On Saturday, October 20th, the TOM BIHN Seattle retail store/factory showroom will be open from 8:00am – 2:00pm. (We’re usually only open Monday – Friday.) Bring the kids, the dogs, and your stuff: finding out which TOM BIHN bag is easier if you have your laptop and other gear with you. Questions? Call us: 206-652-4123

Knapsack maker finds its niche

A Seattle manufacturer that’s staying put

By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER

“As quirky companies go, Seattle-based bag and briefcase manufacturer Tom Bihn would appear to have an abundance of qualifications for the title: the two large dogs — Lily and Riley — that roam the halls of the company’s offices, checking out visitors and cadging treats from employees on breaks; the company motto in Latin, “Siquid mantica non capit, domi relinquendum est” (“If it doesn’t fit in your knapsack, leave it behind”); the unconventional colors and materials, such as cork, used in its products.

The quirkiest feature of Tom Bihn, though, may be this: It still actually makes its own products — and in this country.”

Visit the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Web site for the full article. Or discuss the article in our forums.

We’ve revamped our About Us page to include more profiles and pictures of the people who make TOM BIHN the company that it is. Keep checking back as we are currently working on adding profiles of our Seattle factory crew.

Ceili, pictured above, is our fabric spreader. She has an incredible eye for detail and is able to spot the even the most miniscule flaws on fabric. Photo by Dan Bihn.

Our Seattle store isn’t open most Saturdays, but it will be this upcoming Saturday, September 15th, from 11:00am – 4:00pm. For directions to our Seattle store, click here. Note to Riley fans: Riley will not be at the store Saturday.

We’re excited to offer a new international shipping method: UPS Expedited. Now customers ordering from outside of the United States can enjoy the same high level of service that had previously been only available to U.S. customers. What does UPS Expedited offer you?

Riley is feeling the heat! He’s attempting to cool off in our Seattle store.

Nicole (our amazing Laptop Fit Expert) recently took her Ego messenger bag with her on a trip to Ireland, and was kind enough to send us these cool pictures. To read more about Nicole’s trip and see other pictures of TOM BIHN bags from around the world, visit our Customer Pictures page.

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From the Chicago Tribune:

Green is the new black –in grocery bags
By Jane Meredith Adams

“They’re not just being banned from large grocery stores here — which a new law mandates will happen before it’s time to buy a Thanksgiving turkey — but out as in outmoded……”

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Our Utility Tote to be THE bag for grocery shopping. It has a zippered pocket for your wallet and a key snap for your keys, and is sophisticated enough to use as an everyday bag. It’s more than strong enough to carry a heavy load of groceries (the soft, comfortable handles won’t dig into your shoulder), and the inside has a coating that makes it water and stain resistant. Should your salad bar container leak, the Utility Tote can be easily hand-washed or wiped out and dries quickly.

I keep a Utility Tote in the car at all times: its wide opening makes it easy to toss miscellaneous stuff in, and if I go to the grocery store and forget my dedicated grocery shopping Utility Tote, I have a back-up –there’s no excuse not to use my own bag.

Below is a picture that we’ve just added to the TOM BIHN Flickr Group of various TOM BIHN designs from ’83.

Clockwise, from top: The Croissant, The Limpet, The Modern Times Briefcase, an unnamed top-loader daypack, The Little Thing, and The Twisted Limpet.

Last week, Tom responded to your questions on the forums, explaining the differences between 1050 denier Ballistic Nylon and 1000 denier Cordura:

“There are two significant tehnical differences between cordura and ballistic nylon. First, ballistic is a “filament” yard, vs cordura which is texturized. This means ballistic nylon yarns are smooth & slick; cordura yarns are slightly fuzzy, actually discontinuous, more like a natural fiber. This gives cordura somewhat higher abrasion resistance, while the ballistic has higher tear strength. However, in both fabrics the tear strength and the abrasion resistance are so much higher than neccessary, the end-user will seldom if ever experience any difference between cordura and ballistic.”
Read Tom’s entire forum post about fabrics.

Tom also gave us an update on the design of the Horizontal Freudian Slip. Read that post here.