Handbag repair covers straps, linings, zips, clasps and the hardware that holds a bag together — the parts that fail long before the leather does.

Usually worth doing

Bags tend to fail at predictable points. Straps go where they fold, stitching pulls out where the strap meets the body, and linings tear at the corners. All three are repairable, and none requires the bag to be taken apart completely.

A cobbler is the right trade for this. The tools and the stitching machines are the same ones used on shoes, which is why shoe repairers have always done bag work.

What to expect

Take the bag in rather than describing it — a cobbler will want to see how it is constructed before quoting. If it is a designer piece, ask whether they can match the hardware finish before agreeing to the work.