The backpack
A backpack that costs more than 100 euros isn't exactly cheap.
But backpacks made in Europe—especially in Portugal—aren’t exactly a dime a dozen. To lower the price, manufacturers would have to pay their workers less: virtually all the backpacks on the market are imported from Asia, where factory wages are insufficient to live with dignity.
And yet, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a sturdy, locally made backpack as affordable as ours. We’re able to sell it at this price because we cut costs on a lot of things we consider unnecessary: we don’t run ads, we don’t do sales, we don’t release new collections… and we don’t have greedy shareholders constantly demanding higher profits.
Released in July 2022
Coming out in October 2023
Switch to a thicker, sturdier fabric: from Cordura 500 to Cordura 1100.
Straps that slide more smoothly without slipping.
New, more powerful closure magnet.
Reinforced stitching at the shoulder strap and handle insertion points.
Switch to a ripstop lining, which is more tear-resistant.
Volume: 17 liters when the roll-top is rolled up, up to 23 liters when unrolled.
Dimensions: height 42 cm (56 cm when the roll-top is unrolled), width 27 cm, depth 14 cm.
Cordura fabric, reinforced seams, no flimsy zippers.
The fabric is tightly woven and then coated to make it waterproof. The “roll-top” closure provides an extra layer of protection against the rain.
Virtually all backpacks on the market are manufactured in Asia, where factory wages are far below what NGOs refer to as a “living wage” or “subsistence wage.” By choosing to manufacture in Portugal, we ensure that the people who make these products earn enough to live with dignity.
Techniques That Ensure Quality
Cordura® 1100
The main wear and tear on a backpack comes from holes that form in the corners at the bottom of the bag. To prevent this, we chose Cordura 1100 fabric: a particularly strong fiber woven very densely. According to our durability tests, this fabric is twice as durable as polyester fabrics, which are commonly used for this type of bag (see test results).
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zippers
Reinforced seams
Roll-top closure
The top of the bag closes by rolling up the fabric and securing it with a sturdy metal hook. With this system, there's no risk of the zipper breaking.
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zippers
Reinforced seams
Straight zippers
Zippers are a weak point on backpacks (remember those Eastpacks from middle school...). We’ve used only two on this bag, and we made sure to use straight zippers—without any curves—to avoid tension and prevent them from coming off the track over time.
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zippers
Reinforced seams
Reinforced seams
The straps are sewn to the bag with cross-stitches: they're not about to come loose.
In our tests, the shoulder strap withstood a force of 1,676 Newtons. In other words, you could put 170 kg in your bag before it broke (see tests).
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zippers
Reinforced seams
For work or a stroll
For this sleek backpack, we chose a “roll-top” closure: it’s elegant, eliminates the risk of broken zippers, and offers better protection from the rain. Its 1100-denier Cordura fabric ensures overall durability (and, in particular, resistance to tears). Side pockets for a water bottle (or a snack), a carabiner to clip your keys, a theft-proof wallet pocket, and a laptop compartment: we’ve made sure it’s practical without any unnecessary features. The result? A versatile backpack for commuting to work or the gym, going on a weekend trip, or heading out for a hike.
Dimensions: height 42 cm (56 cm with the roll-top extended), width 27 cm, depth 14 cm.
In detail
Roll-top closure
17-liter capacity when rolled up, up to 23 liters when unrolled.
Quick-Access Pocket
To retrieve your wallet or phone, there’s a zippered pocket on the side of the bag: simply remove one shoulder strap to access it. Since it sits along your arm, it’s also hard for pickpockets to reach.
Lanyard with carabiner
The secret to never losing your keys.
Padded compartment
Dimensions: 27 cm x 34.5 cm, for computers up to 15 inches.
Inner pocket
Two “water bottle” pockets
Metal magnet
To help close the roll-top securely
Weight: 730 grams
Cordura offers an excellent weight-to-strength ratio
How to Wear It
A few ideas if you're stuck
Composition
100% polyamide
Origin and Certifications
- Cordura fabric: Germany
- Inner lining: Portugal
- Zips: Portugal
- Straps: Portugal
- Manufactured in Portugal
How This Product Will Age
How do we know this? We ask our customers for their feedback on the product one year after purchase. And if the product is less than a year old, we provide our predictions based on some unsolicited feedback and our experience with similar products.
According to feedback from our customers, this bag ages well and requires almost no maintenance.
Please note: Since it’s often placed on the floor, the bottom of the bag may get scuffed, but so far, we haven’t received any reports of holes in that area.
Care Instructions
If your backpack gets a little dirty, you can put it in the washing machine. But keep in mind that repeated washing can wear away the fabric’s coating and thus make your backpack less waterproof. If you want your backpack to stay in perfect condition, wash it with soapy water using a brush, then rinse it with warm water. And whatever you do, never put it in the dryer.
Reviews of this product
The standard practice is to send review request emails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month—the minimum amount of time needed to form an informed opinion.
Customer Review Policy
When do you ask customers for reviews?
We’ll send you a review request one month after we receive your order. We believe this is the minimum amount of time needed to have worn and washed an item several times and to form a truly informed opinion. After that, all your reviews are published within a week, whether they’re positive or negative.
Do you request reviews for 100% of the products ordered by customers?
We used to do that at first, but then we realized we were starting to send way too many emails to certain customers who shop with us regularly. In short, we were spamming them a bit. Plus, it was starting to take the team way too much time to respond to reviews—since we want to reply individually and privately to almost everyone who leaves us a review. Today, we no longer ask for reviews on products that meet the following two criteria: 1/ There are enough reviews posted on the site for potential buyers to form an informed opinion about the product. 2/ We on the Loom team have read enough reviews to understand how to evolve the product into the next generation.
Just a quick thought: What proof is there that we aren't manipulating reviews by giving 5-star ratings to everything?
Honestly: nothing—we’re just giving you our word. Just like with everything else, actually: where we manufacture our products, where our wool comes from, our lab test results, and so on. The only times we might edit what you write is if your message contains spelling mistakes (and even then, quite a few slip past us) or if it’s racist, homophobic, etc. (but that’s never happened so far).
Asking for feedback after just one month isn't enough to know if the clothes are really durable, is it?
You're right—that's why we send you another email asking for a review one year after your purchase—we even ask for a photo to see how your garment has aged. We use the responses to improve our clothing and to provide information on “how this product will age” on our product pages. To avoid unnecessarily bothering our customers, we don’t ask for reviews on 100% of the products ordered: as soon as we have enough data to understand where we can improve, we stop asking for reviews after one year.