Repurpose an old leather tote as a planter cover

An old leather tote often has plenty of life left, even when its handles and corners have seen better days. Turned into a planter cover, it can dress a potted plant on a balcony, brighten a courtyard or give an indoor plant a handmade surround.

The plant should remain in a separate nursery pot with drainage holes; the tote becomes the decorative outer sleeve. Sivani Designs builds its waxed canvas and leather bags to order with American-sourced materials, working in-house and through a small-run sewing factory in Portland, Oregon. Its lifetime guarantee reflects a long-use approach, while this project gives an existing tote a fresh purpose.

Check the tote and plan the fit

Inspect the base, corners and handle attachments for splits, flaking finish, damp odours or mould. A sound bag can tolerate scratches, but weak seams or a soft, rotten base cannot support a wet pot. Check any maker’s care terms before altering the bag, since a lifetime product guarantee does not automatically cover a DIY transformation.

Measure the internal base and opening, then make a paper template of the pot area. Choose a rigid plastic pot a few centimetres narrower than the widest usable interior, with its rim 3–5 cm below the tote opening. Leave room to lift out the pot and empty its saucer. Test the fit before buying potting mix.

Use a quality potting mix formulated for containers, not heavy garden soil. A waterproof liner or plastic mat can protect the base, but it must never block the inner pot’s drainage holes. Keep the weight in the rigid pot rather than relying on the leather to contain soil.

Clean the leather and gather supplies

Empty the bag, brush away loose dirt and wipe the leather with a barely damp cloth and a small amount of suitable leather cleaner. Work along the grain, blot rather than scrub, and let the tote air-dry away from radiators and direct sun. Avoid soaking, bleach, alcohol and household sprays. For suede or nubuck, use only products approved for that finish.

Gather a screwdriver or seam ripper, sturdy scissors, an awl, a suitable needle, waxed thread and leather-rated rivets or adhesive. A waterproof liner, a nursery pot and a shallow saucer are equally important. This resourceful preparation has the same logic as sustainable travel planning: use what you own, gather what you need and avoid unnecessary purchases.

Shape the tote into a sleeve

Turn the tote inside out and mark where the pot will sit. The base should support the load while the sides form the cover. If the handles crowd the opening, remove them only if their rivets or stitching release cleanly; otherwise keep them as lifting loops. Do not cut into a seam that will carry the pot’s weight.

For a neater opening, fold a narrow strip of sturdy canvas or leather around the upper inside edge. Pierce only this folded material, then stitch or rivet it securely, adding a second row of stitching to new joins. Original bag seams are usually strongest, so reuse them wherever possible and treat adhesive as a helper rather than the only connection.

Do not drill drainage holes through the leather or fill the tote directly with soil. Let the inner pot drain into its own tray, and choose a pot-and-saucer combination you can remove without wetting the bag. If water reaches the leather, blot it promptly and let the tote dry fully before reassembly; never lift a wet cover by its handles.

Match the plant to the spot

Indoors, compact pothos or heartleaf philodendron suits a bright, indirect position. On a sunny balcony, small thyme, oregano or rosemary can thrive in a free-draining container mix. Local nurseries can advise on compact Australian native cultivars, but follow the plant label rather than assuming every native handles heat and drought equally well.

Summer placement matters in Australian cities. A west-facing balcony in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth can become extremely hot, heating both roots and leather. Give a new plant gradual exposure over several days, and check the soil each morning during warm weather. Water the soil rather than the tote, and empty the saucer after each soak. In southern Australia, wait until frost risk has passed in spring before moving tender plants outdoors.

For apartment dwellers, check body-corporate or landlord rules before placing a heavy planter near a railing or on a communal terrace. A wet pot and its mix weigh far more than the empty container suggests. Courtyards and compact gardens in Brisbane or Adelaide can provide a more sheltered alternative.

Finish the cover and keep it working

Set the inner pot into the sleeve, leaving 2–3 cm between the soil surface and the rim for watering. Add a loose leather strip around the pot’s exposed edge if the plastic looks out of place; do not glue anything against damp soil. Keep the plant’s care label in the tote so you remember its watering needs.

At Bunnings, Mitre 10 or a local garden centre, you can find suitable nursery pots, waterproof saucers, liner bags and container potting mix in one run. Ask about plant size and sun exposure, then add mulch to the pot surface to reduce evaporation. Inspect the leather after watering, blot stray marks and condition it occasionally with a product matched to its finish.

When the cover eventually wears out, do not put leather in a council green-waste bin or leave it beside a street bin. New South Wales’ Environmental Protection and Waste Act penalises illegal dumping, and comparable environmental laws apply in other states. Check your council’s guidance for bulky or non-organic items.

Make the transformation this weekend: clean the old tote, fit one draining pot and turn the bag into a practical planter cover instead of replacing it. For a new everyday carry, explore Sivani Designs’ handcrafted leather and waxed canvas totes, including personalisation and monogramming options.