Some bags are bought on impulse and forgotten within a season. The bags made by designer Hanne Beutels are a different story. Each one is handcrafted. In Hanne’s own words: “Every bag is made to be used intensively and carried close to you, every day, wherever you go.”
Hanne’s path to leather craft was anything but conventional. She studied interior design at KASK in Ghent and worked in the field for several years. What began as a personal project, giving a second life to her grandmother’s sewing machine, gradually became something more. Since 2010, Hanne has been building her label step by step, alongside other work, driven by a clear belief: that a well-made bag should be a companion for years, not a passing trend.
Her approach to materials has evolved over time. Hanne started working with vintage leather garments sourced from second-hand shops, transforming them into one-of-a-kind pieces. Over time, she noticed that fabric bags wore out more easily, and she shifted her focus entirely to leather. Today, she works exclusively with vegetable-tanned leather, a traditional tanning method that uses natural plant-based substances instead of heavy metals or synthetic chemicals. Her leather comes from tanneries she has selected with care, including Italian, Spanish and Belgian suppliers she discovered through international leather trade fairs. These tanneries uphold strict standards for the production process.
Hanne keeps a limited stock and supplies a select number of selling points, including museum shops. Each month, you can meet Hanne in person at Tour & Taxis Brussels Makers Market, one of Brussels’ best-known creative markets. You’ll discover her work and feel the quality of the leather. Follow @cosh.eco and @hannebeutles on Instagram for the latest updates on where to find hanne beutels bags, or go directly to her webshop to order.
