O My Bag Amsterdam Review: Should you Buy Sam Shopper Leather Tote? — ALISA KOZ (2024)

If you are as picky about new additions to your closet as I am, you know that looking for a perfect leather tote is no joke. You have to love how it looks and find it comfortable to carry around. It must be practical, easy to care for, preferably sustainable and ethically made, and within your budget. Checking all of those boxes is a tough task!

I was in luck, and this year, the best leather tote has found me. It became my go-to bag because its appearance and functionality fit my requirements just fine. But how do you know if O My Bag Amsterdam’s Sam Shopper will satisfy your needs?

This in-depth review aims to answer this question and help you make a smart purchasing decision. Keep reading to discover insights about Sam Shopper’s design by category:

• Style & Functionality

• Construction & Durability

• Ethics & Sustainability

• Versatility & Comfort

Each characteristic is rated from 0 to 10 for your convenience. Let’s dive in!

To understand better this bag’s design, you need to know that a shopper bag is a type of tote bag. Both shoppers and totes are large and meant to be your besties when you need to bring many things with you. Totes have closure, and shoppers are your go-to for running errands because they are open-style totes — meaning you, a busy bee, can quickly access your belongings or effortlessly toss things inside.

As the brand describes it, the bag is designed with the “fill-to-the-brim” intention. Which I frequently do, and I keep being amazed by how many things fit in it.

This is how Sam Shopper looks in detail and what it can fit:

So keeping in mind that shoppers are not meant to have closure, I’m satisfied with the bag’s overall design. I give it 9/10 when it comes to functionality because I want an extra section — a small internal pocket to hold a smartphone upright and easily accessible.

Speaking of construction…

In this section, we’ll assess the product’s longevity and practicality by learning how Sam Shopper is constructed and how easy it is to maintain.

It’s one sturdy bag, alright. Sam Shopper's structure and stitching are exquisite, while its anatomy is quite simple:

• The main compartment is spacious, measures L 38 W 16 H 28 cm, and fits a 15’’ laptop (my 16’’ fits OK too)

• Two top handles are 22 cm each and are long enough to be comfortably worn even over a winter puffer.

• The removable purse is 22 x16 cm and fits an iPhone 14-sized smartphone.

Sam Shopper is made from premium quality sustainable leather (Classic Leather, to quote the brand), which is characterized by a slightly shiny surface, smooth velvety feel, and its ability to develop a patina.

So if patina isn’t your thing, Sam Shopper isn’t your bag. It will get scratched, like most vegetable-tanned leather goods. However, it isn’t a flaw but this sustainable material’s characteristic, so my Construction & Practicality score remains 10/10.

Can you reduce patina development? Yes. It all comes down to how you care for vegetable-tanned accessories and footwear. Quick tips:

QUICK LEATHER CARE TIPS

1 — Keep it clean.
It is the easiest way to make your leather goods last longer. Swipe the leather with a damp cloth (not soaked, not wet!) from time to time.

2 — Keep it away from water.
Vegetable-tanned leather is sensitive to liquids. A damp cloth is fine, but if you got caught up in the rain, you need to dry your bag for several days with a lot of paper inside. Never put it on a heater or use a hairdryer on it if you don’t want the bag to lose its original shape.

3 — Keep it greased.
Your leather goods require moisturizing just like your skin. But don’t go overboard to the point that your bag can’t absorb more — you’ll stain it. Start small by applying a small amount of transparent leather care cream on a cotton cloth and massaging the bag in narrow circular motions until the grease is fully absorbed.

Regarding the tote’s durability, with proper maintenance, it’s a hand-me-down piece to pass over to your kids. O My Bag also offers a lifetime guarantee and free repairs on all their products.

FYI, chrome-tanned items tend to maintain their appearance unchanged better, but they are an environmental hazard and are harmful to your health (more on that in the next section).

Where do I start? O My Bag Amsterdam’s environmental efforts and ethical practices are truly great, but for the sake of this product review, I’ll keep it brief and to the point.

ETHICAL PRODUCTION

Sam Shopper is produced in the Das Style factory, which is based in India and was established in 1999. It’s SA8000-certified, ensuring the brand’s social accountability and ethical treatment of garment workers.

O My Bag also pays a living wage, which is higher than a minimum wage and is uncommon in the industry. Finally, the brand’s Code of Conduct ensures that its manufacturers’ policies protect humans and the environment during the production stage.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Sustainable Leather

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Sam Shopper is made from vegetable-tanned leather, which means that it’s been treated without the use of harmful chemicals. Sodium dichromate is the principal material used in the chrome tanning process, and it is a carcinogen that causes damage to blood, kidneys, eyes, heart, and lungs. To learn more about how conventional tanning harms the environment and your health, watch the RiverBlue documentary. And go for veg-tanned, when possible.

Vegan Leather

Sam Shopper isn’t vegan, but take a look at this alternative made from AppleSkin™ if you choose to avoid animal-origin products. Apple Leather is a bio-based material derived from the waste of the Italian fruit and apple sauce industry.

Certified Cotton

The lining, purse, and dust bag of Sam Shopper are made from OCS and GRS-certified cotton. Conventional cotton, although a natural material, has a massive environmental and social impact. If you want to learn more about why purchasing organic, recycled, and certified cotton is essential for the fashion revolution, watch The True Cost documentary.

WASTE REDUCTION

Sam Shopper itself represents a low-waste approach because of its durability and the brand’s lifetime guarantee, aimed at extending the lifespan of your purchases. But O My Bag doesn’t stop at high quality and takes their waste management efforts further.

The tote was shipped in a cardboard box made from recycled materials and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). And sustainable packaging is a critical area of development in the fashion industry. Packaging can’t be avoided because products have to reach customers intact, but all the plastic used in it pollutes the planet and even contributes to the loss of species. Learn more about the impact of wasteful packaging here.

Finally, the brand conducts annual sustainability reports to stay accountable despite rapidly growing, has a carbon offset strategy in place, and offers its products a new home through its Pre-Loved Program.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

O My Bag gives back and supports multiple causes and projects that make a positive difference in the world:

• The Brickfield Schools project that finances education for migrant children in India.

• Professional skills training for women & girls in Kolkata. Full-time, 3 to 6 months.

• Ongoing work with The Naz Foundation India, which supports the LGBTQ+ community there.

• and The Cup, a cafe located in the Red Light District of Kolkata, which provides a safe space for women.

Here you can find more information on how your O My Bag purchase drives change.

For this section, I’ve gathered a small selection of outfits to demonstrate how Sam Shopper looks IRL, combined with my other closet favorites. And I’d like to cover the tote’s versatility and comfort level and explain why I gave it 8/10.

Sam Shopper is comfortable. It looks voluminous and heavy, but it’s only 700 grams, and my shoulder didn’t hurt so far (I’ve taken the tote to run errands and on my recent 3h+ flight too). I had a similar shopper with slightly thinner straps, and they always caused too much pressure when the bag was full. With this tote, it’s OK because the straps are wide enough to look elegant but distribute the weight evenly, letting you carry a full, heavy bag longer.

What affected the score is not even personal. To me, the bag is highly versatile because it matches my lifestyle and wardrobe perfectly — most of my clothes and shoes are either neutral or in warm shades to compliment my skin undertone. But if your wardrobe mainly contains cool shades, cognac brown could clash with them. The good news is that Sam Shopper is available in black, too! A neutral shade that would suit most people and work perfectly for the corporate setting.

If you are unsure what colors look fabulous, book an In-Depth Style Consultation with me.

If you need a minimalist-style everyday bag for grocery shopping, office hours, city errands, and short-distance travel, this spacious leather tote is perfect for you. It’s durable, under a lifetime warranty, has a low environmental and high social impact.

If your skin undertone is cool or if cognac brown is too much for your neutrals-loving eyes, go for Sam Shopper in black, and thank me later.

If you avoid animal-derived products, go for Georgia, a vegan alternative to Sam, which also comes in two shades — cognac brown and black.

And if this tote is out of your budget, take a look at the brand’s Pre-Loved Program and snatch a sustainable bag that will last a lifetime.

Thank you for reading, and check out O My Bag Amsterdam!

— Alisa

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