The laptop bag made of strong, waxed 24-oz cotton canvas accommodates everything you need for the office – and it has a signature red zipper ribbon, red cotton carrier strap and red lining. The capacious main compartment is padded to give the laptop additional protection. Three side pockets can hold battery charger and charging cable. The large document compartment closes with a press stud and also contains two leather pockets for mobile phone or calculator and a penholder. Two more outer pockets, one with a zip fastener, provide additional storage space. The handles are made of 3-mm saddle leather and surround the bag to give the base additional stability.

The British leather manufacturing label Croots gained the reputation of a long-established company within only a short space of time (in just four decades). So hundreds of years of experience are not always necessary – far more important are an understanding of the craft in question combined with the use of only the very finest materials. This was the aim of John and Margaret Smith when they started producing their first hunting and tackle bags under the label Field Sports Products in 1978; they used traditional techniques and quality materials such as robust saddle leather and sturdy cotton canvas. Later, the company’s range expanded to include travel bags and small leather goods. When daughter Jackie and son-in-law Allistair Croot took over the business in 2004, the only thing they changed was the name. Since then, Croots has become synonymous the world over with British craftsmanship and robust, long-lasting luggage. Croots has even supplied members of the Royal Family.
The bags are designed and produced at the company’s workshops in Malton, North Yorkshire, and materials are also sourced in the UK. Weaving takes place in Keighley, West Yorkshire, the waxed cotton canvas is purchased from long-established Scottish manufacturer Halley Stevensons, and metal fittings come from a foundry in Walsall, West Midlands, or Sheffield. The only parts Croots imports are RiRi zip fasteners from Switzerland. The leather is vegetable-tanned and processed according to traditional saddlery techniques. Croots usually uses English bridle leather, from which saddles, tack and belts are made, because this leather keeps its shape and appearance thanks to special tanning techniques.

The British label Croots is among the leather goods manufacturers that have, in a short time, virtually earned the reputation of a traditional company. So it doesn’t always take centuries of experience—what matters most is, first and foremost, an understanding of one’s craft and the use of the right materials. John and Margaret Smith embodied this philosophy when, in 1978, they began producing their first bags and cases for hunting and fishing under the “Field Sports Products” label: crafted in the traditional manner and made from sturdy materials such as strong saddle leather and durable cotton canvas. Later, they added travel bags and small leather goods to their lineup. When their daughter Jackie and son-in-law Allistair Croot took over the business in 2004, they kept everything the same—except for the name. Since then, “Croots” has become a global byword for British craftsmanship and sturdy bags; even the royal family owns a few Croots bags.

The bags are designed and manufactured at the company’s facility in Malton, North Yorkshire. The materials also come from the UK: The fabric is woven in Keighley, West Yorkshire; Croots sources its waxed cotton canvas from the traditional Scottish manufacturer Halley Stevensons; and the hardware comes from foundries in Walsall, West Midlands, or Sheffield. Only the zippers are sourced from Riri in Switzerland. Finally, with a few exceptions, the leather is vegetable-tanned and processed in the classic saddlery style. Most of it is so-called English bridle leather, which is primarily used for saddles, bridles, and belts because, thanks to a special tanning process, it hardly stretches at all.