Rickshaw Bagworks – "Zero"-ed in on Fashion

When faced with the question of what makes an item “work” in fashion, my list is short. First — aesthetics.  Any item that wants to continue it’s assessment, starts here.  There has to be something that catches your eye, piques the curiosity, and garners your attention. Once that is checked off of the list, next up, is function.  What is the vision for the piece, and does it meet the vision?  What was the design process, and did the item succeed in meeting it’s purpose? Finally–sustainability.  How does the article hold up? What type of materials make up the item, and are they appropriate for it’s function?  If an item is able to meet those 3 qualifiers, then I would say for certain, that the piece “works.”

Enter, Rickshaw Bagworks. The bag that “works.”  Based out of San Francisco, Rickshaw is an extension of the city it resides in.  Combining creativity, diversity, and culture in their bags, the passionate team at Rickshaw offers up a plethora of choices with their built to order, customized bags and products.

I recently had the pleasure of putting to use a Rickshaw creation; the “ZERO” messenger bag.  Within the course of two weeks, myself and my wife put the “ZERO” to the test.  And using the 3 qualifiers I mentioned earlier, let’s see how our bags–and Rickshaws good name, held up.

AESTHETICS:
First off, my wife and I were blown away by the amount of customization available.  With what seemed like an endless selection of colors, fabric types, styles, and bindings; there is sure to be something out there for everyone.  As for us, we went with the performance Tweed (Yellow Submarine & Piccadilly respectively) with Coffee brown Cordura nylon bindings.  And as cool as the bags looked online, they were that much more impressive in person.  Garnering compliments and questions “Where did you get that bag?” from friends, and “I want one” from Co-workers — the Rickshaw brand brings a lot to the table in terms of choice, customization, and aesthetic value.

FUNCTION:
Being an editor, I have a great deal of things I have to take with me when I leave the house, so I was very pleased with the amount of space available in the “ZERO.”  And after two weeks of use, I almost wonder if the term “ZERO” was meant to signify the amount of things you can’t fit in the bag.  From folders, to books, jackets, and even my netbook on occasion, the “ZERO” met my needs, time after time.  And my wife — a teacher I might add, has been equally happy with her “ZERO.”  Packing away her wallet, cell phone, lunch, notes, books and folders — the seemingly never ending compartments of the “ZERO” have been incredibly useful in her day to day activities.  And while we both may have chose different looks for our bags, I can safely say that function is built right in to whatever style you choose.

SUSTAINABILITY:
Our bags still look brand new. Seriously.  You would think with the everyday wear and tear placed on the products you’d see a bit of fading, staining, or scuffing at least.  But that has not been the case with these bags.  What’s amazing is that the Performance Tweed we chose, outside of looking really cool, is made with 100% recycled polyester, with a high-tech, eco-friendly, stain resistant coating.  That means your bag is going to look awesome, for a long, long time. And given that the bag is meant to be used and abused, the sustainability of this product meets the function 100%.

Meeting everyday needs, while looking great, fashionable, and totally you — the line of products Rickshaw produces is something every “Joe” and “Fashionista” needs to get their hands on.  With a product line that includes, Backpacks, iPad sleeves, Commuter (laptop) bags, Messengers and Folios, there is something available for everybody in the bay area and beyond.

To see all Rickshaw Bagworks has to offer, head on over to:
http://www.rickshawbags.com/customize/custom-bag