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TRAVELTEQ
- Jun 5
- 5 min read
Brand Scorecard:
★★★☆☆
Leather: 3.5
Hardware: 4
Design: 3.5
Engineering: 3.5
Craftsmanship: 3.5
TOTAL: 3.60
Brand Website: travelteq.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRIEF HISTORY
Travelteq's products are meticulously handmade on the Amalfi Coast, utilizing the finest Vachetta leather and innovative materials. This dedication to excellence ensures that each piece not only serves its functional purpose but also tells a story, aging gracefully and reflecting the journeys of its owner.
After a period under different leadership that shifted production elsewhere, Travelteq returned to its roots in October 2024, reaffirming its commitment to Italian craftsmanship and superior quality. The brand's relaunch aimed to recapture the original spirit that made Travelteq a favorite among discerning professionals.
FIVE PILLARS OF A GOOD LEATHERCRAFT
READING MY ASSESSMENT SCORES
AUDIENCE & CUSTOMER'S PERSPECTIVE
How would you rate Travelteq as a brand?
How would you rate Travelteq as a brand?
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PRODUCTS REVIEWED
Travelteq’s Leather Briefcase: Style Statement or Smart Investment?
Travelteq’s Leather Briefcase
When Travelteq, a Dutch brand known for its minimalist leather goods, challenged me to dissect their €695 briefcase, I was intrigued. The bag boasts vegetable-tanned vachetta leather from Northern Europe and is made in Amalfi, Italy—a combination that suggests quality and heritage. But does this sleek travel companion live up to its price tag? Let's walk through each element of this piece and see what it truly offers.
DISCLAIMER: The “Rip My Bag Challenge” is a review series that tests leather products’ quality, price, and craftsmanship. While the brand supports the challenge financially, my opinions stay fair, unbiased, and truthful. Products featured are purchased anonymously without brand involvement. Brands have no control over content, publishing dates, or the review process.
First Impressions: Clean Lines, Classic Feel
At first glance, the Travelteq briefcase presents a clean and classic design. It uses a fairly thick thread for stitching, and I noticed that all stitch lines were consistently neat. The edges of the bag are painted, although the finish could benefit from another layer or two to ensure durability. That said, most of the edges are protected with wraparound leather—a design feature I personally appreciate for its enhanced longevity.
Inside, everything appears tidy. There are no glaring flaws or careless craftsmanship on initial inspection. The leather feels, smells, and behaves like veg-tanned leather with a hand-stained finish. We later confirmed this by looking at the back side of the hide during dissection. While the overall look is understated and somewhat simple, it fits the role of a professional and functional travel bag. Most of the interesting design details are tucked inside, such as the compartments, padded laptop sleeve, and pocket layout.
One drawback I noted was the absence of a shoulder strap or even rings to attach one. That limits flexibility for some users. However, it does feature a luggage strap and a discreet hidden pocket, which adds utility for frequent travelers. Overall, in terms of design, I would give this briefcase a 3.5 out of 5.
Structural Support: Functional but Basic
When evaluating the structure, the bag shows minimal reinforcement beyond the pressure points like the handles and major pocket seams. These areas include some internal material layers to prevent wear, but outside of that, there isn’t much structural engineering. The interior padding is focused only on the laptop compartment, which is functional but not exceptional. Again, this briefcase feels like a case of doing just enough—not over- or under-engineered. For this reason, structure also earns a 3.5 out of 5.
Craftsmanship: Neatly Done with Room for Refinement
Looking deeper into the craftsmanship, the inside of the bag shows a medium level of finishing. Some stitches are slightly crooked, and there are a few uncut thread ends here and there. The ends that were dealt with are mostly taped down, but not completely cleaned, suggesting the work is organized, but not polished. These small details matter, especially in leather goods at this price point.
Still, the mistakes aren't egregious enough to affect durability, and the layout keeps problem areas hidden. This is the kind of middle-tier finishing that won’t immediately bother the average user but may stand out to leather purists. With all this considered, craftsmanship earns a 3.5 out of 5.
Materials and Hardware: Solid Choices
Travelteq chose YKK Excella zippers as the primary hardware—a reliable and smooth-operating option. There are also a few mid-level studs and reinforcements, but nothing especially premium or custom. That said, YKK Excella is a solid choice and more than adequate for a briefcase like this. These elements bring the hardware and material score up slightly, resulting in a 4 out of 5.
The Leather: Decent, But Not Top-Shelf
As mentioned earlier, the brand claims to use vegetable-tanned vachetta leather from Northern Europe. While the look and feel align with veg-tanned hides, it doesn't quite match the rich, deep quality of top-grade Italian vachetta I’ve worked with. The finish appears semi-aniline, and when I tested it with acetone, the top layer came off easily, which confirms that there’s a light surface coating.
The leather bubbled when exposed to heat, a behavior typical of veg-tan hides with high natural fat content. It also lacked any greenish hues, which are sometimes present in chromium tanning, further confirming its vegetable-tanned nature. While it's genuine and decent veg-tan leather, it doesn’t quite reach the top tier. For that reason, leather quality gets a 3.5 out of 5.
Cost Breakdown and Value Proposition
Let’s break down the actual costs. I estimate the briefcase uses around seven square feet of leather, which amounts to about €35. Factoring in labor, hardware, and internal materials, I would estimate a total production cost of around €130 to assemble this bag in Italy. The listed price on Travelteq’s website is €695, including VAT, meaning the brand likely takes home around €580 net.
This gives us a 4.5X markup, which sits well within the fair range I look for in leather goods—typically between 3X and 5X. So, while the price is high, it isn’t out of line for a product made in Europe with real leather and thoughtful construction.
Final Verdict: A Balanced, Mid-Tier Bag
All things considered, the Travelteq briefcase lands squarely in the middle of the spectrum across my five pillars of leather goods evaluation. It’s not a masterpiece of luxury leathercraft, nor is it an overpriced gimmick. If the minimalist design appeals to you, and you value European-made leather bags with functional layouts, this could be a solid option. Just be aware that the refinement and materials don’t push into premium territory.
It’s a clean, decent, work-ready bag with thoughtful touches, but not the highest craftsmanship I’ve seen on this table. Still, it offers honest value within the expected range—and for many buyers, that’s more than enough.
Scorecard
NEUTRAL
★★★☆☆ - 3.60
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