How the Salish Commuter came to be: a briefcase for the Pacific Northwest, made from the materials of the sea.
Before there was a bag there was a list. We wanted a Pacific Northwest briefcase: a commuter pack that looks good with a blazer, made of canvas and leather, classic materials with a modern line.
No finicky old-fashioned buckles. Simplicity, not a technical bag with dozens of pockets. Quick to get into. Waterproof. A little nautical.
The brief
Materials that tell a story
Every material we chose has a history and is built to last. The outside is waxed cotton canvas, the descendant of the oiled sailcloth Scottish mariners used centuries ago. As the weave gets wet it swells and closes tighter, and the wax makes the water bead and roll off.
The straps and bottom are Horween leather, made in Chicago the same way for more than a hundred years and hot-stuffed with natural oils and waxes so it stays supple and sheds water. The buckle is our own design, forged in sailor’s brass and drawn from sailing hardware.
Inside is a liner of Dimension-Polyant sailcloth, the same stuff used to make racing sails: a fully waterproof laminated film between layers of nylon, and bright white, so you can actually find what you are looking for in there.
The first run was designed in Bellingham and made in the Pacific Northwest. We are planning the next.
Words and photographs by Vendovi.
