One of the best parts of having our own factory is that we can offer our customers a wide selection of color choices, even at our size. That means we often have the flexibility to make a bag in many colorways depending on the availability of our fabrics at the time. We take pride in our color offerings and always strive to keep it fun for you! That's why we aim to introduce new colors seasonally.
At TOM BIHN, we don’t settle for ordinary — we take pride in creating bags that are as unique as you are. Each color in our 200 Halcyon and 210 Cerylon collections, as well as our 630 HT Ballistic colors, is custom-dipped to our exact specifications. Our palette is unique to us and not available elsewhere.
The process of developing new custom colors begins approximately 5 months to one year before our planned debut date. Since the colors are custom, the lead times are longer than usual. During our selection process, we evaluate a variety of colors. Before we settled on Agave and Emerald for our 630 HT Ballistic and 210 Cerylon line, we considered a total of 20 colors, 10 ballistics and 10 for Cerylons, ranging from vibrant to muted to jewel tones (we even pulled a few new 420d Spectron shades… but more on that later). We think about what would enhance our current offerings, what feels missing from the collection, and what else could complement our current selection. Our inspirations are drawn from the world around us — the vibrant Seattle streets, breathtaking PNW landscapes, and (of course) your desires.
Once we’ve narrowed down our options to our partner mills, they begin the process of dipping samples. The timeline to receive sample color dips is usually 4-6 weeks. For the 20 colors we wanted samples of, we received 3 variations per color, resulting in 60 sample color dips! At first glance, these variations may seem almost indistinguishable, but under different lighting conditions, the subtle differences become noticeably apparent.
You might be wondering: how did we end up choosing Agave and Emerald from so many options? A small group of us, the TOM BIHN design, marketing, and customer service team, discuss and vote on the colors. Emerald was an obvious choice. We knew we wanted a true jewel-toned green Cerylon that’d pop as a lining and an exterior fabric alike, and that’s impossible to ignore. Rich, saturated, and alive with energy, Emerald demands your attention and exudes an infectious vibrancy that felt right at home with our bold shades.
Additionally, we wanted to balance Emerald with something more soothing and understated, colorful yet timeless. We were captivated by the calming nature of Agave, which falls as muted turquoise, evoking the image of the horizon under the summer sun, and depending on the lighting, you can even catch hints of green as you do when looking at real agave plants. With soft turquoise tones, Agave captures that unmistakable feeling of long summer days and sandy desert landscapes at sundown. Agave is the perfect complementary color to Dusk and Fjord, subtle tones with an understated elegance.
Truly, there are no bad colors, and in a perfect world, we might have chosen all of the sample dips we received. Who knows, a couple of the colors that didn't make the final cut this time might find themselves in our lineup sooner than you think…
We’re always curious to hear your thoughts – What colors would you like to see next?
1. Bright colors on the inside of EVERYTHING is the formula to go with. Either that or a light that comes on inside your dark bags!
2. A infusion of bright, fun, happy colors is exactly what Tom Bihn needs. You have a few already, but when I first discovered Tom Bihn, I thought you just made bags for [colorphobic] guys who go camping. Everything was black, navy, grey, olive, and shades of brown. That just depressed me. Most of your backpacks and carryons still only come in those colors and, while I have nothing against people who only like bags in those colors, those items will never appeal to me, no matter how well made they are. I love solid black best when it’s paired with very bright colors: aqua, turquoise, red orange, violet, duckbill yellow orange (zest), Persian blue, pink, or lime. Better still when paired with multiple bright colors.
3. You must have scraps galore in your manufacturing. Have you considered taking a page from Cotopaxi and using bright scraps to trim darker colors (and vise versa) and even to make bags in more than one color, making artful designs while wasting less fabric? Just something to think about.
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TOM BIHN replied:
Hi Allison! We’ve definitely found that colors are a balancing act for us. We have customers that love dark exterior paired with neutral interiors and those that can’t get enough of vibrant colors on the outside and inside. Our goal is to offer as many options as is possible while factoring in the complexities of our manufacturing operations.
As for scrap fabric, we’re happy to share that over the years, we’ve significantly improved our cutting efficiency, thus minimizing scraps. As for the scrap pieces that remain, we have repurposed them into smaller bags — Grab Bags and most recently, Mystery Organizer Bags which are 100% random pairings of colors (we tell employees who are sewing them to mix and match to their hearts’ desire!).
Oh, AlphaViolet 👍
Oh please: Violet! (But I will go with the pink until that day comes.)
I hope you someday make big backpacks (Synik30) in bright exterior colours again, like alphaviolet ballistic or red or purple halcyon. Or nordic halcyon 😍
Love all your colors. After years of digging around in dark purses, my preference is for a light colored liner. Makes such a difference when the hunt is on. Love the yellow, perhaps as a liner with the burnt Orange ballistic.
