As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on everything 2024 had to offer. From hitting milestones to opening a new location, unveiling new colors, introducing exciting designs (and bringing back some beloved classics!), we've had so much to celebrate. Most importantly, we’re grateful to have cherished every moment with our amazing TOM BIHN family–you. Thank you for being part of another unforgettable year!

Before we dive into a full-year recap, we want to first congratulate the remarkable careers of three beloved members of our TOM BIHN family as they embark on their well-deserved retirements: Fong, Mo-Fong, and Tao. 

• Fong, our lead production supervisor, has been the heartbeat of our production floor. She not only oversaw every aspect of production but also trained every sewer who joined our team since we established our Seattle factory in 2005. Her leadership and expertise have been instrumental in upholding the quality and craftsmanship for which TOM BIHN is known.
• Mo-Fong, a master of the double-needle sewing process, has elevated our designs with unmatched precision and dedication. Her skill and artistry have been a cornerstone of our production.
• Tao, our lead binder and tote handle expert, has left her signature touch on some of our most beloved designs, including the Truck, Pop Tote, and Swift. Her expertise in her craft is unparalleled, and her contributions have defined the quality of these iconic products.

With over four decades of experience in the sewing industry, Fong, Mo-Fong, and Tao have been more than colleagues—they’ve been an integral part of the TOM BIHN story.

We thank them for their dedication, artistry, and the legacy they leave behind. While we will miss them dearly, we celebrate this new chapter in their lives and wish them joy, relaxation, and endless fulfillment in retirement. Thank you, Fong, Mo-Fong, and Tao—you will always be part of the TOM BIHN family.

This moment is just one of many milestones that made 2024 a special year for us.

In 2024...

We opened a new location…

• In late August, we expanded our physical footprint beyond our Seattle factory and proudly opened our first flagship store at Bellevue Square! Our team worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life, even repurposing a massive 10-foot wooden tabletop from our factory into a centerpiece for the store. We celebrated this exciting milestone with all of you during our all-day party in September. 

We unveiled some new colors…

• June: After asking you all to vote for our next X-Pac color, we released Sunglow X-Pac RX30!
• Early August: In the heat of summer, we released two brand new Halcyon shades, Tahoma and Kiwi.
• Late August: We didn’t forget about Ballistic fabrics this summer. We introduced two delicious desert-y inspired shades, Raspberry and Saguaro 630 HT Ballistic. 
• November: We couldn’t resist adding Persimmon to our Cerylon lineup.

And brought some colors back… 

• Late Winter: We brightened up Seattle’s rainy spring with a pop of color. We debuted two seasonal Halcyon shades, Sakura and Wisteria, in almost all our bestselling bags.
• Early Spring: Due to popular demand, we brought Acai back and decided to keep it in our regular lineup.
• December: We were feeling particularly ‘Wicked’ in December, and brought back our favorite pink and green shades, Cerise and Sitka, for early winter.

We introduced some new designs…

• March: We felt our work tote selection was missing something, so we released the Nomad Tote to fill in the gaps.

• September: We’ve been working on the not-so-secret mid-size Synik project for a while, and we finally debuted the Synik 26. Goldilock’s perfect backpack, if you will. 

We brought some designs back…

• January and February: We kicked off the year with our second Trinity and Night Flight Travel Duffel pre-orders. 
• Spring: We brought back the Swift, Yarn Stuff Sacks, Old School Carry All, Large Zip Top Shop Bag, and Large and Small Mystery Grab Bags. 
• Summer: This summer we brought back a lot of beloved designs that we haven’t made in a while, including the Parental Unit, Le Petite Derriere, Yeoman Duffel, and the (slightly improved) Western Flyer. 
• Winter: Saw the return of a beloved classic for Black Friday, the Guide's Edition Synik 30, as well as an all-new run of 200d Bantams in limited edition colors.

We also had to say goodbye to some…

• April: We retired Coyote 630d HT Ballistic in order to make room for new colors.
• April: We bid adieu to Tidal and Solaris 200D Halcyon.
• September: We had to say goodbye to all current styles of Nik’s Minimalist Wallets and began working on a new replacement prototype.

We switched some things up…

• Summer: We branded our #8 custom YKK zipper pulls with an embossed “TB” logo!
• September: We made more progress towards our C0 DWR initiative. All of our 630d HT Ballistic Nylon and 210 Cerylon now feature a C0 DWR finish.
• December: The #10 Aquaguard zippers used on the Syniks have transitioned to C0. With this change, all YKK zippers across our products are now fully C0, marking the completion of the switch.
  
  

We gave back… 

• This year, we repurposed and sold 993 pounds of scrap fabric through our Mystery Grab Bag and Mystery Organizer Pouch program!
• We donated 40,000 pounds of cotton fabric, previously used to make face masks during the pandemic, to local nonprofits that we are proud to support, including the Refugee Artisan Initiative, Providence Hospital, and Seattle ReCreative.

And we celebrated!

• February: We marked our calendars for our Lunar New Year celebration. 
• April: We hit 30k followers on Instagram and celebrated your unique carry styles through our How You Carry Contest!

• September: To celebrate our Bellvue store opening, we had an all-day party with all of you! 
• December: We wrapped up our year at the factory with our annual Employee Bag Giveaway, holiday lunch, and retirement celebration.

We’re so grateful for the incredible year we’ve had and are excited to see what 2025 will bring. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team and to you, our amazing customers, for standing by us every step of the way. Your support made 2024 a year to remember. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to what the future holds for TOM BIHN.

Cheers to 2025!