Many of us have a cherished item that was handed down from a grandparent that we love to use, or wear, or display. I have a really cool leather jacket that belonged to my grandpa, and though it is a bit small for my frame nowadays, I’m holding onto it for my son when he’s older. Sometimes these heirloom items provide inspiration for different aspects of our lives.
LIBERO FERRERO – THE MAN
One such item was carried by Libero Ferrero, commonly called Lee, on his way to and from work everyday. He carried with him a leather work bag that was passed on to his grandkids, Matt Adam and Pete Lafferty. That bag inspired more than just a little inspiration for Matt and Pete and led to their creating Libero Ferrero, a leather company based in New York that designs and creates fabulous leather goods.
Libero Ferrero sells a number of fine leather goods, from various types of bags, duffel bags, and card cases to a money bag or tablet sleeve. BestLeather had the opportunity of reviewing their Money Bag, a throwback to the mid-century’s teller bag, which was used for safety deposits and carrying cash more conveniently. We did this review in conjunction with an article we published a couple of weeks ago on the Horween Leather Company’s Essex line of leather. You can read that article here. Horween specifically recognizes Libero Ferrero on their website as a company that uses the Essex leather in a unique and professional way.
MATERIAL
The Money Bag is 10.1″ in length and 8.4″ in width. It is finished in a hickory color, which is basically a beautiful light brown. Horween’s Essex leather is a straight vegetable tanned leather and is finished with the same processes as their famous shell cordovan leather. The result is a leather that is supple, durable, and has a terrific finish.
The Essex that Libero Ferrero uses is approximately three ounces in weight. On its own this might be a little thin, but Libero combines the leather with their signature Holland and Sherry wool lining. Holland and Sherry is a 170-year old company that began its story in London as a wool merchants and has since produced some of the finest cloths available. The use of this wool is an indication of commitment to the finest quality. The use of Horween Leather is certainly another.
THE HORWEEN LEATHER COMPANY
Matt and Pete visited Horween’s factory in Chicago during the design phase to ensure that they picked the most appropriate leather for their products. They fell in love with the Essex line of leather, which they use on all of their products. Horween has been in business for over 100 years, producing some of the finest leathers available. Many of the goods we review at BestLeather are made from Horween leather, so it is no surprise that you’ll find it in the premium goods that Libero uses.
CONSTRUCTION
The Money Bag is constructed from one piece of leather folded over and connected to another piece of leather by a small strip of Essex. This connection forms their signature shallow V shape. The Bag is sewn together using rugged nylon thread and is sewn along the bottom so that just the top and side open. Libero uses a RIRI zipper, which is a high quality, metal zipper. The bag opens from the top down the side, giving you ample space to slide in your tablet or cash.
Libero also included a small pocket made of the same Holland and Sherry wool to stash your headphones or charger. The pocket is sewn into the inner back of the bag and is approximately 2.5″ by 4″, just big enough for a number of goodies.
The combination of the supple Essex leather, and the Holland and Sherry wool provides a perfect complement to not just your cash, but to your IPad or other tablet as well. The wool is soft and will keep your IPad well protected. The combination of the wool and leather also provides a little bit of padding, which is nice when carrying a $500 tablet.
BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION
It is hard to go wrong with a product when you perfectly marry fine materials into a functional good. The Money Bag from Libero Ferrero is a perfect example of just such a union. It is expertly crafted in the United States by a company committed to producing unique, premium goods and the result is a bag that has more than one use and is beautiful. The use of the Essex leather from Horween will ensure years of use and will be a product that may provide inspiration for some of your future posterity.
