Our main goal next to fair small-batch production of our goods is to make our fabrics and accessories as sustainable and local as possible, while keeping all the technical features and sticking to the original quality.
Here we collected a list of materials we use paired with their top features and the country of origin and manufacturing.
Waxed cotton canvas (Texwax)
Our waxed cotton canvas fabrics are the well known premium quality Texwax fabrics from the US. These wovens are being produced since 1999 and are the best choice for luggage and gear used during active outdoor activities (fishing, hunting, horse riding and extreme / winter sports) in any weather conditions. It is an extremely durable fabric that requires minimal care while - just as leather - ages in a unique and beautiful way. It is a heavy 14oz duck fabric with a thick wax layer applied.
Waxed cotton canvas (British Millerain)
Our 10oz waxed canvas in black is made in Yorkshire and Rochdale, UK by British Millerain, the leading manufacturer of waxed cottons and practical, aesthetic fabrics for outdoor applications since 1880. Keeping the production of our fabrics in Europe in a factory we know was essential for us at the new collections: less logistics means less carbon emissions and transparent factories mean fair wages and safe circumstances resulting in clean & acceptable fabric qualities. BM won the Drapers Award for Fashion Supplier of the Year in 2016 and since then top-quality outdoor & sportswear companies teamed up with them making waxed coating more popular (North Face, Norse Projects, HUF, Carhartt, Supreme, Nike etc.).
Waxed organic cotton canvas (British Millerain)
When designing our new ROOTS collection in 2020 we decided to take an essential big step and switch to 14 oz organic waxed cotton fabrics. Besides the local aspect of less carbon emissions and transparent production we wanted to make sure that our fabrics are not poisoning the environment - and the users. Our waxed organic cotton canvas in bright sun, navy and olive colours are made in Yorkshire and Rochdale, UK by British Millerain, the leading manufacturer of waxed cottons and practical, aesthetic fabrics for outdoor applications since 1880. BM won the Drapers Award for Fashion Supplier of the Year in 2016 and since then top-quality outdoor & sportswear companies teamed up with them making waxed coating more popular (North Face, Norse Projects, HUF, Carhartt, Supreme, Nike etc.).
Impregnated cotton canvas (Svitap)
The retro olive fabrics we’ve been using for almost 10 years changed constantly in search of the perfect quality and finally in 2020 we’ve discovered our actual czech partner. Since then the retro olive fabrics are made of 100% cotton in Svitavy, CZ. The surface of the olive woven is impregnated, quite often used as professional tent material, so - just as the waxed qualities - it is waterproof.
Impregnated mixed canvas (Rhinotuff)
Our ‘JET’ colours are made of super thick and slightly shiny mixed cotton / PES Rhinotuff outdoor tent canvas produced in India. These are top-quality heavy duty fabrics having a coated surface keeping it waterproof for long years.
Lining
We’ve been using our lining fabrics for 10 years now due to their strength, optimal weight and waterproof quality. They are made of a mixture of 60% PA / 40% PES and are available in a wide variety of colours, matching our needs - and our fabrics. They are all OEKO-tex certified and are made in China - yet. We are in a constant search to find an option with the same features made in Europe.
Vegetable tanned leather
Our backpacks all feature our signature leather logo patch on the front, made of local, hungarian vegetable tanned leather, without the use of any heavy metals. Due to this way of production the leather patch ages beautifully, changing it’s unique colour year by year.
Sustainable genuine leather
Our backpacks have always included some smaller leather pieces and in the ROOTS collection the bottoms are also reinforced with leather. We use leather parts because they are extremely durable, they keep their look after constant use and they are easy to care for and these three features together allow us to say: for us leather - if produced properly - can be a sustainable option when focusing on the environment and especially on the product lifecycle. Our partner, DANI is famous for it’s innovative solutions, total transparency and full-cycle leather production with the least emission of harmful substances. System certifications: IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, LWG protocol, EPD Process. Final leather product certifications: Carbon Footprint of Product (CFP), Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), Der Blauer Engel. The latest yearly report is accessible here.
Zippers & velcro
We only use YKK zippers and velcro products during the manufacturing of our backpack. They are the leading top-quality japanese zipper and accessories producer of the world since 1934.