Cherchbi – A British accessories company

I was introduced to Cherchbi a couple of weeks ago and was instantly interested in what they were doing. That was due to how nice the bags themselves are, but as I found that the wool used originates from The Lake District, and was the product of our Herdwick sheep I was hooked.

What the brand have done is taken what is generally considered worthless – Herdwick fleece is normally unwanted due to its colour and coarseness – and turned it into something fantastic, the brands very own Herdwyck No.10 Tweed. The yarn is spun in Donegal, with the spinning process slowed down to give the yarn greater strength before cloth is woven in Wales, with extra picks added into the loom create an unusually dense weave.

The cloth is then bonded with natural rubber to a cotton lining (which itself is sourced from a Manchester based mill) in Lancashire. All of this adds up to a material that’s unique, naturally robust, waterproof and great looking. The leather comes from Northern Irish cow hides which are pit-tanned using vegetable tannins, cut at 3mm (which is considered unusually thick for bags), and left unbacked so every aspect of the leather is visible.

The brass hardware used is cast in England where possible, with the main concession being the zips which are made by Riri, as no British zip makers exist. Every bag is made entirely in Britain and the range contains of many style variations, all of which are put together beautifully and with simple functionality in mind. These bags will no doubt get better with age and last for years to come – it looks like the perfect use for the fleece of this hardiest of sheep.

For more information on the brand visit the website here: Cherchbi.