Sling & Cross-Body Bags
Potlis, embroidered slings, kutch mirror work and leather cross-body bags from Indian makers.
Available in the United States. No customs at your door.
The part of this category worth importing is the handwork. Kutch and Banjara embroidery, mirror work, kantha stitch and block-printed cotton slings are made in small workshops in Gujarat and Rajasthan and have no equivalent on an American shelf at anything like the price. A potli, the drawstring pouch, is the traditional formal version and is what most people are looking for when they search for a bag to carry with Indian clothes.
Check the strap drop rather than the bag dimensions. Cross-body bags are sized for the wearer more than for what they hold, and Indian listings often give the strap length rather than the drop, which is roughly half of it. A 110cm strap gives a drop around 55cm, which sits at the hip on most adults.
Where we are the wrong answer: if you want a structured leather bag that holds a laptop and takes daily commuting, buy it locally where you can return it. This category is at its best for the occasional and the decorative, and honest about being so.