How to Spot Genuine Made‑in‑Europe Leather Bags

When a handbag claims “Made in Italy” or “Made in Europe,” the label can be misleading. Many fast‑fashion and even luxury brands source most of their manufacturing in Asia, then ship nearly‑finished items to Europe just to apply branding or final touches. In this post, discover how to distinguish true European craftsmanship from the superficial “Europe label” strategy—and why brands like Ann Kurz, with 100% Spanish production, stand apart.

1. Europe's Craft vs. Asia's Assembly: What's the Real Deal?

Many brands — even in the luxury segment — have been found to outsource most of their manufacturing to Asia, while only performing final touches in Europe to legally use the “Made in Italy” or “Made in Europe” label. This loophole allows them to maintain a luxury image while benefiting from cheap labor and industrial scale.

A Business of Fashion investigation explains how Italian law allows companies to label a product “Made in Italy” if the last substantial transformation takes place there — even if 80–90% of the product is made abroad.

According to Euronews, many fashion items labeled “European” are largely made in countries like Bangladesh, China, or Turkey, and only assembled or labeled in Europe.

This practice is common not only among fast fashion but also within high-end brands that wish to maintain the illusion of European exclusivity while operating under globalized, cost-driven supply chains.

2. Luxury Brands Under the Microscope

While fast fashion is often associated with offshored production, even established luxury brands have faced criticism for outsourcing most of their manufacturing to non-European countries while still labeling their goods “Made in Italy” or “Made in France.”

According to The Guardian, many Italian luxury goods are produced in factories run by Chinese subcontractors in towns like Prato, Italy — where low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions are common. These products are technically made in Italy, but not under the conditions buyers typically associate with the label.

Similarly, a New York Times investigation uncovered that some French luxury labels were using outsourced workshops with questionable labor practices, raising concerns about transparency and ethics in European-branded production.

These cases highlight a growing issue: just because a product is labeled as "European" doesn't guarantee it was crafted under traditional or fair conditions. It's up to conscious brands — and informed customers — to demand better.

3. How to Identify a Truly European Bag

  • Check origin of materials and tanning: Are they processed in Spain, Italy, France?
  • Look for brands that disclose full supply chain—not just final steps.
  • Prefer brands with public ethics/audit certifications (e.g. LWG).
  • Support companies known for artisan ateliers in Europe—not high-volume foreign mass production.

4. Why Ann Kurz Represents Authentic European Craftsmanship

At Ann Kurz, our leather handbags are fully produced in Spain—from sourcing hides from Spain and Italy by established tanneries to hand assembly and finishing. We work exclusively with LWG‑certified tanneries for transparency and environmental standards. Our commitment extends beyond words: every stitch, cut, and polish happens in our Spanish atelier on the Costa Blanca, situated in Elche/Alicante.

Unlike brands that import nearly-finished goods from Asia, Ann Kurz owns the entire process, ensuring every bag carries the genuine "Made in Spain" integrity.

Conclusion

The “Made in Europe”, "Made in Italy", "Made in Spain", etc. label can be misleading if a bag is mostly made abroad. Truly authentic European leather bags come from transparent supply chains, verified production, and brands deeply connected to artisan traditions. At Ann Kurz, our Spanish-made handbags reflect this integrity—from materials and tanning to final finish. When shopping, remember: label alone isn’t proof—production story is.

Back to blog