Womenswear
Running British-Made Women's Bags and Satchels — Voted by the Community
This directory lists 1 brand that makes running women's bags in the UK. It is premium. Ranked by community upvotes.
WAWWA
WAWWA is a Manchester clothing brand making functional, gender-inclusive everyday wear in its own UK factory. They work to a pre-order model, use organic and recycled materials, and pay the real Living Wage.
- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
Shop to visit- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
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This independent directory lists UK-made clothing brands, and marks those that make only some items here.Why choose British-made?
A Brief History of British Made Bags
From about 1650 until the late nineteenth century, many women carried their belongings in tie-on pockets: separate pouches tied round the waist under the skirt and reached through openings in the dress. In the 1790s, slimmer dresses with fewer petticoats made these pockets awkward, and many women began carrying small drawstring bags instead. Known as reticules or indispensables, they held a purse, smelling salts and a handkerchief, and were often made and decorated at home. The word handbag first meant hand luggage, usually carried by men when travelling. In the later nineteenth century the leather travelling bag, with its metal fastenings, inside compartments, ticket pockets and sturdy handle, inspired a new handbag for women, the forerunner of the twentieth-century handbag. Some British saddlers and harness makers turned to bags as well. In Walsall, the centre of the saddlery trade, some firms were making travelling bags and other light leather goods from the 1870s, and turned more of their work to them as motor vehicles replaced horses after 1900. British-made women's bags today draw on this background of leatherwork and accessory making.