When you think of luxury handbags, you may first think of brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, or Coach.
But the brand that stands out the most in your mind is likely the brand that has the most external marketing or media.
In the case of Coach, the brand has gotten a lot of media attention and not all of it has been positive.
As we know, the media can be influenced by the opinions of those reporting it, therefore it can be challenging to know if some of the things we have heard are an accurate reflection of the company.
For those asking if Coach is a good, reliable brand, continue reading to learn 10 reasons that it is.
Is Coach A Good Brand? (10 Reasons It Is)
1. The Coach Foundation
The Coach Foundation was established to support charities and organizations throughout the world, specifically encouraging and empowering women and children.
These nonprofits and charities, alongside the foundation, continuously work to address social and racial inequity and support LGBTQIA+ people within their communities.
Together, they hold the belief that humans are free to live and thrive as their authentic selves.
“Dream It Real” became the core mission of Coach in 2018.
The mission focused on “helping young people around the world pursue their paths and purpose.”
A. Circular Design Scholarship Program
In order to follow this mission, the Coach Foundation created a CFDA x Coach Dream It Real Circular Design Scholarship.
This scholarship was awarded to 15 different honorees.
The goal of the scholarship is to empower the next generation with the desire and equipment necessary to create a more sustainable future within the fashion industry.
B. Pride Support
The Coach Foundation supports and celebrates Pride and LGBTQIA+ communities.
It works to create a welcoming, thriving environment with the collaboration of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Point Foundation, and CenterLink Community of LGBTQ Centers.
Alongside CenterLink, the foundation was able to produce IMI, a digital app that offered support to queer teens and allowed them to explore their queer identities.
C. Dream It Real x Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Coach has a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to support higher education by providing scholarships of $5,000 per year to 80 students who attend a historically Black college or university.
The foundation has North American partnerships with The Opportunity Network and Bottom Line, both of which strive to separate the inequity that under-represented and low-income students experience in higher education.
D. Partnerships Around The World
Coach also has a partnership with the China Youth Development Foundation to support students within China with student aid, scholarships, and advocacy.
Coach supports Katariba’s work in providing opportunities for young, underrepresented people across Japan.
Katariba provides mentors and resources to aid the Japanese people in achieving their dreams.
The Coach Foundation partners with UK Youth to help provide young people with the opportunities to progress toward their personal and career goals.
UK Youth and Coach established a curriculum program and scholarship support to aid students.
E. Dream Week
Dream Week is one week a year where Coach commits to donating 5% of all sales, up to $1 million, within the United States and Canada.
This 5% is put into the Dream It Real Fund, which is used to provide scholarships to partnering nonprofits that work with underrepresented students in higher education.
Higher education is specifically targeted because it is one area that is significantly underrepresented by LGTBQIA+ and other minority communities.
F. Other Partners
Other partners that the Coach Foundation works with that are not mentioned above include:
- Albert-Kennedy Trust
- The Equal Justice Initiative
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
2. Sustainability Commitment
Coach has made a pledge to reduce their impact on the environment.
To support this commitment, they introduced (Re)Loved in 2021.
The company is also a dedicated partner of Fashion Makes Change, which is made up of a group of brands that actively work to improve opportunities for women and strive for a more sustainable future.
A. (Re)Loved
The continuous change in trends today means that it is common for people to purchase a new product only to get rid of it shortly after in preparation for the next updated product release.
Roughly 85% of unwanted clothing and bags are thrown away every year, ending up in landfills.
Coach wanted to change this by providing a more ethical way for customers to recycle their bags.
Coach launched (Re)Loved Exchange as a way for customers to exchange or recycle their products.
They will gladly accept used bags from their Coach Insider customers to reimagine or recycle, and the customer will receive a credit to use on their next purchase.
The credit amount is determined based on the condition and value of the bag, but customers can receive anywhere from $10 to $200 in credits.
Customers can also shop a collection of used bags that have been lightly worn.
One way that Coach recycles these materials is by weaving recycled leather pieces together to create their “Upcrafted” leather designs.
The company also aspires to replace the polyester linings within its products with recycled materials by 2023.
B. Responsibly Sourced Leather And Signature Jacquard
Coach also receives their leather from a Leather Working Group-approved tannery.
As of 2022, 77% of leather purses and 99% of footwear products from Coach have been sourced from one of these approved tanneries.
Coach also has committed that by 2025, a minimum of 90% of all products will be designed using gold and silver-rated tannery leather.
The signature jacquard design, one of the most iconic designs among Coach products, is also receiving a more ethical upgrade in 2022.
Coach states that by fall 2022, the jacquard will be made entirely from organic cotton and polyester yarn that has been recycled from plastic water bottles.
C. Regenerative Leather
Coach has partnerships with Savory Institute and Other Half Processing, groups that support regenerative agricultural practices that maintain and rejuvenate grasslands to increase biodiversity, soil, and productivity.
Using regenerative raw materials has been shown to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is another area that Coach is striving to improve on.
D. Recycled Packaging
All Coach shopping bags and boxes within their retail and outlet stores are made up of at least 55% recycled materials.
The brand has a goal that by 2025, 75% of its packaging will be made of recycled content.
3. Durable Products To Last A Lifetime
Coach’s products are designed with quality in mind and made to last a lifetime.
However, should any damage occur, they also offer free lifetime leather care in their retail stores.
Customers can also purchase Coach leather cleaner and a Coach leather moisturizer kit for at-home care.
The products Coach creates are made with a variety of different durable materials including:
- Sport calf – A soft and durable leather that is made to have a vintage look. It can be cleaned using a damp cloth and moisturizer.
- Glovetanned and glovetanned pebble – A soft and supple leather designed to match the leather quality of a baseball glove. This is the most popular type of leather used in Coach purses because as it ages it gets even more beautiful. Coach’s glovetanned leather is ethically made with a Leather Working Group gold-rated tannery. Glovetanned pebble features an even softer, silkier feel with embossed pebble grain.
- Smooth calf – A classic, smooth leather that is fine-grained and has a polished finish.
- Soft grain – Lightweight goatskin that has a silky soft feel.
- Crossgrain – Lightweight and durable with a finely-grained surface. This design was developed to meet the needs of the average person on the street who is likely not looking for fancier, more expensive leather.
- Pebble and signature pebble – Soft, with a special pebbled grain. The signature pebble design is embossed with the iconic Coach pattern.
- Lambskin Nappa – Italian lambskin, with a natural sheen and buttery feel. This leather should be kept away from heat and moisture to preserve it.
Other specialty leathers that require more intensive care to sustain them include:
- Haircalf – Avoid moisture.
- Suede – Avoid water.
- Exotics – Avoid water and moisture. Cleaning should be done in the direction of the scales.
- Shearling – Professional cleaning only.
- Original natural leather – If exposed to water, natural colors might run. Direct sunlight may cause fading.
Coach products also use special fabric and woven materials, like:
- Signature canvas
- Signature jacquard
- Nylon
- Straw
- Denim
All of the materials used in Coach bags go through a rigorous inspection process, testing for color and light fastness and abrasion resistance.
The bags are also weight tested to determine overall construction strength.
4. Complimentary Care And Repair Of Leather
A. Moisturizing Treatment
Before you purchase a Coach bag, all leather goes through a moisturizing “beauty treatment.”
However, consumers can also schedule an appointment with a nearby Coach retail store and bring their bag in for a complimentary cleansing and moisturizing treatment.
Click here to find a retail store near you.
B. Repairs
All bags are under a one-year warranty after purchase.
If consumers notice a defect in the leather, they can bring the bag in for a free repair.
After the year’s warranty has expired, consumers can continue to bring their bag into a Coach repair shop for a price of $45-110 depending on the extent of the repairs needed.
One thing to note is that this service is not available for leather goods purchased at Coach Outlet stores.
If you’re someone who prefers to do it yourself, you can learn how to remove stains, how to properly store your bag, and how to clean or replace the hardware on the bag.
5. Personalized Customizations
If none of the handbags online or in-store are appealing to you, customers can also customize their own handbags.
Whether customizing online or in a store, customers have over one million different options to choose from.
Depending on how extensive the customization is, it can take 12-18 weeks to arrive after the order has been placed.
A. Leather
Customers can choose from a variety of Coach leather options depending on the bag style and size they have selected.
B. Palette
You can choose whether your handbag will be monochromatic or bold, with many different colors to select from.
You can also select a color for the interior.
C. Handle
If you are customizing a Rogue bag, you can get as granular as selecting your handles.
Handles can be glovetanned, natural leather, genuine python, or crocodile leather.
D. Monogram
Choose from more than 70 letters or symbols to adorn your specially crafted handbag.
E. Hardware
Select black copper, old brass, or light antique nickel for the hardware.
6. Coach Insider
Coach offers a free membership program called Coach Insider, which is a community of “originals, dreamers and creators.”
There are many perks to get excited about with a Coach Insider account, including:
- Personalized offers
- Free customization
- Exclusive products
- Early access to new releases
- Birthday gifts
- Surprise gifts with purchase
- Refer-a-friend bonus
- Insider-only events
- Coach (Re)Loved Exchange
7. Luxury Feel Without Luxury Prices
Everyone’s definition of luxury may be different, and luxury does not have to be defined by cost.
However, the quality and style of Coach handbags give off a luxurious feel, but the prices are still significantly lower than other luxury brands like Louis Vuitton.
The majority of Coach bags are available for less than $1000, while the majority of Louis Vuitton bags cost more than $1000.
Additionally, Coach is one of the few luxury brands that have outlet stores in the United States.
It is uncommon to see other brands discounting their products in the same way that Coach does.
This is appealing to those in the middle class who wish to own a high-end bag without paying a high-end price.
8. Ongoing Elegance and Modern Designs
When you think of Coach, what comes to mind?
For many, Coach is considered timeless, elegant, and consistent.
In today’s fashion world, trends come and go quicker than the average person can keep up with.
Yet, Coach continues to offer the same designs without going out of style.
The brand has obtained a cult-like following for a reason, and its consistently good designs are a big part of it.
Their handbags continue to appeal to a wide variety of consumers and can be found across the nation, from New York Fashion Week to Long Beach, California.
9. Resale Value
As we’ve established, Coach bags are made of high-quality, durable material that can last for many years.
Another major advantage to this is that when a customer is ready for a new bag, they can sell their current Coach handbag and receive close to, if not the same, amount of money it was originally purchased for.
We did our own investigation into this matter and found that a pre-owned Coach Klare crossbody shoulder bag is currently listed on eBay for $132.
The original bag from the Coach Outlet ranges from $150-$170.
It is important to note that pre-owned handbags being sold on the Internet should be verified for authenticity prior to purchasing.
10. Good Working Conditions In The Retail Stores
Any retail worker likely has some crazy stories to tell about their customers or workplace.
One of the most important aspects of a job that influences whether an employee will remain in the workplace is the working relationships they have with co-workers.
The second aspect is the perks, benefits, or level of appreciation they feel for doing the work.
Coach has over 1,000 reviews on Indeed.com and the majority of them are positive.
Reviewers state that they are given extensive training on the products.
They are not paid on commission, but if they hit specific sales goals each month, they receive a bonus.
Some reviews state that the stores have a family atmosphere and that staff receives support from management and other coworkers.
Coach has also been improving its diversity initiatives through employee training, working especially on things like communication skills.
They are committed to welcoming employees from all different backgrounds.
Their dedication to equality stems from New York, the original home of Coach.
New York has a widely diverse population and mix of cultures which is in the DNA of Coach and is reflected in their employees around the world.
