Frequently Asked Questions
Recent FAQs
Questions
- What does your warranty cover?
- Why do you charge $19.99 for shipping?
- What are the buckles and rivets made of?
- Are any chemicals used to process the leather?
- Are the bags really made by Native Americans?
- Why is your company named Red Earth Leather?
- How durable are your bags?
- Why should I buy your bags and not company XYZ?
- When will I get my bag after I buy it?
Answers
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What does your warranty cover?
For information on what our warranty does and does not cover, please visit our Warranty Page. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about our warranty before or after purchase. -
Why do you charge $19.99 for shipping?
Shipping our bags costs us about $15 anywhere in the US using UPS Ground. It's even more if we ship to Hawaii, Alaska or overseas. We add adult delivery confirmation to EVERY single shipment because we want you to get your bag and we don't want thieves to get it. Delivery theft is a problem you shouldn't have to deal with. The best way to solve that is you signing for your bag. This costs about $5 more. Trust us, we aren't making any money on shipping when you factor in delivery loss, packaging and materials. If you don't want to pay for shipping and are local to northeast Oklahoma, or even not, feel free to contact us and we can arrange a pickup. If you want it shipped faster, contact us and we'll check the prices for you.
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What are the buckles and rivets made of?
The D-rings for our bags are made with tack quality chromed steel. The buckles are made with heavy duty stainless steel to stay unbreakable strong, but lightweight throughout the life of the bag. The rivets we use aren't cheap nickel or hollow steel rivets like some competitors, we use solid copper rivets that will age with a natural patina and give your bag character but remain as strong as the day they were bucked in our shop. -
Are any chemicals used to process the leather?
Yes. Chemicals are a necessary part of modern leather tanning. There are basically two ways of tanning leather, vegetable or chrome; unless you're using the sun or the brains of dead animals, chemicals will be involved in both. We use thick, full grain vegetable tanned leather, using ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. It's then soaked in oils that naturally repel water, stains and pollutants that can weaken and degrade your bag over time.
Vegetable tanned leather is more expensive than the standard chrome tanned leather used by many manufacturers. Chrome tanned leather doesn't last as long, isn't as durable, but is about ten times less expensive to manufacture than vegetable tanned. We choose to use vegetable tanned leather because the quality is much higher and the environmental impact is less.This is where we draw the line; we won't use chrome tanned leathers in our products. Almost all of our competitors use cheap, thin, chrome tanned leather. Chrome tanning speeds the manufacturing process of leather from weeks down to days. However, it also destroys the environment on a scale we still aren't sure of. Chrome tanned leather is a way to make a product cheaper and most people are unaware of its devastating environmental impact. -
Are the bags really made by Native Americans?
Yes. The owner of the company is a member of the Cherokee Nation and a resident of Oklahoma. All of the craftsmen that make our bags are verified members of the Cherokee Nation. We make our bags in north east Oklahoma, in the heart of the Cherokee Nation. We are proud of our heritage and believe that the skills and quality workmanship are shown in our products. -
Why is your company named Red Earth Leather?
Because Matt Galloway said it would be a good idea. Actually, we are Oklahoma residents. For those not from around here, the iron rich content of our soil, especially in the western portion of the state, makes the dirt look red. We are a company that is passionate about being a good steward of the environment in our personal lives and in the way we do business. What better company name than one that pays homage to our home soil, our planet and to the trade that we work with, leatherworking. It works for us and we hope you like it. -
How durable are your bags?
We designed our bags to last a lifetime. We start by using the best thick vegetable tanned full grain leather we can find, then we double it up where we can. We then sew it together with the thickest marine grade thread available. We use great solid buckles, D-rings and rivets and don't use any cheap snaps or zippers that will break. We are confident that you'll be happy with your bag. -
Why should I buy your bags and not company XYZ?
Most comparable products on the market today are made in sweat shops overseas by workers paid far less than fair wages. They are made with toxic materials that are destructive to our environment. We make our products with the most earth friendly materials using traditional tanning methods that are safe to both our workers and the earth. Our products are made right here in the US by the hands of skilled craftsmen who take pride in crafting the kind of bag your grandpa would have bought. A quality bag that will stand the test of time. Do you care where your stuff comes from and who is making it? -
When will I get my bag after I buy it?
We don't produce cookie cutter bags in a factory. All of our products are handmade by local craftsmen in our shop who take pride in their work. We take our time to ensure that your bag is made well and we don't cut corners or rush our work.
Typically, after you place your order, if there are no custom leather, buckle or tooling requests for your bag, we'll have it made within a week. If there are custom requests, expect around a two week turnaround on the bag. We ship with UPS Ground, unless you make other arrangements so expect another 3-5 business days in the lower 48 states.



