One and a half years after the first IWATO products there is something new coming. From our first customers and from our own experience of using the IWATO products daily, we became aware of the struggles some of you had. And good news, we decided to do something about it! The result: improved versions of the IWATO backpack, hip pack and wallet. Of which the first two will be available for pre-order starting Friday may 6th at 12AM. Shipping is expected to start at the beginning of June, this is also the moment the wallets will become available.
Waxed Canvas
The most important improvement for the backpack and hip pack is the way the fabric is waxed. Using a new method of waxing, the fabric becomes more sturdy and better resistant to water and wind. Extra bonus, the cracked look of this type of waxed canvas is super cool!
Removable back support made from sportswear
Improved durability
Because the bottom of the backpack is exposed to the most wear, we decided to reinforce it with Cordura, an extremely wear-resistant fabric that is often used for the kneepads in work wear. It might not be the most sustainable material but even the small amount we use lengthens the lifespan of the product significantly. So overall it's definitely an improvement.
More volume
A common request from customers was to have a bigger backpack or hip pack. So we increased the packing volume of these products a bit. The backpack has a packing volume of 15 liters now (was 10l before) and the hip pack has a longer zipper so it fits bigger smartphones.
Econyl webbing and binding
Also used in the last iterations of the previous backpack but now introduced in all products, Econyl! A type of recycled nylon that is just as pure and strong as virgin nylon (nylon made from oil). The new backpack has thicker shoulder straps (40mm VS 25mm) to increase comfort. For the hip pack the thickness hasn't changed but we switched to Econyl (was PP before). And last but not least, the binding of the wallets is upgraded from regular cotton to Econyl. Improving both it's footprint and it's longevity with one action.
From internal production to sheltered workshop
Since the launch of the first products I, Jef, have been doing all production. Which was a lot of fun, but it also took up a lot of time. Time that I could use to do other important things, like design and launch new products, marketing etc. So, with this new collection I decided to leave the production part to another company, de Kemphaan, a company who helps people with distance to the regular labor market.
We hope that you are just as excited about all this new stuff as we are! See you at the launch! Don't forget Friday may 6th at 12AM
