A simple, roomy vegetable-tanned leather tote bag by Stella Soomlais — designed and handmade in Estonia for the days when a small bag is just decorative nonsense. Made to order in 3–7 days, and signed inside by the craftsperson who made it.
The bag is built from durable vegetable-tanned leather in a clean, minimalist silhouette with enough space for a laptop, a change of clothes, groceries, or whatever your day needs. No hardware fuss. No fast-fashion shortcuts. An everyday bag built to be used every day for years.
Vegetable-Tanned Leather — Why It Matters
Most leather goods are chrome-tanned — a fast industrial process that uses chromium salts and takes days. Vegetable tanning takes weeks, uses plant-based tannins, and produces leather that is fundamentally different in character: firmer, denser, more resistant to wear, and capable of developing a patina over time rather than degrading from the surface.
A vegetable-tanned leather bag gets better with age. Scratches and marks absorb into the surface and become part of the material's character. Chrome-tanned leather shows wear as damage. Vegetable-tanned leather shows wear as history.
At €185, this is not a bag you replace. It's a bag you keep.
Made to Order — What That Means
Each Stella Soomlais tote is made after you order it. Production takes 3–7 days before shipping. This is not a delay — it's the reason you're getting something made by hand for you, not something pulled from a warehouse shelf.
Inside each bag, the craftsperson who made it marks their name. You won't find that in any mass-produced bag at any price.
Circular Design: Round 2
The Stella Soomlais tote is designed under the brand's Round 2 circular production system. Round 2 means two things in practice:
Repairability by design. Parts of the bag are designed to be repaired or replaced rather than requiring the whole bag to be discarded when something wears. The goal is a bag that lasts for decades, not seasons.
Low-waste production. Larger leather offcuts from bag production become smaller accessories. Smaller pieces are reused in workshops. The process is designed to produce as little waste as possible from a material that takes significant resources to produce.
This is not a marketing statement about sustainability in general. It's a specific production system with real design constraints and measurable practices.
Stella Soomlais — The Brand
Stella Soomlais is an Estonian leather accessories brand led by designer Stella Runnel. The brand designs and makes all its products in Estonia, combining minimalist design, practical function, and circular production principles.
The work has been recognised by the Estonian Design Act of the Year nominations, the BRUNO Product Design Award, the Golden Needle Chamber Award, and Gold Level recognition in the Estonian Responsible Business Index — the last of which specifically evaluates environmental and social practices, not just product quality. The brand has also been nominated as Environmentally Friendly Company of the Year.
These are not decorative badges. The Responsible Business Index gold level, in particular, is an independently assessed certification — not self-reported.
Dimensions & Details
| Feature |
Detail |
| Size |
37.5 × 37 × 12.5 cm |
| Handle drop |
30 cm |
| Strap width |
2.5 cm |
| Material |
Vegetable-tanned leather |
| Hardware |
Brass or Nickel (select at checkout) |
| Signature |
Craftsperson name marked inside |
| Made in |
Estonia, EU |
| Production |
Made to order — 3–7 days before shipping |
| Brand |
Stella Soomlais |
| Design system |
Round 2 circular design |
Caring for Vegetable-Tanned Leather
Vegetable-tanned leather is strong and long-lasting, but how it looks and how long it lasts depends on basic care:
Packing: Don't overpack. Leather has memory — sustained pressure will permanently affect its shape. Fill it, don't stuff it.
Sunlight: Some exposure deepens the patina naturally. Prolonged direct sunlight will cause uneven colour change. Store out of direct sun when not in use.
Getting wet: If the bag gets wet, let it dry naturally at room temperature. Never use a radiator, heater, or hair dryer — heat dries out and cracks leather.
Hand sanitiser: Alcohol damages leather and leaves permanent marks. Keep hand sanitiser away from the bag surface.
Cleaning: Use a damp cloth with mild soap for surface marks. Do not use hot water. A leather conditioner applied occasionally will extend the bag's life significantly.
With proper care, this bag will look better at ten years than it does on day one.
From myshoes24.com
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Made to order in Estonia — signed by the craftsperson who made it
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Free shipping across Europe on every order
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30-day hassle-free returns — unused, full refund
Stella Soomlais is an Estonian leather accessories brand designed and made by Stella Runnel in Estonia. Recognised by the Estonian Design Act of the Year, the BRUNO Product Design Award, and the Estonian Responsible Business Index (Gold Level).
