Going loco for local: This Karachi brand making earthy leather totes is anything but murky

This review will begin with a story: I saw a bag at Kayal in Karachi, liked the make/quality of it, took a screenshot of the brand name and went home to check its page on Instagram. Earthy Murky’s page had a bunch of designs but there was one that I was fixated on: an earthy, almost muddy brown with a leafy green accent in the front. When I reached out to the brand, they said it was sold out and that the green leather was hard to come by. But they suggested a few other colours in the same template. With leather as well as other materials, however, it can be very hard to tell how the picture would translate in person.

The team then offered to send me some leather samples, free of cost, to recreate something similar to the bag I had picked out. To cut a very long story short, after a lot of back and forth about the leather types and colour combinations, I still wasn’t a hundred per cent sold. Picking up on my reluctance, they discouraged me from ordering a bespoke bag from them and offered to send more samples. But by that time, I felt guilty that I was taking up too much of their time so didn’t take it further.

Fast forward a few weeks, they sent me a message on Instagram saying the exact bag I had liked right at the beginning was still in stock at Kayal. And so wraps up the story of how I came to own my first Rs7,000 Earthy Murky leather bag and begins the tale of how it became my sturdy and practical companion for work and travel. My point for this long narration is that while I may have gone to the brand’s page for the bag, I stayed for the very considerate service!

Now about the bag: I wouldn’t describe the tote as cute but as unique, and while it may not be something you see on a ‘This Season’s Must-Haves’ list, it’s the sort that would appeal to those who have a taste for subdued yet stylish. Functionality wise, I couldn’t recommend it enough for the space it offers and the amount of weight I have subjected it to. It doesn’t have a zip, which may be an issue for some. My one feedback is that the pocket inside could be longer — right now it’s wide but doesn’t hold things. Ideally, that’s what I’d like a zip for!

To sum it up, here are three reasons why I would go for another Earthy Murky bag: the service, the beautiful leather, and the fact that this bag has withstood my weighty daily use plus a few trips on the rundown airport conveyor belts.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This article is part of an ongoing series on supporting local products. All the products are independently evaluated and reviewed by a member of the Images team and reflect their personal opinions. If you’re a local business and would like to be featured, reach out to us at imagesdawndotcom@gmail.com.