What these bags are made of and why I trust them

Some of you have asked — and I know many more are probably wondering — what these backpacks are actually made of, and how they hold up once you start using them every day. Since we all want our favorite bags to last, knowing what they’re made of really matters.

Most of the body of the backpack is made from a PU-backed polyester fabric (XY-815). That might not sound very exciting, but it’s a very intentional choice. This type of fabric is widely used in everyday backpacks because it’s dependable: it keeps its shape, handles daily wear well, and offers water resistance thanks to the PU backing — without being overly stiff or heavy. In other words, it’s meant to work quietly in the background.

What really matters, though, isn’t just the fabric on its own, but how everything works together. The strength of the backpack comes from the combination of the body fabric, internal reinforcement, foam layers, and how the seams and panels are constructed. Areas that take the most stress in real life — like the bottom of the bag and the shoulder straps — are reinforced and padded in the production version. The prototype I’ve been using is actually a bit rougher in those areas, and even so, it’s held up better than I expected.

You’ll also notice that the Andean woven textile isn’t used everywhere on the bag. That was a deliberate decision. These textiles are beautiful and full of meaning, but they’re naturally stretchy and don’t like being pulled at specific stress points. In this design, the textile is reinforced, backed by the body fabric, and placed where it can be appreciated without being asked to carry weight or constantly rub against the ground. The drawings below help show how those layers come together.

I want to be clear about what this backpack is meant for. This is not a hiking or camping backpack. It’s designed for everyday life — commuting, work, carrying what you actually need day to day — not extreme abuse.  That’s exactly how I’ve been using it, and that’s the use case it’s been designed around.

Because I’ve been making bags for several years now, and because I plan to keep doing this long term, I firmly stand behind this design. If a bag from this release fails due to materials or construction within five years, I will replace it or refund it. I've done it for other bags in the past and I simply think that is how it should be.

I’ll keep using this prototype as my everyday bag, and I’ll report back anything I learned from it. Thanks for taking the time to read, and for following along as this project continues to take shape.

If you’d like to see the current release, the campaign is live here:

 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/696181346/andean-blue-bags-that-carry-culture-and-adventure-0?ref=64podh