Rickshaw bags is a stone's throw away from his office, and the name of the company comes from
three Japanese characters meaning “human powered vehicle”–delightfully apropos for a company making bags for bicycle enthusiasts, and our metaphor for the strength of the human spirit.
They are a small company with a bricks-and-mortar storefront and active online sales. The website is clean and appealing; they even have a live chat function (when no one's available, it shows "we're out making fresh bags.") My bag in the photo is a custom-made zero messenger bag, and I chose each of the colors (inside, outside, piping) from their broad palette. The bag itself is recyclable, and made of sustainable materials, according to their three F's of design: Form, Function and Footprint.
Rickshaw's FAQ section even addresses their manufacturing (mostly overseas, with some custom-made bags in the SF shop) by explaining their close relationship with their factory in China: they visit frequently and acknowledge that while there is controversy around off-shoring, they are being realistic and practical about keeping expenses low and product quality high. They address this question head-on and the answer is reasonable and honest, explaining that the Shenzhen province has become a hub for “soft goods” and footwear:
"What Silicon Valley is to high-tech, and Detroit is to automobiles, Shenzhen is to bags and shoes. And as a result, that's where the expertise, equipment, technology, manufacturing capacity and all the related suppliers are clustered."
And of course, their staff engages in charitable projects too, making book bags for low-income youth, supporting bike advocacy in SF and raising funds for educating new parents about infant health. In another self-aware move, they state that these projects "remind them constantly of things that are far more important in life than simply making and selling bags."
Good design is truly good business.
No comments:
Post a Comment