Today, we are showcasing a Light Blue Hermès Mini Lindy bag crafted by the Shebag handmade workshop. Hermès offers a unique color palette comprising over 60,000 variations, and we replicate our bags based on the actual colors sold in Hermès boutiques.

But how does Shebag acquire top-tier Togo leather? The reason lies in the fact that Hermès does not fully control every European tannery; Shebag secures this top-tier leather through alternative sales channels from these very same tanneries.

Togo leather is one of the most frequently used bull leathers by Hermès, and its supply chain reflects the brand’s long-established luxury material system characterized by “control, traceability, low yield, and extremely high elimination rates.” The raw hides for Togo primarily come from selected young bulls across Europe, focusing on suppliers in France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Nordic regions. At the very upstream of the supply chain, Hermès mandates that ranches adhere to strict animal welfare standards, breeding environments, and growth management, while imposing extremely high requirements regarding skin damage, insect bites, scars, and grain consistency. Togo must utilize hides with natural textures, clear pores, and stable layer thickness to achieve its iconic fine pebbled grain and structural rigidity.

Upon entering the top-tier European tanneries partnered with Hermès, the raw hides undergo a long-cycle tanning process. Togo undergoes a semi-aniline treatment, which preserves the natural grain while achieving moderate protection through a coating, rendering it wear-resistant, scratch-resistant, and supple to the touch without being collapsible. The dyeing process demands exceptionally high control over color consistency, especially for light, blue, and grey series; multiple spectrophotometer tests ensure that the ΔE color difference across different parts falls within the microscopic range required for luxury grades. After tanning and dyeing, every hide must undergo numerous tests for grain consistency, elasticity, stiffness, dye absorption uniformity, and moisture content, resulting in an extremely high rejection rate.

The Hermès supply chain for sourcing Togo does not rely on a single tannery but adopts a strategy of “deep cooperation with a few, locking in long-term capacity.” Tanneries partnering with Hermès typically need to meet its quality standards continuously for years and accept traceability audits, standardized production requirements, and environmental emission regulations. Since Togo’s pebbled texture is a natural grain rather than an embossed one, the consistency requirement for the embryonic hide itself is extremely high, leading to a low proportion of usable raw hides upstream and a naturally tight supply. While Hermès maintains a certain safety stock, the overall model remains one of “low yield, long delivery cycles, and stability without expansion.”

Before entering the workshop stage, the hides undergo a second round of screening to cull areas with overly coarse textures, unevenness, or minute flaws. For styles that must maintain their structural shape, such as the Mini Lindy, Kelly, and Birkin, the selected Togo must perfectly match in weight, stiffness, and grain direction; there is even a requirement that the leather for a single bag comes from the same batch and the same cutting area. Due to Togo’s toughness and plasticity, the cut pieces maintain their structural sense during shaping, stitching holes do not significantly deform under tension, and the bag retains its iconic structured silhouette even after long-term use.

Togo Leather Characteristics:

• Durable + Scratch Resistant + Easy Care: Made from male calfskin, Togo features a natural pebbled grain surface that offers high resistance to scratches and wear. Compared to many smooth leathers, it does not easily sustain obvious scratch marks.

• Structured + Shape Retention: Togo has a slightly firm texture and stable structure, ensuring the bag does not easily deform. It maintains the bag’s shape well, even with frequent daily use.

• Lightweight + Portable: Compared to some heavy leathers, Togo is typically lighter, making it suitable for daily carry without making the bag overly heavy.

When the Mini Lindy is crafted from Togo leather in colors like “Fog Blue / Grey Blue / Cold-tone Light Blue Grey,” it presents a specific aesthetic: Elegant Aloofness + Understated Restraint. Fog Blue or Grey Blue carries a subtle hazy quality; it is not as ostentatious as bright colors, but rather exudes a quiet sense of “shimmer in the mist” or “the cool air after rain,” making it perfectly suited for minimalist, Nordic, or urban commuting styles.