The Bag That Roamed

I was going to keep this one.

This bag - the very first Heritage Briefcase I made from Waxy Commander - was supposed to be mine. I wanted to break it in, let it scuff and crease, and watch it slowly take on the character of a well-used, well-loved object. I’d planned to document the process myself - show how it aged, changed, and softened with time.

But nine weeks in, I changed my mind.

I’m sending it out into the world.

Currently: In the USA
Next stop: Undecided!

What is The Bag That Roamed?

It’s simple, really. One bag. Many hands.

The idea is this - the briefcase will be passed from one person to the next. Each person will carry it for a little while - not just admire it, but really use it. They’ll take it to work, on trips, into the rain and sun. It’ll be scuffed, scratched, and softened.

Before they send it on, they’ll write a short note and tuck it inside. Then it moves on to the next person.

And so the bag roams.

Who’s Carrying It?

Past customers. Thoughtful creatives. Adventurers. People who appreciate story, the process, the imperfections that come with real use.

People who will add to the story.

The Journey Begins

#1 - South of England

The first stop is down in the South of England to Ben Lynch. Ben is a new customer of ours and expressed interest in this idea, so that was enough for us!

I was going to nip to the shop for a notebook to put in the bag, but instead I made one. I put together a wad of thick paper, added a leather cover, stitched together on the heavy duty machine and a notebook was born.

The bag is on it's way down to Ben as I type, and Ben intends to take it on a family holiday to the New Forest.

Message From Ben

11/04/2025 - "It’s arrived! Wow! What a bag! Adventure starts now!"

#thebagthatroamed

Thursday 1st May 2025

"There's an honour in carrying something built to last!

This bag joined me & my family on a few adventures, and picked up some badges of use along the way.

Like a good pair of boots or well worn denim, it's better for it!

In a fast world this bag reminded me to slow down & enjoy the good stuff in the journey!

To the next person .... enjoy!"

Ben Lynch - Bagman #1 :)

#2 - Leeds, England

07/05/2025

The bag now heads to Leeds - the city where its leather was made.

Leeds is home to the tannery that produced the hide used for this very bag, so in a way, it’s returning to its roots.

It’ll spend a few weeks in and around Leeds on its next set of adventures.

More to follow soon…

#thebagthatroamed

Thursday 29th May 2025

A few words from the notebook inside The Bag That Roamed from it's recent trip to Yorkshire with Alice and Pete, who recently celebrated their wedding.

"A short trip with something lasting.

We took this bag to Saltaire, where we celebrated our marriage, and to the Yorkshire coast, where we saw puffins.

With love from Leeds"

Alice and Pete.

#3- London, England

11/06/2025

Savile Row, Tea at The Ritz, and on to Mayfair. From there, a walk down Pall Mall and finally to Buckingham Palace.

It was a full day. The bag soaked up that London energy and picked up a few more scuffs along the way. We even had lunch with Steven Duke from @thefactorynextdoor which deserves it's own section.

#thebagthatroamed

#4- London, England

11/06/2025

Lunch with Steven Duke

An award winning journalist, podcaster and content creator Steve is the man behind The Factory Next Door.

We sat down in London. talked all things manufacturing, industry and leathergoods in the middle of a busy day.

Steve added one of his sketches to the notebook that travels with the bag.

That’s the beauty of this project. You never know who you’ll meet or where it will lead...

Onto the next stop...

#thebagthatroamed

#5- Sheffield, England.

The bag now finds it's way to the world famous workshop of Ernest Wright Ltd "Kutrite Works" in Sheffield - makers of the finest scissors and shears in the world, in fact they made the shears I used to make this bag.

Here the bag sits alongside the highly skilled scissor makers called “putters” who still fit blades by hand,the same as they did a century ago.

The bag will spend a short time in the workshop, absorbing some of that rich history and atmosphere, and then it'll be leaving for mainland Europe.

The bag is now gathering story, just as I'd hoped.

#thebagthatroamed