Homemade student messenger bags are convenient and affordable. They are convenient because they are perfect for students who need to carry books and computers to a high school or across a college campus. They are affordable because you can make them yourself with just a little time. You will still need to buy the fabric and the string, of course, but most of what you pay for with a bag that is already made is the labor. The following are a number of tips when you are trying to select the right fabric for the job.

1. Choose a fabric that is durable.
   You want the bag to last for a long time. Remember that student messenger bags take a fair amount of abuse. They have to carry heavy books with sharp edges and they are frequently dropped on the ground. If you take them on the bus, they could be crushed in with many people. You do not want the fabric to tear while you are a long way from a sewing machine.
2. Make sure that it will be comfortable against bare skin.
   Remember that you will probably want to wear the bag in the winter and the summer. In the winter, it will not matter how comfortable the fabric is since you will have a coat or a sweatshirt between it and your skin. In the summer, however, you could want to carry it while you are wearing a tank top or a swim suit. You do not want it to rub uncomfortably against you.
3. Try to find fabric that is waterproof.
   This is more for the protection of the things in the bag than for the bag itself. You need to think about how you will have books and a computer with you most of the time. You do not want these things to get wet if you are caught out in an unexpected rainstorm. This is more of a threat on a college campus than in a high school.
4. Check to see that sewing with the fabric will not be too hard.
   You do need to think about the process of creating the bag. If the fabric is too tough, it might be very hard to sew without a machine. What you can do depends on how good you are at sewing, so this will be a bit different for everyone.
5. Consider your budget.
   Finally, you want to make sure that you do not spend more on a homemade bag than you would have on a bag from the store. Try to find things that are cheap enough that this will actually be an economical decision that saves you a bit of money.