To a certain degree, what handbag material is the best depends very much on what you want the handbag to do.

Do you want it to compliment an outfit? Do you want it to liven things up a little bit (or a lot) or do you just want it to be durable and long lasting or both.

There are many types of material used for building designer handbags. The most common material for designer handbags these days is leather.

Strong, highly durable and incredibly tough, leather is a perfect choice for a material.

Bearing in mind that leather also comes in a variety of different types such as cowhide, goatskin, natural, man made etc, there will always be one out there that "feels" right in your hands.

Strong and thick leather will weather well, able to shrug off raindrops and small marks and spills (dependent on the protective coatings and coloring) and will not rip or shred after repeated putting down and picking up off rough floors.

Suede also runs a close second to the leather lines, having many of the same strength and durability properties of leather. Less designer handbags are made from suede as it is a harder material to design a color or style for - although Coach specifically do a great range of colors and styles in suede handbags!

But what if you want to glam up an outfit or go for something beyond the traditional materials of leather, suede, canvas and nylon mix?

Well -- you're still spoilt for choice.

How about a seat belt bag, made from recycled seat belts in a criss-cross pattern? Strong, colorful and very different.

Or the new Licence Plate handbags -- made from cleaned and recycled licence plates, handbags that are literally bent into shape with hinged flaps.

Then there are evening bags, made from velvet.
Ugg handbags - made from treated sheepskin -- some of which also double up as a handbag and muff!
Beijo handbags are made purely from polyvinyl -- tough and incredibly easy to wipe clean.

Some of the Louis Vuitton high-end bags are made from a mix of cowhide leather or canvas with ostrich leather for trim and decoration!
You can even still pick up some handbags made from crocodile skin -- albeit from the pre owned market!

The choice of materials is quite mind-boggling. Just about anything you can think of as a suitable material to use for making a handbag has already been done.

The only real question is -- What do you want your handbag to say about you?

If you're solid, traditional and dependable -- go for leather.

If you're funky and chic -- try the seat belt bag.

If you're different and a bit of a trend setter, not a trend follower, either go with the Licence Plate handbags or design and make your own.