What does Handmade mean at Fifth Season?

Handmade means we are real people individually making each product. We like the work we do, we are proud of it, we want it to look as nice as it possibly can. You should expect some variation from piece to piece, within reason. Minor distinctions. The famous (infamous?) custom frame builder Richard Sachs has a saying: "imperfection is perfection." It's the mark of the hand that makes a product unique.  The thumb print in the paint, the mark of the file on a lug, the stitch that wandered just a bit when the dog barked or the phone rang. Our bags are not sloppily made, but they are made one by one, by one person. 

The product(s) you receive might vary slightly from the product picture due to the nature of your product(s) being 100% handmade to order.  Also, dye lots change the color of a fabric, wax application (at the factory and at home) changes it as well. The 'crazing' of waxed cotton is a natural thing, and you'll add plenty of it yourself just using the product. Next time you rewax, that crazing will go away, until you use the product again!