How to Make a Leather Luggage Tag with a Snap or Grommet Closure

A leather luggage tag is the ideal evening project: two small cuts, one piece of hardware, and a finished object that survives baggage handlers for decades. This guide covers both classic closures — snap and grommet — plus the privacy flap that keeps your address hidden from everyone except airline staff.

Snap or grommet: which closure?

If you travel with different bags, the snap wins. For a single checked suitcase, the grommet is the classic — and the setting technique is the same one in our eyelet and grommet guide.

Cutting list

Leftover wallet leather works perfectly — this is the project to pair with the leather card holder build so nothing from the hide goes to waste.

Tools and materials

• Leather per the cutting list
• One Line 20 snap, or one 8 mm brass grommet with washer — snap setting without a press is covered in installing Line 20 snaps by hand
• Rotary punch (2 mm and 5 mm), strap end punch, corner rounder or coin to trace
• Edge beveler, gum tragacanth, wooden slicker, edge dye — process in the edge burnishing guide
• Contact cement, waxed thread, two harness needles, steel ruler, wing divider

Step 1 — Cut, round and bevel

Cut the body, flap and strap; round all corners (6–8 mm radius) — square corners on small items fray first. Bevel and burnish every edge of every piece now, before assembly. On a tag this size, crisp edges are 80% of the perceived quality; if you prefer colour, edge paint works well here too, as compared in edge paint vs burnishing.

Step 2 — Add the window and insert

1. Position the flap over the lower two-thirds of the body and punch a 5 mm window slot through both layers at the centre-top — use the hole size chart to match punch to hardware.
2. Write your details on the card insert: name, phone, and email. Never put your full home address on a luggage tag — it tells everyone at the carousel exactly which house is empty. City and phone are enough; the airline has the rest.
3. Cement the flap's top edge to the body with a hairline of contact cement, then saddle-stitch it across the top so it hinges forever. Stitching technique in the saddle stitch tutorial.

Step 3A — Snap closure

1. Punch a 2 mm hole in the strap's tail and through the tag body where they overlap when wrapped.
2. Set the snap's female socket in the strap and the male stud in the body — or reverse, depending on which way you want the strap to face.
3. Test-snap five times. The snap should close with a firm click and hold when tugged.

Step 3B — Grommet closure

1. Punch a 5 mm hole in the tag's centre-top, 8 mm from the edge.
2. Set the grommet and washer with the die — the full anvil-and-mallet sequence, including the cracking mistakes to avoid, is in the grommet setting guide.
3. Thread the strap through the grommet and close it around the handle with a small buckle, a Chicago screw, or a stitched loop. For the screw option, the mechanics are in Chicago screws vs rivets.

Step 4 — Finish

Punch the strap's tail round, burnish its end, and rub the whole tag with neutral balm. Optional: monogram the flap with a two-letter stamp set before assembly — it is much easier to position on a flat piece.

FAQ

Will the airport scanner damage the tag?

No — leather and brass pass through without issue. The real enemy is the baggage carousel: the grommet and rivet backs are what get scraped, which is why brass (not plated zinc) is worth the small premium on a tag that grinds along metal chutes.

Can I waterproof it?

A coat of leather balm repels rain; for checked luggage in monsoon season, use a heavier wax-based dressing — but expect the patina either way. The insert is what must stay readable, so many makers laminate the card instead.

What if I have no rivets or snaps — anything simpler?

Yes: punch two 2 mm holes in the tag top and stitch the strap on directly with a saddle stitch in waxed thread. It is the oldest construction there is and, unlike a snap, cannot be opened by anyone in transit — see the saddle stitch tutorial.

How thick should the leather be?

1.8–2.0 mm. Thinner tags curl in checked luggage; thicker ones are stiff to write against and the flap will not close flat. If your only stock is 3 mm, skive the flap edge down — technique in the skiving guide.

Conclusion

Round the corners, burnish the edges, hide the address, and set one honest piece of brass hardware — that is a luggage tag that outlasts the suitcase. For the matching travel set, build the leather key fob and check the TSA lock guide, or browse more in Leathercraft Guides & Tutorials.