Happy New Year, #MATTERtribe! 2019’s only just begun and our calendars are already sliding in with travel plans for the year ahead. Beyond our annual visits to our artisan partners in India, we’re also making time for Thailand to explore working with more generational crafts, joining Green Is The New Black in Hong Kong, Malaysia for a continuation of a Batik collaboration, and even Bali as we dip our toes into homeware. There’s a countdown going on, so to say we’re excited is an understatement.
We started because we imagined a business built on the the type of travel that we love – story driven, community based, built on direct relationships and a commitment to respecting provenance. One of our new goals, since it’s that time of the year, is for MATTER to create the best weekender bag fit for traveling and we want to get started right now. Think: weekend trips to a city nearby, an island getaway where you only bring one bag, the best carry-on accompaniment when you’re leaving that hard case roll-on at home. Tell us what you’re looking for in an ideal travel bag and over the next year or so, we’ll let you know how the development process is going.
Open Thread: Help us create The Weekender Bag
Here are a few questions to get you started:
– Any fabric preferences?
– Got anything in mind on the strap design? We’re thinking adjustable and two-way: carry by the handle handle or sling over your shoulders.
– How many compartments does it need, and for what? Any on the outside?
– Do you already travel with a carry-all? If yes, how could that bag be even better?
– Which two bags could have a baby and produce your ideal weekender bag?
We’ve already started to brainstorm a couple of baseline requirements — but we figured we’d put the question out to our community before moving to any prototypes. Thoughts, anecdotes, and paragraphs are encouraged. We can’t promise that every wish will be granted, but we will do our best to compile what you tell us into one helluva weekender bag.
See you in the comments section.