Retailer’s Guide to Bag Materials: Real & Faux Leather, PVC, and Canvas (2025)
When considering which type of bags to stock, the features of various bag materials can make a big difference. Understanding which bag materials are most flexible, durable or affordable will help you build a stock order that meets the needs of your target market. This guide will support retailers choosing between Leather, Faux Leather, Canvas, Nylon or Polyester, explaining the differences between these common bag materials to help you choose the right mix.
Real Leather
Leather bags are always popular, particularly where shoppers find real leather at a good price. This material is associated with quality, tradition and longevity, and many women consider a leather handbag an investment. Styles that stand the test of time are a good choice when ordering wholesale leather bags. Choose a mix of bold and muted colours to suit all tastes.
We stock various types of leather, each with its own distinct texture and benefits.
- Cowhide is the most common, sturdy, durable and water-resistant.
- Nappa has a slightly different curing process, which leads to an extremely soft leather. This leather can include goat nappa, sheep nappa and cow nappa.
- Suede is the soft, velvety underside of a split cowhide, which is easily dyed but lacks water-resistance and durability.
From the smell of leather to the patina it gains over time, leatheris a staple bag material that is popular in every season.
Cowhide
Full-grain cowhide leather is a common material for handbags, briefcases and shoes. Its natural grain structure is easily recognised as genuine, and its moderate flexibility makes it excellent for any shape of handbag.
Browse Wholesale Cowhide Handbags
Sheep Nappa
All sheep leather is light, thin, and soft, ideal for Summer handbag styles. Sheep nappa bags don’t crease, unless under significant pressure, so they maintain their shape for a long time. Sheep nappa has a fine texture favoured for luxury bags.
Browse Wholesale Sheepskin Handbags
Faux Leather / Synthetic leather
Faux leather refers to plastics such as PU or PVC. Like leather, faux leather or pleather is water-resistant and easy to work with. It is more affordable and easier to colour than real leather, perfect for bags in bright designs, unusual shapes and temporary trends in bags. These features make faux leather an excellent alternative to animal products.
The downside of faux leather is that it’s not as durable as real leather, particularly in direct sunlight, so store and display PU and PVC bags away from windows.
PVC
PVC bags are waterproof and durable, lightweight and affordable, but they have limited weight-bearing capacity and flexibility. PVC is also easy to clean. Choose this material for bags that are fashionable, eye-catching and affordable, such as this cross-body PVC bag (available in yellow, mahogany, pink, and more).
PU
PU bags are more resistant to scratches and stains than PVC, making this an excellent middle-ground between PVC and genuine leather. It is perfect for classic styles of bags, such as this large buckle tote handbag. Like PVC, PU leather is easily manufactured into quality bags and creates affordable accessory stock for retailers.
Other Bag Materials
Canvas
Canvas bags are lightweight and practical, and an environmentally-friendly choice as the fabric is neither animal nor plastic. Canvas is an excellent material for slouchy boho backpacks, messenger bags or rucksacks. It is easy to manufacture in various patterns and colour schemes. While not as hardwearing, canvas is more affordable than leather, without the synthetic feel of PU or PVC.
Nylon & Polyester
Polyester and nylon are similar materials in that they are both lightweight and durable. These synthetic fabrics don’t crease like leather or vinyl does, so they hold their shape well. They’re also easy to clean.
The difference is that nylon has a smooth, shiny finish and is stretchier than polyester on the whole.
Buying polyester bags and nylon bags wholesalegives you access to a whole range of colourful, patterned bags and unique handbag designs. These bag materials are strong enough to hold a reasonable weight, water-resistant and easy to clean.
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Choosing Bag Fabrics for Retail
Consider your customers’ priorities when choosing which bags to stock. For quality and durability, real leather is the obvious choice. If affordability and durability are required, PU, Nylon or Polyester bags should make up the bulk of your order. Canvas is the most sustainable choice. For most customers, we recommend a mix of bag materials to cover your bases.
As handbag wholesalers, we keep a full and comprehensive stock of handbags and other bags in all the above materials for wholesale purchase. Our textile and PU ranges are always increasing, so keep checking in for updated stock listings.