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7 startups making cool backpacks for adults - from $40 basics to $900 splurges
7 startups making cool backpacks for adults - from $40 basics to $900 splurges
Connie Chen,Connie ChenFeb 7, 2019, 21:31 IST
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Backpacks usually tend towards pure style or pure practicality. The perfect one balances both.
We found seven online startups making stylish backpacks that can also keep up with your busy daily lives and travels.
From under-$100 styles to over-$700 splurges, these backpacks will remind you of the excitement of back-to-school shopping, but with a new, sophisticated twist.
Backpacks have been an extension of our styles and personalities since our grade school days. Shopping for a new backpack before the start of school was one of the highlights of the summer, and if your friend got lost in the sea of students as the bell rang, it was easy to relocate them based on their patterned Jansport or Eastpak (and the bundle of keychains clinging onto the zippers).
We haven't outgrown the practicality of the humble backpack, but we have since developed a taste for elevated style. Several online startups are making cool, stylish backpacks that won't be mistaken for the ones your 10-year-old niece is wearing.
These backpacks are unmistakably made for adults, people who need to comfortably and efficiently carry the essentials of their busy lives with them but would also appreciate if the bag matched their stylish outfit.
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They're made from premium materials like leather (both real and vegan), neoprene, and canvas, and they're thoughtfully designed to consider the needs of the modern commuter and traveler. As such, they tend to cost around $100 or more. Unlike your grade school backpacks, however, you won't be throwing these out every year, and you won't want to.
Shop stylish backpacks from seven cool online startups below, and don't forget to check out our guide to the best backpacks you can buy:
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This bag company founded in 2013 doesn't just make cool backpacks for the sake of doing so. With each purchase, it donates a backpack filled with school supplies to a student in need. The founders created the brand after seeing kids carrying their school things in ripped trash bags to their prior venture, a non-profit summer camp. Now, they help you carry your essentials in sleek leather, canvas, and nylon styles while supporting underprivileged kids and raising conversations around social issues.
Whenever we see a dark or dusty neoprene backpack out in public, we place a big bet that it's from Dagne Dover. These backpacks have become a favorite among urbanites who need a comfortable and well-organized bag they can carry from night to day. Since they're made from 100% premium neoprene, they're insulating and shock-absorbent, so you know your stuff will always be protected. If you're adventurous, choose the bright Sienna and Liberty colors, or the cute Camo prints.
Athleisure often revolves around clothing, but gym-bag startup Caraa focuses on the all-important backpack. It creates fashionable, versatile, and durable bags you won't be afraid to set on the ground or fill with sweaty clothes, including the famous and distinctive Studio Bag, which can be turned into a satchel, backpack, or crossbody with a switch of the straps. The bags are designed to perform, with breathable compartments, moisture wicking materials, and built-in USB chargers, to name a few features, and they look great.
Matt & Nat makes composed and structured bags that also happen to be vegan. In addition to vegan leather, it uses recycled nylon, cork, and rubber in its bags, and all of its bag linings have been made from 100% recycled bottles since 2007. The backpacks are unique enough in color and silhouette to distinguish yourself from the pack, yet still simple and timeless — a design philosophy that encourages sustainable, long-term use.
We thought spending at least $700 on a backpack was slightly ridiculous, too, until we actually felt and wore one in person. Available in four finishes and a rotating lineup of curated colors, the 100% Italian leather bags are simply gorgeous. The brand reimagines luxury by also making beauty practical. On the inside, you'll find large padded compartments for laptops or tablets and small pockets for your essentials. If you ever tire of wearing it as a backpack, it can be converted to over-the-shoulder, on-the-arm, and crossbody configurations.
You might know Baggu as the company behind the $10 reusable nylon bags people tote as casual day bags or grocery bags. Its backpacks, available in a variety of materials like velvet, canvas, and of course, nylon, are also worth your attention. The tiny backpacks are a light, cute companion for window shopping and museum visits, and its roomy drawstring bags make a practical everyday accessory. Best of all, most of its styles are under $50. If you don't want to spend too much, shop at Baggu.
Minimalism, quality, and transparent pricing are the tenets of Everlane's business. In backpack form, this means clean designs, durable and travel-friendly construction, and affordable, under-$100 prices. With its eight pockets, water-resistant covering, and easy-access side zipper, the Commuter Backpack is a fan favorite, but the company is also experimenting with convertible formats, as shown through its Mover Pack, a hybrid duffel bag-backpack.
