Thandana is a luxury South African luggage brand known for its high-quality craftsmanship, stylish designs, and durable products. They offer a range of travel bags, backpacks and accessories for travelling, working, studying or parenting with a focus on both functionality and aesthetics. All fabrics and leathers are locally sourced, celebrating the country’s rich resources and the artisans behind each product. Every piece is a testament to the skill and dedication of South African craftsmanship, honouring those who bring these designs to life.

Heritage

Since launching in Durban, South Africa, in 2010, with an idea that was conceived from her passion for design and travel, founder Carla Ashton, developed her project, which has evolved into a thriving South African brand known for its exceptional craftsmanship and timeless designs.

Starting with just four machinists in a garage, Thandana has grown into a business employing over 60 staff members, creating beautifully handcrafted travel and handbag collections. The word Thandana means “to love one another” in the Zulu language of South Africa. The symbol printed on each of their products is derived from ancient Zulu rock art paintings – it is a symbol for the word, “and” which denotes “addition” or “to add to’, making it suitable that the philosophy of the Thandana Brand is “to provide the gift of authentic and enduring leather bags, hand made in South Africa”. With this culture as their background, it is a meaningful place for the brand to grow from.

Top rated and travel approved

Thandana has made their mark on the international luggage market with their immaculate bags that make living out of a suitcase seem like a breeze.

Having become a well-known luxury luggage brand with a focus on immaculate workmanship and quality, their bags and luggage make travelling fun & exciting. The company combines expert craftsmanship with premium materials, offering timeless designs from sleek leather handbags to spacious travel duffels. Every piece is made to fit into the traveller’s lifestyle.

Easy travel

I was delighted to have the privilege of receiving and reviewing four of their handcrafted products – a sophisticated leather handbag, an elegant leather vanity bag, lightweight, rectangular packing pods and a compact rollup jewellery wallet.

All these items were perfect for helping make my travelling organised and comfortable. Each one of them offered easy packing, secure storage, and convenient access to essential items.

Bag of the month – Jax Handbag

The Jax handbag is a versatile, everyday handbag crafted from high-quality, 100% genuine bovine leather. The colour and texture of the full-grain leather are beautifully balanced. The leather is supple and luxurious to the touch, and the stitching is meticulously crafted, demonstrating the quality of this bag, and it feels like it will last a lifetime.

Perfect for everyday use, whether carrying essentials or as a stylish “hands-free” bag. The bag features a simple yet sophisticated design with contrast stitching that highlights the details. What I liked was that the bag has both hand straps and a detachable, adjustable shoulder strap for versatility. The bag’s sleek silhouette and clean lines make it an elegant choice. Inside, it is lined with water-resistant nylon and includes a zip compartment and a pouch compartment.

Any creasing or irregularities in the leather are considered natural features and add to the unique look of each bag. Thandana bags are for those who dream of owning a high-end piece without spending thousands of dollars, as well as for those on the lookout for the most fashionable designs. This handbag skilfully echoes the codes of luxury, that which defines the brand’s perception of prestige and exclusivity. What I especially enjoyed about the Jax handbag was its durability, stylish design, and ability to last through frequent travel.

The bag’s secure closures and reinforced corners provide peace of mind during travel. For the price, this leather bag offers exceptional value and quality. I am delighted with this bag and would highly recommend it to others as it is a worthwhile investment that will serve me well for many years. This handbag is a timeless piece that elevates any outfit.

The Jax Leather handbag seems to be a popular choice for buyers and is commended for its simple yet sophisticated design, good quality, and durability. The bag comes in a selection of fun leather colours.

Travel luggage pods

If you are a chronic overpacker or a frequent flyer but a bad packer, you might find yourself searching for the packing pods. This also applies if you are packing for two or more, and if you enjoy meticulously organising and categorising your belongings ahead of a once-in-a-lifetime trip, then packing pods are just for you. The Thandana pods are lightweight, rectangular pouches made from fabric, designed to organise and compartmentalise clothes and other items within luggage.

What impressed me was that the packing pods allowed me to separate items into categories like shirts, pants, toiletries, etc., making things easier to find. They also compressed clothing, maximising the use of space within my luggage.

Thandana packing pods are typically made from durable materials like recycled plastic or heavy-duty mesh, ensuring belongings are protected. The durable construction and high-quality zips ensured that these will be a lasting investment for years to come.

These are all reasons to invest in a set of packing cubes to pack more efficiently for a less stressful travel experience. They need to be strong yet lightweight, and many of them come in sets featuring a variety of sizes and quantities.

What I enjoyed was that the pods can be used separately and fit easily into travel luggage bags. They also fit into the larger pod to store away; with a pod for everything, packing just got so much easier.

Vanity Bag

I never understand how people travel with a tiny bag of toiletries. I need a more spacious and sturdier vessel to house my products, even if I’m packing a pared-down version of my beauty routine. The leather vanity bag is made from genuine leather, giving it a soft, luxurious feel and durability. It is a compact and elegant vanity bag and is ideal for carrying makeup, cosmetics, toiletries and other essential items.

The spacious interior and many pockets provided plenty of storage for all my travel essentials. This sleek, tan leather vanity bag with a good quality zipper closure and an adjustable shoulder strap is made for easy carrying. I rather liked the way the vanity bag could be used as a clutch or crossbody bag, and gives one a compact and organised solution for carrying essentials. The leather material ensures the bag can withstand daily wear and tear, and the waterproof technology ensures the lifetime of your bag. Combining the fabric with genuine Bovine South African leather means its durability will make your vanity bag last for many years. I enjoyed using the leather luggage with the perfect blend of style, durability, and functionality. The stitching is robust and looks proved it can withstand the rigours of travel.

Jewellery travel wallet

The attractive tan leather jewellery wallet is a stylish and functional way to organise and protect jewellery while travelling or on the go. The gorgeous buttery-soft genuine leather exterior is lined with Thandana’s signature printed fabric. The wallet is a convenient and space-saving solution for organising and carrying jewellery, especially for travel. I so appreciated the way it is designed to fold easily and is secured with a leather wrap strap. It can hold up to 14 pairs of earrings and 7 rings. I found that the two inner slip compartments were useful, and it was easy to store and travel with. The roll-up design and individual compartments help prevent jewellery from getting tangled, especially necklaces. The soft leather made it easy to fold and secure with a leather wrap strap. The supple, full-grain leather feels luxurious to the touch, and the stitching is meticulously crafted, demonstrating the quality of this wallet. It also offers a convenient and space-saving solution for organising and carrying jewellery, especially for travel.

The wallet is a worthwhile travel item to add to any travel luggage as it makes for a convenient and space-saving solution for organising and carrying jewellery, especially for travel.

I enjoyed using all the travel bags, and it was a game-changer in my packing experience, combining functional design with distinctive aesthetics. This South African brand combines timeless craftsmanship with modern, unique designs.

Closing thoughts on commendable community commitment

In line with their dedication to community upliftment, Thandana launched the LIV the Thandana Way project in collaboration with LIV Village. Through this initiative, Thandana Bags donates a range of materials, including leather offcuts, canvas, foil, foam, laminated fabrics, and co-branded labels, collected weekly, to support LIV Village in manufacturing their product range.

This partnership empowers the women of LIV Village by providing hands-on production opportunities, while the sale of these products, both locally and internationally, helps generate sustainable income for the village. These funds contribute directly to LIV’s self-sufficiency.

Beyond material donations, Thandana also provides design input, guidance on product development, and has donated sewing machines to help improve production capabilities. The brand regularly conducts training sessions to upskill more women at LIV Village, empowering them to create quality products and build a better future through craft and entrepreneurship.

For more information, visit Thandana

Written by Diane McLeish for Luxuria Lifestyle International