One-of-a-Kind: How to Shop Our New Collection of Tote Bags

One-of-a-Kind: How to Shop Our New Collection of Tote Bags

Here at the KMM & Co. studio in Atlanta, we're incredibly excited about our new one-of-a-kind collection. These leather tote bags are truly special. Each heirloom-quality bag has something that makes it unique: a distinctive brand, an unusual color, or another quality we can never replicate.

Our one-of-a-kind totes offer the perfect use for pieces of leather that otherwise wouldn’t get made into totes. But because there are several types of one-of-a-kind totes, it’s important to take a second to read about the differences (and to take a look at the photos on the page for the tote you’re considering)!

We always say, "Beware of imitations." With a one-of-a-kind tote, you'll have something that nobody else can ever copy. Here are all the details about the terminology and types of totes you'll see on our one-of-a-kind page. 

Scratch-and-dent leather tote bags

Scratch-and-dent tote bags

A scratch-and-dent tote is one that didn't quite make the cut as a full-priced tote. Scratch-and-dent totes, true to their name, have visible flaws. But each tote’s imperfections are just cosmetic, and they won't affect the integrity of the bag. That makes the discounted price tag a pretty great deal!

These totes can feature scratches, scars, range marks, variations in color, insect bites, grain irregularities, or other imperfections. These imperfections come about either during the life of the cow or during the tanning process. 

While scratch-and-dent totes have markings that wouldn’t work on a full-priced tote, they will last just as long and wear in just as beautifully as any of our standard totes.

Branded Tan Kodiak tote bags

Branded leather tote bags

A branded tote bag is a true one-of-a-kind because it features a brand that was applied to the hide during the cow's lifetime. Typically, the ranch where the cow was raised applies the brand, so the brand may be the symbol of the ranch or the initials of the rancher. (Please note that we don't apply brands to the leather, and we are not able to create a customized brand for you.)

In addition to the brand, many branded totes have additional markings or cosmetic imperfections characteristic of the particular leather. Each branded tote is individually photographed so that you can take a close look at the brand and any other markings that are present on the tote. 

When you purchase a branded tote, you're truly choosing a tote that won't ever look like someone else's bag thanks to the distinctive brand. What's not to love about that?

One-of-a-kind leather tote bags

Ready-made tote bags

KMM & Co. tote bags are typically made to order. But a ready-made tote bag is one that's already been assembled by our team, usually with customizations that would typically cost extra. When you buy a ready-made tote, you get all of those extras at one flat price!

Just keep in mind that that also means that you can't make any changes to the tote, including to the drop length of the handles.

We sometimes have a few of these on hand if an order gets canceled or if we made a mistake when planning our production workflow, and they offer a great opportunity to get a custom tote at a discounted price. 

Hand-painted card envelopes

Hand-painted card envelopes

A hand-painted card envelope is exactly what it sounds like: a card envelope that's been painted by hand at our studio in Atlanta. Each one features a bold striped design, created with specialty paints and sealed to protect against wear and tear. 

The design of these one-of-a-kind wallets was inspired by the hand-painted details on some of the pieces of luggage that Kyle, KMM & Co.'s founder, created for his senior collection when he was an Accessory Design student at SCAD. They add a fun splash of color to the one-of-a-kind collection -- or to your everyday carry!

You can shop our one-of-a-kind leather tote bags and card envelopes here! We hope that you find a piece you love!

All one-of-a-kind items are final sale and ineligible for return or exchange, so make your selections carefully and contact us at hello@kmmco.com if you have any questions! It’s worth taking your time to look at all of the photos (and to read the description) for the item you want to purchase, as we often have standard, scratch-and-dent, and branded totes in the same color.

Please note that once you have received your order, we are unable to make any alterations to one-of-a-kind items, whether to change the drop length or to add extras like a crossbody strap or snap closure.