You want sustainable, durable backpacks and pannier made from bike race tents? We got 'em.
Late last year, we started connecting with publications about one of our most ambitious projects to date- our upcycled collection. Tried and true designs, made from heavy duty vinyl and fabric banners that often see glory for one event season and then either end up heading to a landfill or aging in warehouse storage.
Ideally, our upcycled collection will become a rotating cast of donated and salvaged fabric. For now, we're just excited to be able to divert what we can from the landfill, and forge relationships with event producers looking to close the loop on material disposal.
Check out some shout outs from around the way!
Earlier this month the company launched a new line of upcycled bags with a neat origin story. North St.’s new Upcycled Collection is made from tents and banners used at major endurance events. Using fabric and materials donated by event organizer Life Time and component maker SRAM, they’ve added four new products to their lineup: a hip pack, daypack, grocery pannier and a “micro” pannier. North St. says the new bags will save over half a ton of waste from the landfill this year. And like all North St. products, they’re made right here in Portland!"
Take a peek at one of our internal improvement processes! We held a shop project workshop, running through a guided format, asking each other questions, mapping out our priorities, and honing in on the most important long-term projects to focus on in the coming months.
Most of our time is focused on production - cutting, sewing, hardware, shipping, new product development. But sometimes the best thing to do is to pause, get together and look at the forest for the trees - what’s working, what’s not working, what’s next?
Ranked choice voting (those little dots on some of the notes) helps steer us to consensus on the real focal points of our concerns. Surprisingly, the note “pinball machine for the breakroom” didn’t make the top 5 - such a responsible team!
One of the principles that drives North St. is the goal of continuous improvement. We huddle daily to keep everyone updated on upcoming projects, talk over pain points, and see if anyone needs an extra hand in their department for the day. In line with the Lean principles that Curtis adapted to build the company, every operator is empowered to bring issues and offer solutions from their point of expertise.
We’re not aiming for “perfection” - that’s not really a thing that happens in manufacturing (or, arguably, reality). It’s the idea that we’re capable of doing better - we just can’t let that go. It’s what keeps us making sustainable backpacks and recycled bike bags, refining our processes to balance crafting the bags we want to make and our own well being.
You’ll see it in our end product - the yearly updates and tweaks to our designs and line. Here you can see it in action to support our crew! We’re making sure that we’re ready for what comes next and addressing outstanding questions.
This year, we’re looking forward to a potential shop move (we’ll keep you updated!), refining our product line, powering forward on more upcycling projects, and (always) improving our ergonomics and efficiency.
We came out of this exercise with tired brains, lots of great ideas to make our lives better, and a realistic action plan with next steps on the most important projects.
Stay tuned for more from your local bike bag makers! Travel Well & Adventure Right!
-The North St. Bags Team
Highly water resistant, 100% recycled EcoPak fabric. Backpacks and bike pannier bags designed, cut, and sewn in-house in Portland, OR.
North St. Bags
2134 N Flint Ave
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 419-6230
Made in the USA
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, friends. Thank you so much for all of the love in 2022, and supporting bags made in the USA. ❤️ It’s thanks to you that we can make such tough bike panniers and durable everyday backpacks. Every Portland made backpack that you buy supports a small business dedicated to creating the best backpacks we can!
Join us in taking a beat to reflect on what we're most proud of from the last year, and what we're looking forward to continuing in the new year!
This summer, we launched our upcycled collection with donations from bike race event banners and diverted over 400lbs of usable, durable, and frankly, really cool material from the landfill.
Our plan for 2023 is to keep the upcycling going - if you know anyone looking to recycle outdoor event banners and tents to a good cause, reach out to us at customerservice@northstbags.com!
>> Check out the current Upcycled Collection
We started offering upsized hooks for oversized cargo and e-bike racks and the crowd went wild! We're so proud to be able to outfit all of your awesome cargo bikes with our durable, rainproof panniers.
Related article: How to Choose the Right Hook Size
We switched our main fabric source from virgin nylon to EcoPak! Each yard contains fiber spun from around 20 recycled plastic bottles. After testing EcoPak as a material on some of our flagship builds in 2020 and 2021, we decided to start transitioning more and more of our product line to use recycled and upcycled materials wherever possible.
>> Related article: North St. Fabric Rundown
We continued our partnership with the Community Cycling Center, donating at least 1% of our profits to their Low Income Commuter Program in alignment with our 1% for the Planet commitment (and just because we love the work they do in our city!).
>> Read More about Community Cycling Center's programs
We hope your 2023 includes miles and miles of fun on two wheels with good company!
Travel Well & Adventure Right!
-The North St. Bags Team
Highly water resistant, 100% recycled EcoPak fabric. Backpacks and bike pannier bags designed, cut, and sewn in-house in Portland, OR.
North St. Bags
1551 Southeast Poplar Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97214
(503) 419-6230
Made in the USA
North Street launched our cargo bike inclusive pannier hooks earlier this year! Wondering which size to order? We got you!
We love our hook system - it's strong, durable, and easy to service after whatever dents years on the road have in store. The simplicity of this system also means that there's no room for planned obsolescence, but plenty of room to adjust it to fit your bike perfectly.
The main consideration in choosing our 3 hook sizes is the diameter of the top bar of your rack.
measure the diameter of the top bar
The most common top bar measurement for road bike racks is ~9mm, or 3/8". Many cargo and e-bikes have thicker than usual rack bars to support additional riders, kids' seats, and bigger, heavier loads in general.
You can order our hooks up to 3/4" to make our panniers compatible with many of these custom built-in cargo and e-bike racks.
Not every rack falls perfectly into the 3/8" (9mm) / 1/2" (12mm) / 3/4" (16mm) measurements that we offer. Fortunately, our stainless steel hooks are prime for some adjustment without compromising hold or quality.
For most average users, the hooks can be bent outward up to around 1/2" over their standard size. So if your rack measures 10 or 11mm, you can simply adapt the standard 9mm hooks to fit.
The exception to this is heavy use. If you are regularly carrying 20+ pounds in your bag, we recommend you spring for the larger hooks and tighten them down to fit to ensure longevity of the hook system.
Our current pannier offering maxes out at 3/4". We've tested these hooks on racks up to 1" and found they still keep a solid hold.
Some Rad Power bikes (and a few other custom cargo bikes) have a tube diameter up to 1 1/2". We have not fit or strength tested against this thick of a bar. While we have chatted with some folks who have made it work with our largest hooks, you'll usually catch us recommending up a pannier adapter bar if you're commuting with one of these.
Travel Well and Adventure Right with North Street Bags!
Let's talk about breaking our bags.
We want to keep you on the road. It's why we choose high quality materials and maintain strict quality control protocols, and why we offer a strong warranty and paid repair program.
EcoPak sailcloth is designed to hold up against the weather, UV rays, and the rigors of every day use. The majority of our packs are built with EPX200 as the main fabric, with EPX600 as a bracing panel for larger packs in need of high abrasion resistance. Laminate materials offer superior waterproofing, and the 200 denier face fabric means strong performance for your every day life. But we've seen the aftermath of nasty bails onto sharp rocks, forgotten pocket knifes left unfolded in the bottom of a pannier, dogs on the hunt for leftover granola, to name a few. Laminate fabric's main weakness is piercing and slashing damage.
Tears and punctures that happen through normal use of the bag aren't covered under our warranty, but they don't mean that your pack is done for! Between our paid repair program and an array of at-home repairs available, you can get back on the road in no time.
Repair Tape
When you're looking for a cost effective way to repair your panniers and keep them close to home, we have have tested a number of gear repair tapes to find one that stands up to our standards of waterproofing, durability, and adherence.
Our number 1 recommendation is Tear-Aid (Type A). Tear-Aid is a no-sew sailcloth repair tape. It held up through our abrasion, puncture, and waterproofing tests, and adhered fantastically through in-situ test rides. It's easy enough to apply on the road, and durable enough for a semi-permanent repair.
We don't carry stock of this yet, but it is available at many hardware and sporting goods stores (find your nearest store here). Make sure to clean your pack before applying and follow all instructions for the best patch.
In-house Repair
If you have the time to send your pack in to us for service, we are always open to taking on repair work. Cost varies with the intensity of the repair, but expect to pay $25-$45 for most panel replacement or patching work, depending on location, size, and complexity.
Helping folks find the bag they need is what we do, and it's no different for our corporate clients. We know the value of finding a quality, rugged, useful piece of merchandise to carry your brand's name year after year.
Looking for a premium custom gift to leave a great impression on your clients, customers, or employees? Make an impact with premium branded bags, made to order in Portland, OR.
Custom colors and wide range of embellishments
Quality guaranteed: lifetime manufacturer’s warranty
Made in Portland, Oregon by local craftspeople
Bulk discounts available
Premium materials and designs - built for rugged every day use
Pittock Travel Pouches | 3 sizes available
A perennial favorite - perfect as smaller swag bags or reusable goodie holders, these simple pouches are affordable, supremely customizable, and easy to brand.
Tabor Totes | 3 sizes available
The Tabor Tote is the perfect about-town companion. Made from extremely durable 1000d Cordura OR 100% Recycled EcoPak Sailcloth, and available in two sizes.
Pioneer Hip Pack/ Handlebar Pack | 3 sizes available
Some of our favorite multi-functional packs - wear them as a hip pack, cross body sling, carry as a Dopp kit, or mount to a bike's handlebars. Choose from our 3 sizes and a multitude of features.
Customize:
Scout Duffle | 3 sizes available*
Highly water resistant, high performance duffle. Deck it out and strap it to your bike handlebars, or use as a VIP swag bag, this duffle can do it all.
Customize:
*bulk MOQ required for larger sizes
Davis Daypack | 1 size fits all // add on pockets available
Our roll-top Davis Daypack is built with the rainproof construction and attention to detail you expect from a hand-made outdoor bag company like North St. We craft each Davis to a special contoured hourglass pattern, bringing subtlety and shape to this modern minimalist dream pack.
See something else on our site that would be perfect for your brand? Reach out!
We work hard to build and ship orders so they get to you in a timely manner! Because we're primarily a made-to-order shop, the holiday gifting season can fill up our production queue quickly. Place your order as soon as possible to ensure delivery before the 25th.
| Last Day to Order | (based on lead time) | |||
| Ship Method | In Stock |
Made to Order |
||
| UPS Ground | 12/14 | 11/25 | ||
| USPS First Class | 12/12 | 11/23 | ||
| USPS Priority | 12/14 | 11/26 | ||
| UPS 3 Day | 12/19 | 11/29 | ||
| UPS 2nd Day | 12/20 | 11/30 | ||
| UPS Overnight | 12/21 | 12/1 | ||
| Will Call | 12/21 | 12/2 |
Other Important Dates
Looking for a last minute gift? Not sure what your bestie's colors are? Our gift cards are fulfilled electronically, same day.
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North St. Bags Gift Card
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The last few years have seen a ton of folks swapping their regular car errands for bike based solutions, especially electric and cargo bikes. The custom racks on these bikes are built to haul your kids, your groceries, your life, and they're seldom compatible with off-the-rack panniers.
But you deserve the same access to cool, rugged, US made bike bags as any other bike commuter! North St. panniers (including convertible backpack-panniers) are now cargo bike compatible. With hook options up to 3/4" (with room to stretch), you can outfit your custom rack with stylish, Portland made packs.
Hook upgrades are all available on our site. Just add the appropriate sized hooks to your order from the individual product pages, and go.
Want to be a part of our effort to keep material from the landfill this year? We're slated to divert over half a ton of useable material from the waste stream to our machines.
Since our pilot reclamation program with fellow Oregon company Burley in 2021, we've been taking inquiries about upcycling used material into bags. Earlier this year, those inquiries turned into deliveries of donated fabric from industry giants SRAM and Life Time Events.
Outdoor event tents are a great source of fabric - they're highly durable, weatherproof materials, and are covered in colors and graphics that make each reclaimed pack completely unique. Colorfast nylon flows perfectly from the fields and sides of the race tracks to usable, rugged packs on the trails and tracks.
You'll find three fabric options in our current lineup of sustainable bags:
Synthetic canvas similar to a lightweight Cordura. This material is featured in our Pioneer 8 Hip Packs, Davis Daypack, and Micro Pannier.
Sturdy vinyl. This highly water resistant, rugged material was our choice for the cargo bike favorite, the Gladstone Grocery Pannier.
Check out the collection here, and join us in bringing these bags where they belong - on the open road.
Why We Offer Repairs
We repair because we care. Knowledge and care for construction has always been a core piece of our practice and it's what makes our sustainable bags... well, sustainable. Our very first blog post back in 2010 was about considering the entirety of a product life cycle. It's been baked in to our ethos since the beginning.
Lifetime warranty means that we get to see packs at all stages of their life cycle.
We get to see in real time, in real use how our packs hold up after years on the road, exactly how our hardware combats the elements, where to put that extra line of stitches for reinforcement and what improvements we want to make to future packs.
We get to use our expert knowledge of sewing to revive and refresh our handiwork and keep that pack dependable for longer.
We also get to see little pieces of where our bags travel. The specks of red and white desert dust that hide in a corner seam and escape your cleaning regimen; little spots of salt dotting the bottom of a pannier from a region with icy winters; the gentle fading of a well-loved bag accompanying its owner through a few summers of equatorial sunshine.
Packing up the crisp gear that comes off our assembly line is always a highlight of our day - each bag is full of potential and promise.
The only thing we love more than shipping out those freshly baked bags is getting to see them out there, getting scuffed and dirty and well used.
Wear and tear is a badge of honor. What does your look like?
We can do a lot to help! Some repairs and replacements (especially pannier hook and bungee work) can be done at home to save time and shipping. We send instructions and replacements, and you can be empowered to spruce up your bags and bungee assemblies without having to send your pack out!
We build our bags to last, and we know wear and tear is measured in use as much as in time. That's why we offer a lifetime warranty on all of our gear. We want to keep it out on the road and running through the entirety of its practical lifetime. This hardware replacement was an easy fix, and we were able to ship this back the same day it came in.
Wear and tear is easier to fix the earlier we catch it - we'll happily offer reasonably priced maintenance work if you see something needing a little TLC! For this bag, we restitched a few corners, upgraded the pannier hooks, and sent it back good as new!
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Have a North St. Bag that could use a refresh? Thinking about getting a North St. bag? We'd love to welcome you to our team! Check out our repair program details below.
"I really love your packs and have multiple bags- I finally broke these buckles after many years and many trips."
This summer - trade in used panniers and backpacks to our shop for a 20% off discount code for new North St. pack. Other bike bags and accessories are welcome, and can be traded in for a 10% off coupon.
How to Participate:
Gently used or nearly new bags will be donated to one of our 1% for the Planet partners, the Community Cycling Center, to be distributed to low-income cyclists who may not otherwise be able to afford bike bags, or be sold or auctioned off to raise funds for the CCC's initiatives.
Packs with more wear and tear will head to our production line for salvage and up cycling. We'll be creating limited edition runs of your favorite accessory packs out of the salvage and auctioning them off to raise funds for our 1% for the Planet partners.
We'll see you soon!
-The North St. Bags Team
