Review: Zatchels Classic Purple Leather Satchel

Hands up who had a satchel when they were a child? Most of us I’d say. But then they fell out of fashion as the sporty messenger bags and backpacks hit the catwalks. Until a few short years ago the humble brown satchel was the accessory of beige-loving academics. Then something amazing happened … COLOUR! All of a sudden bright coloured satchels appeared on the high street – and we’re as in love with them now as we were as children.

When Zatchels approached PackThePJs to review one of their handmade in England satchels I jumped at the chance. Not for me (this time), but for my 11 years old daughter, who is adjusting to life at ‘big school’. I decided to pick a satchel for her that would be stylish, yet practical.

Her favourite colour is purple. Deep purple, not lilac or purple that’s closer to pink. This narrowed my search immediately (thank goodness as there’s so much choice). To use it for school she’d need one large enough to hold her lunchbox, pencil case, mobile phone, reading book and water bottle. It would also need a long over-the-shoulder strap, as she cycles to school.

I decided on the Classic Purple Leather Satchel, in size 14.5”. This particular satchel comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 11.5” up to 17.5”. You can choose to add a handle on the top, have magnetic fasteners instead of the buckles, and even have backpack straps added. If you’d rather a shorter strap, that’s an option too … basically you design the bag that works best for you. Another touch that made me smile was the option to personalise your bag with a name plaque on the front and message inside!

The satchel arrived in a sturdy box. Inside was a drawstring bag protecting the beautiful satchel within. The satchel is the perfect purple colour. Millie absolutely loves it! She’s used it for school every non-sports day and everyone in her class want one too. The buckles were a little stiff at first – to be expected. Once the leather had loosened up a little, it’s really quick and easy to open and close it. She liked that the strap was adjustable, so she could get it just right for when she cycled to school.

Her Zatchels satchel is incredibly well made. It appears to be very strong and I’m sure she’ll have many years of use from it. It’s also a lot lighter than I expected it to be. This is a good thing of course, especially if you are cycling.

Overall, we are really pleased with this Zatchels satchel. What makes it extra special is that it was handmade in Britain. It’s a quality product x

Disclaimer for Review: Zatchels Classic Purple Leather Satchel

PackThePJs were gifted a satchel of our choice in return for an honest review. The opinions expressed are our own and haven’t been influenced in any way.