect a 15–30% labour increase.
MOQ, price and lead time
| Product | Material | MOQ | Indicative FOB | Sampling | Bulk lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unstructured shoulder bag | PU on knit | 300 | USD 5.50 – 9.00 | 10 d | 40–45 d |
| Crossbody / mini bag | PU on knit or woven | 300 | USD 6.00 – 11.00 | 10–12 d | 40–50 d |
| Structured tote | PU on woven + board | 300 | USD 9.00 – 18.00 | 12–15 d | 45–50 d |
| Microfiber leather tote | Microfiber PU | 300 | USD 14.00 – 26.00 | 12–15 d | 45–50 d |
| Wallet / card holder | PU or microfiber | 500 | USD 2.00 – 5.00 | 10 d | 35–45 d |
Prices are FOB China at a 300–500 piece order and exclude branding setup. We do not produce genuine leather. Return orders drop to 300 pcs or below.
Frequently asked
Can I call a PU bag "vegan leather"?
In most markets, yes, once you can substantiate that neither the material nor its processing involves animal derivatives. The EU is also moving on green claims under the Empowering Consumers Directive, so keep the supporting documentation from the material supplier. Never write "eco leather" or "biodegradable" without evidence.
My PU bag is classified as plastic, not leather. Does that matter?
It matters a great deal. When the plastic coating is the dominant outer surface, the bag is classified under plastic sheeting — which is 9.7% into the EU against 3.0% for leather-outer and 3.7% for textile-outer. Smooth and embossed PU that visually reads as leather may qualify for the leather rate if the coating itself meets the composition-leather definition. If the volumes justify it, apply for a Binding Tariff Information ruling from customs before your first shipment.
What is the minimum for a pu bag with a custom printed lining?
300 pieces, the same as any other private label build. The lining print carries its own one-off setup of roughly USD 120–300 depending on colours and repeat size, and the cylinder is reusable on every future order.
Do you produce genuine leather bags?
No. We produce PU, PVC and microfiber synthetic leather only. If you need genuine leather, we will tell you so rather than quote around it.
Send a style reference and we will tell you what it costs in PU.
Include the hardware finish you want — it changes the price more than most buyers expect.