Why is it so popular? The reason why a leather tote bag developed by a complete amateur has sold a total of 380 million yen.
2024/02 HushTug Editorial Department
What do you prioritize when shopping?
While it has become easy to purchase a variety of items online, you may have had many bitter experiences, thinking, "That was a mistake..."
That's why everyone
"A really good product that many people are glad they bought."You're probably wanting to find the perfect leather tote bag, but did you know that there is a certain brand of tote bag that has been selling at an incredible rate since its release ?
The ultimate leather tote bag made by a complete amateur
Once again, my name is Toda, and I am the representative of the leather brand HushTug.
It's in the middle of the photo
HushTug is a relatively new brand that opened its online store in April 2019.
The tote bag introduced above was developed by me at the same time as I founded HushTug, but up until that point I was a complete novice with no experience in bag development, let alone the apparel industry.
The tote bag I made has been purchased by many customers and has also received many positive reviews.
Online Store
Amazon
Rakuten Market
Why did the tote bag I made, a complete amateur, become so popular?
I would like to reveal the secret behind the tote bags that have sold for over 380 million yen in the four years since the online store launched .
The trigger for the development was a high-end brand bag I had bought in the past.
The impetus for development came from my own experiences.
When I moved to Tokyo from my hometown of Tottori and was working in sales,
"Because I work in sales, where I'm often seen by others, I want to use a good bag."
So I went around to several famous brand stores looking for a genuine leather tote bag.
However, I couldn't find the bag I wanted. The reason was:
- Bags from famous, high-quality brands were expensive, costing at least 50,000 yen or more.
- There were no designs I liked, as the famous brands had logos and original brand patterns all over the items.
That's it.
At the time, I stretched myself a bit and bought a bag with a design that I liked, even though it was expensive, and that experience has stayed with me ever since.
Is it possible to create an affordable tote bag with high-end brand quality?
A few years later, in 2017, I visited Mongolia for some reason.
Living in Mongolia, a country rich in nature, I encountered many animals and leather products made from their skins, which gave me the idea of creating my own leather brand.
If you have had a problem in the past, there are probably many others who have had the same experience.
"Wouldn't it be great if we could make a simple tote bag that can be used in any situation at a more affordable price?"
The concept is
"Ultimate simplicity with no unnecessary features"We have begun making high quality yet affordable bags.
Three essential features in developing the tote bag
From there, we spent a year or two developing the tote bag, and created the initial model of the tote bag we know today.
We put a lot of effort into it, but the one thing we couldn't leave out was:
- design
- quality
- Cost performance
There are three of them:
◎Design
Just like when I was struggling to find a high-end brand bag, I didn't want to include a logo or distinctive pattern.
To embody the concept of "ultimate simplicity with all unnecessary elements eliminated," we have made sure that no metal fittings or logos are visible on the outside.
◎Quality
There's no point in just making something cheap and of low quality.
What I was looking for was a luxurious tote bag that could be used in formal occasions.
With that in mind, the material was naturally genuine leather.
The leather used in the current tote bag is cowhide leather from Himeji, one of Japan's leading leather producing areas.
We use materials that are resistant to water stains and scratches and maintain a luxurious texture for a long time.
The sewing of the finished bags is also done by a Japanese sewing factory that has been in business for about 90 years and boasts the highest level of technology.
Because of the extremely simple design, any imperfections in the stitching or construction are not permitted.
Thanks to the technology unique to Japanese factories, we have been able to achieve quality that is comparable to even more expensive products.
◎Cost performance
However, if everything from materials to sewing is done in Japan, the price will naturally be higher.
If you look into it, you'll find that tote bags cost between 40,000 and 50,000 yen, and there are many that cost over 70,000 yen.
At that price, I thought that just like the struggles I had with high-end brand bags, customers who really wanted the bag wouldn't buy it.
That's why we've made some unusual efforts to ensure cost performance.
While most brands produce their products in factories and then sell them in stores through trading companies, HushTug manages everything from production in factories to sales in-house, eliminating intermediate costs.
As a result, we are able to sell our products at reasonable prices compared to brands that use similar domestic leather and produce in Japan.
When we actually show the tote bag to people at sewing factories and leather trading companies, they are amazed and say, "This tote bag is amazing for this price!"
Finally completed! The most popular leather tote bag
The result was the leather tote bag that is currently on sale at HushTug.
When it was finished, I thought, "I've made something good," but I didn't know if customers would actually like it until I put it on sale.
Although I was a little worried, I started selling it through crowdfunding and online stores, and it was well-received by many customers.
"I wanted a tote bag like this."
They were very happy with it.
We basically only sell online, but we have received many reviews on online stores.
I'm also very happy that most people have given it high ratings, with an average score of 4.7/5.0.
Actual reviews
(You can slide it sideways)
I have absolute confidence in this product, so I hope you'll pick it up.
This tote bag was the catalyst that inspired me, a complete novice, to start a leather brand, and it changed my life.
During development, we had to remake samples over and over again, which was a difficult time, but we overcame that and are absolutely confident in the tote bag we have created.
That's why we offer peace of mind support , allowing you to return or exchange the product free of charge for any reason within one month of purchase, no matter how much you use it .
HushTug products are not sold in department stores or shops, so they can only be purchased online.
・I want to try a HushTug tote bag, but I'm not sure if it will suit me...
・I'm worried about buying online because the product might be different from what I imagined.
Many people may feel the same way.
Before online shopping became popular in recent years, the natural thing to do when it came to shopping was to go to a department store and choose something from a familiar brand .
It's common to think that if you choose a brand you've purchased from before or a brand that has been around for a long time, you won't go wrong.
As we mentioned earlier, HushTug is a new brand that began selling in 2019.
It is not as well known as a famous brand, nor is it a traditional brand.
However, there is one thing that HushTug can be proud of: it stands out among these other brands.
That is, "Be honest with our products and our customers."
- Creating the ultimate in simple, high-quality products
- Delivering to customers at a fair price
We are extremely particular about these things and have absolute confidence in the essential aspects of shopping: our products and customer support.
That's why, once again, we offer free returns and exchanges for 30 days, regardless of the reason or how much you use the product .
With free returns, you can't go wrong, so if you're considering buying a tote bag, be sure to give it a try.
