Press

1st-blue

In July 1999, a man was passing through, mid-50s, adventurer type. With him: his Harold's leather bag, one of the first models the brand made in Colombia. The bag had accompanied him around the world for the last 15 years, the leather showing a unique patina, telling the stories of his travels. Since he wanted his first bag to serve as a souvenir, the man bought it a second time. It was not yet so unique, he said, but that would change. This encounter formed Thilo Schmelz's vision for Harold's: to conceive bags sustainably, to design them timelessly and to produce them with the best craftsmanship. Bags that accompany you through life, be it business bags, photo bags, messenger bags, backpacks or handbags.

"In a world that is becoming increasingly fast-paced, where more and more things are created and disappear, we build bags that stay," says Thilo Schmelz, third-generation owner of Harold's. The brand's recipe for success is based on many years of experience with high-quality leathers and traditional craftsmanship. It all began with Nikolaus Schmelz, who opened a leather bag manufactory in Obertshausen in 1936. His son, Günter Schmelz, has been with the company since 1955. He consistently built up long-standing cooperations with foreign partners, first in Italy, later also in Colombia and India; since 1999, Thilo Schmelz, grandson of Nikolaus Schmelz, has been responsible for the company's fortunes and is steadily leading it towards sustainability.

Harold's uses hearty, expressive leather according to its own recipes. The leathers come from cattle that grow and graze outdoors in extensive areas in the mountains at over 3,000 meters above sea level. They feed on natural grasses, which allows their hide to develop a balanced fiber structure. This is the guarantee for the endurance of Harold's leathers. The hides used are exclusively "leftovers" - i.e. waste products of food production. For the cotton fabrics, the brand relies on yarns of certified organic quality.

The design and development of the products as well as the production of selected lines takes place in the own manufactory in Obertshausen, Germany. The brand places its experience with natural leathers in the hands of its long-standing partners in India and Colombia. Regular on-site exchanges and analysis of local craftsmanship characteristics guarantee the best possible implementation of design ideas. Constant, transparent production conditions are a basic requirement for the brand. Stable working conditions are achieved through sound training and induction, contractually regulated working hours, safe, hygienic conditions and an evenly distributed order book.

The Harold's Concepts collection is timeless, urban and combines functionality with aesthetics in a special way. The bags are designed for people who lead a modern, sustainable lifestyle and have an affinity for timeless, individual design. In combination with natural leathers, distinctive models for women and men are created. The focus of the line is on "made in Germany".

The Harold's Heritage collection interprets proven classics in a contemporary way, for those who appreciate tradition and want to experience a piece of romance in modern times. Some "Classics" have been complemented by new functional details in recent years, but the originality remains. The leather materials are 100% vegetable tanned.

The Harold's Contemporary collection is inspired by current trends, for trendy people who appreciate the interplay of handcrafted design with selected materials and colors. Natural cowhide leathers are selected for the models, whose individual patina unfolds with use. The leathers are semi-vegetable and 100% vegetable tanned.