Is Mulberry a good brand? Heavy leather, English factories

Short answer: yes, and Mulberry is one of the few brands at its price that still manufactures meaningfully in its home country.

The English factories

Mulberry was founded in Somerset in 1971 and still operates leather-goods factories in England, in the Somerset area where it began. A proportion of production remains there; the rest is made abroad, including in Asia and Turkey.

That split matters when you are comparing bags. A Mulberry made in England and one made elsewhere can sit in the same range at similar prices. The country is on the tag inside — check it if provenance is part of why you are buying.

It is worth saying plainly that offshore production is not a quality verdict. As we keep finding across these guides, specification and quality control decide outcomes more than geography does.

The leather

This is Mulberry's real strength. The house works in substantial, heavy-feeling leathers — the Natural Veg Tanned and the grained calf in particular — that are noticeably more robust than much of what sits at this price.

The vegetable-tanned lines genuinely patina: they darken, soften and record use, in the way we describe in our guide to Buttero leather. That puts Mulberry in a small group at this level actually selling hide that improves rather than hide engineered to stay put.

Construction

Solid and traditional. Thick leather, substantial hardware, proper reinforcement at stress points. Mulberry bags are heavy, which is the direct consequence of using that much leather — a real trade-off worth knowing before buying.

The Bayswater and Alexa are the signature shapes and both are built to be carried for years rather than seasons.

What to be aware of

Weight. Genuinely heavy before you put anything in it. If that matters to you, handle one first.

Veg-tan marks. The natural vegetable-tanned leathers scratch and water-spot, especially early. That is the material behaving correctly, and it settles as the patina develops — but it surprises people.

Price volatility. Mulberry discounts more than the heritage houses, which softens resale.

The range is uneven. Some lines use lighter, more finished leathers that do not have the character of the heavy veg-tan. Check the specific material rather than assuming.

Is it worth it?

Yes if you want a substantial leather bag built to last, and particularly if you buy into the vegetable-tanned lines, which are among the better value at €700–1,200. English-made pieces add provenance you cannot easily get elsewhere at this price.

Reconsider if weight matters, or if you want something that stays pristine — the veg-tan will not.

Against us: similar material philosophy, very different scale and price. We use full-grain vegetable-tanned Walpier Buttero from Tuscany, cut and stitched by hand in Italy, at €255–295 — lighter construction, one material, sold direct. Mulberry gives you English manufacture and a deeper range; we give you a lower price for comparable hide. Both are selling leather that ages, which is more than most of this market does.

The joy, not the markup.

Frequently asked questions

Are Mulberry bags still made in England?

Partly. Mulberry still operates leather-goods factories in Somerset, where it was founded in 1971, and a proportion of production remains there. The rest is made abroad, including in Asia and Turkey. The country is printed on the tag inside the bag.

Is Mulberry good quality?

Yes. The house works in substantial, heavy leathers — particularly the natural vegetable-tanned and grained calf lines — with solid traditional construction and proper reinforcement. The veg-tan lines genuinely patina, which is unusual at this price.

Is Mulberry a luxury brand?

It sits between accessible and luxury — British heritage, real leather credentials and English manufacture on some lines, but more discounting and softer resale than the continental luxury houses.

Why are Mulberry bags so heavy?

Because of how much leather is in them. The signature shapes use thick, substantial hide with heavy hardware and real reinforcement, which is the same reason they last. It is a direct trade-off rather than a design oversight.