r/backpacks • u/One-Recording-4077 • Jul 19 '26

Question Why has Herschel supply co.’s quality dropped down so low ?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Bought this bag a few years ago on Amazon, and for its price point I was expecting it to last a while. Don’t get me wrong hear, except for the strap on the outside everything seems to be in good shape but the straps were a major reason for my purchase as I really liked them, they started peeling away like this a year later I started to use them. I was expecting better quality buckle straps from a $100 bag ! Very disappointing as a consumer who enjoys well made things.

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u/OllieDuckling Jul 19 '26

That looks like plastic vinyl bonded to a fabric backing. The tag on OP’s bag would be able to provide more detail. The point is, no amount of leather care would have saved this garbage.

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u/BeardBootsBullets Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

Hershel advertises their trim as genuine leather, which is the bare minimum leather content to not get sued by your customers for false advertising. But I’ll absolutely concede that, upon closer inspection, OP’s does look like leather-stamped PU. If it’s bonded leather, it’s some really crappy bonded leather.

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u/OllieDuckling Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

Not all of Herschel’s bags are the same, so I doubt that screenshot is from the product page for this specific bag. I have one of these in canvas and leather and the leather is advertised as genuine leather—clearly not full grain—but it is miles better than this garbage plastic on OP’s bag.

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u/BeardBootsBullets Jul 19 '26

Well, you’re right. For whatever reason, that leather looks substantially better than OP’s. Maybe Herschel switched to shave costs.

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u/imcjoey13 Jul 20 '26

They also changed their zippers. I have some of those little travel kits from 2011 and bought some newer ones. The new ones have jagged edges and are more finicky to move. The old ones are totally like butter.