Cotton dust bags, 10 pack

Dust bags suit you if you resell handbags on eBay, Vinted and Depop, or sell leather goods, designer accessories or pre-loved luxury pieces. A buyer paying a few hundred pounds for a bag expects a soft drawstring cover, as they would get from a shop.

Many pre-owned bags come without their original dust bag. A plain cotton one fills that gap at low cost, and the buyer keeps it for storage.

A pack of 10 covers a few bags a week. Past ten bags a month, buy larger packs or two sizes so each bag gets a cover that fits.

Choose breathable cotton or a cotton blend with a drawstring closure. Leather needs air; a plastic cover traps moisture and can mark the finish or encourage mould over time.

Compare the stated size with your stock. A cover should hold the bag with its handles laid flat and a little room to spare, so it slides in without folding the leather. Medium covers suit most shoulder bags; totes and weekenders need large ones, and clutches and wallets suit small.

Plain undyed or cream cotton keeps dye off pale leather. Before you use a coloured cover, wash one to test that it holds its colour.

Stuff the bag with scrunched acid-free tissue paper to hold its shape, and wrap any metal hardware in a small piece of tissue so it cannot scratch the leather. Lay the handles flat or tuck them inside the body.

Slide the bag into the dust bag, pull the drawstring closed and tie it loosely. Wrap the covered bag in a layer of bubble wrap or honeycomb paper and pack it in a double-wall carton sized to the bag, with fill round every side.

A card with care notes is optional. The dust bag presents the bag and the outer box protects it.

For lower-priced fashion bags, a few sheets of acid-free tissue paper give a tidy reveal for a fraction of the cost, and the buyer is unlikely to expect a cover.

For high-value pieces, add a rigid presentation box on top of the dust bag. Use both when a bag sells for several hundred pounds and the buyer may gift it.