My Journey with Road Runner Bags — 5 Years!
Welp, it’s been half a decade with Road Runner Bags and here I am! You know what they say, time flies when you’re having a good time.
The first day I walked into Road Runner Bags, I saw a very small company with big dreams. . . I literally started sewing these bags in a 10 x 20 foot garage! Over the years, we have grown exponentially
— to a private loft in Downtown LA and then to our current location which is a ground floor retail and production space.
My favorite part about RRB (besides the crew) is knowing that by this point I have sewn millions of stitches on thousands of bags and that those bags have been shipped all around the United States and the world.
I can’t even express how rewarding it is when I see people IRL who are using our backpacks. Seeing the smile on someone's face when they receive their handmade one-of-a-kind bag never gets old!
One massive highlight of my career was when Road Runner Bags received a feature in Wired online magazine, where a bag I made was ranked no. 3 in their "Best Backpacks for College" article. I love that I have been able to help refine and design new products, and just this year we’ve released 2 bags that I’ve had part in designing and putting together
— The Slacker Day Pack and The Americano Courier Bag.
I have to admit that I didn’t foresee my involvement in a company like this, but I am so grateful that I have been on this ride for as long as I have. I went to school for fashion design and thought I would have a typical industry career, but instead I fell into Road Runner and never looked back. Being a seamstress and designer is my passion in life, and it is very fulfilling to be able to contribute my ideas so directly where I am employed.
Something that I’ve always disliked about the fashion industry is the wastefulness and dispensability of cheap “fast fashion," so knowing that I am part of a company that makes gear with the sole purpose of longevity is of utmost importance to me.
It's nice to know that I work for a company that saves every scrap possible in order to reduce material waste and offers a stellar warranty to encourage people to repair their gear. Our crew really puts so much thought and testing into the design of our bags, which is why even our most classic bags have changed so much over the years.
And now I have to give a shout-out to all of the incredible craftsmen and women I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years. . .
Of course, there’s Brad, our radical founder who hired me those many moons ago (thanks, man!); Then there’s Justin, who was with us for several years and provided all the laughs; Ester, a great friend of mine and teammate; Juan, the nicest guy ever with an unsurpassed work ethic; Matt, our own personal Edward Scissorhands; And, of course, I’ve got to mention the best seamstresses of all time, Emma and Rosa.
There have been many other hands that have played a huge role in our growth at Road Runner who have not been listed, and they know who they are! I love all of our crew (past and present) and feel very blessed to know them! #tooblessedtobestressed
And finally, I have to give a massive thanks from the bottom of my heart to all of you guys out there who have supported Road Runner Bags through your unwavering loyalty to our brand. Whether it be the purchase of a Tool Roll or photo of your new bag, we couldn't be here without you!! So hats off to all of y'all who have a keen eye for great gear made with love, and, of course, always and forever 100% made in the USA.
