Leather bags have been in use since the dawn of leather’s use in clothing and accessories. As a durable, long-lasting material, leather is an excellent choice for bags.

Leather pouches are small, flexible bags made from leather, usually with a zipper or drawstring closure. These pouches can be used for any number of purposes – simpler drawstring pouches are often used to carry small, loose items, while larger zippered pouches are popular as clutch bags or purses.

Let’s explore the many types and uses of well-crafted leather pouches.

What are Leather Pouches?

Leather pouches are soft bags made from either genuine or faux leather. These bags are meant to be carried with a strap, attached to a belt, or carried in a pocket or larger bag. Pouches most often close with drawstring or zipper closure, though some also use metal snaps or buttons. Similar to duffel bags, these bags are malleable to hold items of varying shapes and sizes.

Brown Leather Drawstring Pouch

Leather pouches date back to Medieval times, where larger varieties would be used as a multipurpose carryall and smaller varieties as a coin purse. Because of their durability and moldability, leather pouches have remained popular throughout history. Today, they are still used as carryalls, with smaller, simpler varieties used to hold items like gaming pieces or makeup and larger varieties used as purses, tool bags, and more.

Types of Leather Pouches

Leather Tool Pouches

Leather tool pouches are an interesting hybrid of a Medieval belt pouch and a modern tool belt. Used by carpenters, electricians, and other skilled trade workers, Leather pouches are made from heavy full-grain leather. They attach to a belt to securely hold heavy tools directly on the worker’s body, allowing quick and easy access to the tools used most often.

Leather tool pouches are not just limited for use by trade workers – those who often use multiple tools may benefit from using a leather tool pouch. Cosmetologists, makeup artists, ceramicists, and painters all use multiple tools and switch between them often, making a leather tool pouch an excellent choice to organize their tools and keep them close.

As a durable, long-lasting material, leather is an excellent choice for bags.

Mens Leather Pouch

Though leather pouches are often used as clutch bags, men can benefit from using leather pouches for storage! Leather pouches can be used to hold a variety of items, from collectibles to important items. A popular use for leather pouches for men is as a travel toiletry bag. These protect grooming items during travel, and, thanks to leather’s natural water resistance, keep other travel items like clothing dry.

Leather pouches can be used to hold smaller everyday items within a larger work bag. Larger leather pouches with sufficient padding can be used as protective bags for laptops, tablets, and other tech. Professional and tech accessories can also be stored in leather pouches.

Leather Pouch for Sunglasses

Leather Drawstring Pouch

Leather drawstring bags are the simplest type of leather pouch. Drawstring leather pouches are often leather sack-shaped bags with a simple drawstring and a wide opening, able to hold a variety of items easily.

Medieval Leather Pouches

Based directly on historic leather pouches, Medieval leather pouches are typically rugged, simple bags. They often include a loop or other attachment somewhere for wearing on a belt and usually have drawstring, button, or buckle closure.

Small Leather Pouch With Zipper

Small leather pouches with zipper closure are a fashionable, modern take on the leather pouch. These pouches can be used as wallets, coin purses, or even clutch bags, depending on their size.

Soft Leather Pouch

Pouches made from soft leather, like lambskin, are considerably softer than those made from full-grain leather. Soft leather pouches are best used for purses or makeup bags, as they are less durable than those made from stiffer leathers.

Brown Leather Sports Pouch

Wholesale Leather Pouches

Wholesale simply means bought in bulk. Wholesale leather pouches are available from leather retailers, from artisans on Etsy, or on sites like Amazon. Wholesale pouches are a great purchase for those who are not leather workers but still want to produce and sell high-quality embellished or personalized leather goods.

Leather Pouches For Belts

Mimicking the historical way to wear leather pouches, leather pouches for belts have a loop or tie that fastens around the wearer’s belt for a secure way to wear the pouch. These pouches are often made of thicker leather, as they’re expected to bounce around and be exposed to the elements.

Leather Pouch Clutch

Leather pouches have become increasingly popular as clutch bags thanks to their simplicity. These bags close with a zipper and usually have a wrist or shoulder strap. Inside, they lack pockets entirely.

Small Leather Pouches

Small leather pouches were historically used as coin purses for ease of access and security. Today’s small leather pouches can be used as wallets, for change, and even as women’s purses. Small leather pouches are useful for securely protecting any small item that needs to be carried with you.

Tan Leather Storage Pouch with Snap Closure

Large Leather Pouch

Large leather pouches can range from purse-sized to backpack-sized. Larger leather pouches are similar to leather duffel bags, except leather pouches lack interior or exterior pockets. Large leather pouches are excellent for tools, arts and crafts, or even as purses or school bags.

Small Leather Coin Pouch

Historically, small leather pouches would be used as coin purses. Today, this practice still holds, with modern zippered leather pouches made specifically for use as coin purses. Small leather coin pouches are a useful item for those whose wallets lack storage for change, but they’re also useful for securing headphones, jewelry, or other small items.

Leather Keychain Pouch

Leather keychain pouches are meant to be used as coin purses. These tiny pouches attach to bags or keys and can hold small items like change, headphones, or other essentials. Because of their size, these are most often found in faux leather, but some genuine leather options are available from designers.

Leather Coin Pouch with Coins

Small Leather Drawstring Pouch

Mimicking Medieval coin purses, small leather drawstring pouches are simple, no-nonsense accessories. They’re usually a simple, open bag with drawstring closure. These pouches also happen to be an extremely easy leather project to DIY with the correct tools and a little bit of skill.

Womens Leather Pouches

Women’s leather pouches are often styled and sold as clutch bags or mini-purses. However, women’s pouches can also be used to hold small valuables, like jewelry or makeup. Pouches are an asset to professionals who carry larger bags to work, as everyday items can be kept in a small pouch and moved from bag to bag when necessary.

DIY Leather Pouch

Leather Pouch Pattern

Leather pouch patterns are available for free or for purchase, depending on the simplicity of the pattern. A simple, feminine leather pouch pattern with a free template can be found here. For a more rustic drawstring pattern, check out this one from Boys’ Life.

Medieval Belt Pouch Pattern

For Medieval pouches, the best resources are patterns and instructions from costumers and experienced reenactors! Here is a costumer’s page with several period patterns. Another excellent resource is artisans – this pattern is a historically accurate pouch that a lower-class person would use in Medieval times.

Where to Buy Leather Pouches

Store	Description
Amazon	Amazon’s selection of leather pouches is mostly faux leather-based. Their prices range from $10 to around $60, depending on style and material.
Etsy	A treasure trove for leather goods, especially simple goods like pouches. Here, you can find leather pouches of any size or style, from ultra-modern minimalist pouch clutches to authentic Medieval bags.
Leatherology	Leatherology’s pouches are sleek and simple, made from high-quality leather and highly customizable. Their prices are middle of the road, from $30 to $80.

Others popular online stores/sellers

Surprisingly, fast fashion retailers are often a great resource for fashionable faux leather pouches. For genuine leather, artisans and leather retailers are the best options.

Here is a great video on how to make your own DIY Medieval Leather Pouch with button snap and drawstrings:

Leather pouches are one of the oldest leather goods in history. They are incredibly useful, able to serve almost any purpose and available in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Today’s leather pouches are particularly sleek and low-profile, perfect for grabbing on-the-go to keep up with the fast pace of modern life.

If you’re thinking about purchasing a leather pouch, don’t hesitate. If you’re crafty, consider making your own! Leather pouches are ancient accessories that have found their place in the modern world. For other accessories, click here for my guide to leather wallets, here for my article on leather messenger bags, and for customizations and repairs, here for my guide to leather patches.

Leather Pouches – Guide to Types, Sizes, Uses, and DIY