Lining a bag with Microsuede

[Loft Leather]

I'm currently working on a duffle bag I plan to line with microsuede.  I didn't realize it at the time of purchase, but the chrome tanned leather I'm working with is very soft, floppy, and spongy.  I did a test and glued the microsuede to a section of the leather.  I used a bakers rolling pin to join the two surfaces.  I was surprised by the results. 

The leather stiffened up on the lining/glue side and tends to wrinkle when I flex it that direction. Flexing it the other direction, it remains soft and spongy.  I think the rolling pin stretched the leather out as it pressed onto the liner...this caused the wrinkling.  I think if I glue the microsuede to the leather without using the rolling pin, this might not happen.  I'll do another test before I start applying the liner to the bag leather sections.

I also noticed the edges of the microsuede are showing some fraying after I cut it to a uniform size.  I'm not sure how much of an issue this will become after the duffle bag is put together.  I think the glue on the surface might hold it all together after a little fraying.  If that's not the case, I want to deal with it now before the bag is stitched together.  Any thoughts about this?

[Digit]

If by microsuede you mean something like Alcantara, then it's a woven fabric. Woven things always fray eventually. You can limit fraying by stitching in addition to glueing: if you stitch parallel to the warp, you secure the weft so that only warp threads on the 'free' side of the stitch line can come loose (if they're not glued).

You should never apply rolling pressure when glueing something non-stretchy to something spongy: by pressing it down you make the spongy bit expand. When you remove the pressure it contracts again and the surfaces of both materials won't match anymore. This can result in wrinkling or warping depending on either materials' strength.

[Loft Leather]

1 hour ago, Digit said:

If by microsuede you mean something like Alcantara, then it's a woven fabric. Woven things always fray eventually. You can limit fraying by stitching in addition to glueing: if you stitch parallel to the warp, you secure the weft so that only warp threads on the 'free' side of the stitch line can come loose (if they're not glued).

You should never apply rolling pressure when glueing something non-stretchy to something spongy: by pressing it down you make the spongy bit expand. When you remove the pressure it contracts again and the surfaces of both materials won't match anymore. This can result in wrinkling or warping depending on either materials' strength.

 

I'm using a product I believe is similar to Alcantara: https://www.onlinefabricstore.com/wine-microsuede-fabric-.htm  I don't know how the quality compares, but this stuff it pretty nice.  Years ago I looked over a Louis Vuitton bag that was lined with something similar...I believe the LV material was superior to this stuff.  Alcantara is over $135 per yard...maybe it's worth it, but that seems pretty expensive to me.

I can see now that rolling pressure is not the way to go with gluing this to the raw side of the leather.  I want to make sure I have good adhesion without soaking through the microsuede.  I guess I'll just lay it as flat as possible on the glued leather and pressure with heavy book to make sure it bonds well.  

I think I'll take your advice and glue the edges of the fabric.  I don't want to have trouble later and wish I had done a simple step like this.  I'll think about which side of the holes I want to terminate the lining.  I don't know how well I'll be able to paint the edges if there's a layer of liner mixed in with the edges.

[Digit]

At school we learn to cut liner a bit larger than the leather panels to glue it to. That way you have extra space to apply glue so that the glue extends to the very edge of the leather. Afterwards the excess liner is cut off. We also always stitch edges so that the liner doesn't come loose.

If liner and leather is properly glued together and cut to the exact same size, painting the edges shouldn't be a problem. I've painted edges with three layers (outer leather, salpa reinforcement, and pigskin liner) without a problem. If stuff doesn't exactly line up you can start with a coat of filler before applying the first coat of edge paint.

[Loft Leather]

On 9/17/2025 at 5:53 AM, Digit said:

At school we learn to cut liner a bit larger than the leather panels to glue it to. That way you have extra space to apply glue so that the glue extends to the very edge of the leather. Afterwards the excess liner is cut off. We also always stitch edges so that the liner doesn't come loose.

If liner and leather is properly glued together and cut to the exact same size, painting the edges shouldn't be a problem. I've painted edges with three layers (outer leather, salpa reinforcement, and pigskin liner) without a problem. If stuff doesn't exactly line up you can start with a coat of filler before applying the first coat of edge paint.

What you describe is exactly what I'm planning.  My chrome tanned leather is floppy/spongy so I'm going to add a stiffener between the leather and the micro suede lining.  I'm planning to terminate the lining edge on the outside edge of the stitching holes.  This way the stitches will cover the edge of fabric and not be in the edge painting.  the stitches going through the microsuede will probably keep all the fraying contained.

I'm shooting for Hermes results with very little experience.  I've spent a lot of time planning and will start the project tonight with gluing the stiffener to the leather.