1) All the dress sporrans I've seen are fur with canticle or animal head. So I think if you're not doing an animal head that your best bet is to include the canticle.

2) My dress sporran has a front and back that are hard as steel and pliable leather covered fur in between so that it opens like a bellows.

3) The inside of my dress sporran is leather lined.

4) My dress sporran is in grey rabbit fur and I like that better than either the pure white or black.