Where Our Bags Have Been: A Thank-You to the People Who Carry Them

This week our small US team moved into a new office in Austin, Texas. Somewhere between all the boxes, Igor, our founder, got to thinking about where this all started.

In 1993, his parents opened a small leather workshop in Picada Café, in the mountains of Southern Brazil. So Igor sat down and wrote a letter to the people who've carried Nordweg for years. He told them about Austin, and he asked one simple question: where has your Nordweg been?

The replies came in fast, and they were too good to keep in an inbox. This post isn't really about our new office. It's a thank you to the people who answered, and to everyone who carries one of our bags around the world.

Years on the road

The first thing you notice in these letters is time. Not months. Years.

Sidnei A. wrote, "I've had one of your backpacks for 11 years." It's been all over Brazil and to Germany, Austria and Sweden, and he says it's "still in good shape, all the stitching too." His favorite part is the leather: "it has its signs of age and use, that patina that makes you proud." We couldn't have said it better.

"it has its signs of age and use, that patina that makes you proud."

Sidnei A.

Cal T. and his everyday bag have had an even wilder run. "My everyday one has been to the snow, the desert and the Amazon rainforest... It's already traveled across about four continents." And he isn't worried about the wear. "Small marks from the adventures are like passport stamps. After all, it's been many years on the road..."

"Small marks from the adventures are like passport stamps."

Cal T.

A good bag doesn't just go places. It keeps the stories, too.

Everywhere they've been

Some of you sent us your travel logs, and honestly, we're a little jealous.

Michael A. says his backpack "has traveled through Italy, France and other countries. It has enjoyed good wines in Saint-Émilion..." Not a bad life for a bag!

Marcelo K. says his backpack and travel bag "have been to Gramado, Canela, São Paulo, Porto Seguro, Carneiros, Washington, D.C., Orlando and even Japan, and the quality is still impeccable."

Otávio M. travels for work across the Americas and Europe. He picked up a Dolomites backpack a few years ago, and it "has already been halfway around the world with me and looks new."

"has already been halfway around the world with me and looks new."

Otávio M.

And Elvis L. wrote to us from vacation. "Your pieces are part of my life. Right now I'm on vacation in Italy, and here with me are two backpacks..." He added, "My pieces travel the world with me," and in February and March they're coming with him to Austin. Who knows, maybe we'll see them here!

Passed down and shared

A good bag tends to find its way to the people you love.

Cal didn't stop at one. "I've already given one to my oldest son as a gift... Here, it's gone from father to son..." It's hard to think of a better compliment than that.

Ana R. first saw one of our backpacks in a store in Gramado and "couldn't believe it when I saw it was made in Picada Café!" She gave one to her childhood friend Dudu, "my wonderful companion in life." She makes chocolate from Brazilian cacao, and Dudu is a musician in Switzerland. "Together with our backpacks, we've been to so many places," she wrote. "Our backpacks have been on great adventures with us!"

Ronney L. started small. "I started with a leather wallet many years ago. Today my wife and I have our backpacks, along with our travel bag here in the Netherlands!"

Taken care of

Leather that gets carried this much will need a little help now and then. That's part of the deal, and it's a part we take seriously.

Cal's bag has "been in for service twice, and it comes back better than before..."

Sandro A. needed a repair on one of his backpacks last year. "The experience was impeccable: I received the repaired piece with a leather treatment that made it look new! This care for the customer is rare and unforgettable."

And some of you prefer to handle it yourselves. Marcelo P. carries his backpack "on photography assignments, trips and outings in general," and says, "I'm particular about my backpack: I look after it myself, clean it and take very good care of it."

We love that. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you.

Thank you

To everyone who wrote back, thank you. You made our first week in the new office feel a lot less like a move and a lot more like coming home.

Now we'd love to hear from you, too. Where has your Nordweg been? A road trip, a long-haul flight, a hand-me-down from your dad? Tag us on Instagram at @nordweg.us. We'd love to see where it's been. And if you want more stories like these (and to hear from us first), sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of nordweg.us.

And if you're looking for your first bag to start the story with, the Legacy Collection is a good place to begin.

From the Nordweg US team, thank you for carrying us with you.