Designing the Forager

It started as a bag we couldn’t quite explain.

An old sample, tucked away in Cindy’s office. No label, no backstory — just a cylindrical shape, cinch top, and the sense that someone had been onto something, even if they hadn’t finished the thought.

There was something there; it didn’t look like anything else we made, so that alone made it worth a second look.

So, José, our designer, kept coming back to it.

What follows is a behind-the-scenes look at José’s design process, the breakthroughs, and details that turned that mysterious sample into the Forager. 

On First Impressions

At first, there were more questions than there were answers. It was the kind of project you had to spend time with to figure out what it wanted to be. 

“I didn’t know what to do with it at first. Sometimes, it’s difficult to decipher what someone else had in mind when it comes to design, but I did find the sample interesting.”

The sample didn’t match anything else we’ve done before. That alone made it worth holding onto a little longer.

“I liked the sample because it was a very different bag from the other bags we make. After a while, I started to think of how we could develop the sample further and add features that would work.”

So instead of shelving it, he kept coming back to it — turning it over, looking at the construction, trying to understand what it could become.

Design and Redesign

Eventually, curiosity got the better of us, and we couldn’t help but play around with the design.

The fastest way to understand something like this isn’t to sketch over it; it’s to take it apart completely.

“My first step was to deconstruct the sample and develop a pattern from it. This would help me understand the construction and what would need to be refined or changed.” 

“The original sample had some construction challenges that I knew right away would need to be changed for us to produce the bag. This was also a good time to work out the features and how they would work with the rest of the design.”

The first rebuilt version answered some questions, but raised others. 

“The first sample I produced was good, but I still wasn’t happy with the bag overall. The construction was still challenging, and I knew the production team would be concerned with the number of sewing functions needed.”

Sometimes the issue isn’t obvious until you use it the way it’s meant to be used. 

“The shape of the bag also didn’t sit right with me, literally, it was very round and felt like I was carrying a drum; it didn’t rest well against my body. I tested the sample a bit and came up with a plan on how to improve it.”

The adjustment that changed everything was, on paper, a small one.

In practice, it redefined the bag and what the Forager could be.

“The first thing I changed was the shape; instead of a round cylindrical shape, I made the front and back panels flat and rounded off the corners. This would let the bag lie flat against you when carried.”

With that one change, the Forager stopped fighting the body and started moving with it. 

“This new shape also helped with the construction and reduced the amount of sewing needed to join the different panels. Once I had the new shape down, the features and the rest of the construction fell into place.”

From there, design decisions came a little easier.

On Features and Use

With the shape settled, attention turned outward — toward how the bag would actually be used, day to day.

What gets stored where, what needs to be quick-access, and what needs to be secure.

“The main cavity of the bag is where most of your things would go, so the exterior needed to have pockets that could be accessed quickly, provide organization, and security.”

Each pocket found its role over time, shaped by habit as much as intention (and plenty of debate in our weekly design meetings).

“I added a zippered pocket to the front panel — this would be a great place to keep things like keys, headphones, or a wallet securely. The pocket behind the zippered pocket would be for things you need often, like a phone. This pocket would also be a great place to provide some organization.” 

“The pocket on the back panel would be like the front pocket, but it would work better for keeping flat things like a book, notepad, or tablet.”

The cinch top, already part of the original sample, became something to refine rather than replace. 

“The cinch top is also a feature I played with. The way the cinch top and the rest of the bag are joined allows you to fold the cinch top inward and use it as a tote, providing more versatility to the bag.”

Putting it all together

With every new bag, what starts as one person’s project becomes something shared — passed around in meetings, worn, tested, and questioned.

“Now that I had the shape and the features I wanted, it was time to sew up a new sample and show it to the team to get their feedback.”

“We all agreed the new shape worked better when being worn crossbody, the flat sides of the bag really helped. The pockets were also great and held your most-used items.”

From there, it became a series of small improvements — each one subtle, yet indispensable to the final design. 

Cindy was one of the first to test a sample — she used it as an everyday carry, diaper bag, and lunch box. 

“Her feedback helped add a touch more security to the bag. Cindy asked me if we could add a way to keep the bag closed when being used as a tote and for a way to close the pockets for more peace of mind while carrying the bag.”

“I added snaps to the front and back pockets as well as the handles. The snaps would help ‘close’ the main opening of the bag when in tote mode, and the pocket snaps would help close them.”

Then, the rest of the team carried samples and gave feedback for where we could add more O-Rings. Maia, our marketing manager, suggested adding them to both the inside and outside of the cinch, along the top seam, which would give people more options.

“O-rings were added to places we would expect, like the front and back pockets, as well as the zippered pocket at the front. Additional O-Rings were added to the edge of the top seam, to secure items if the bag was being used as a tote and the interior of the main cavity.”

The Final Passthrough

Before anything moves into production, it goes through one more set of hands. 

“After some more testing, I met with the production team, had them sew a sample, and provide feedback.”

“The production team is great at adding final touches that elevate our products. Trang, our production team supervisor, suggested a new way to finish the exterior handles. This new finish looked great and improved how the handles fit in my hand. 

“Ben, our facilities manager, also suggested using aglets to finish the ends of the cord on the cinch top. These upgrades really tied the whole thing together, and we were excited to see the final production samples.”

Final Thoughts

Looking back, it’s hard to pinpoint a single moment where the Forager became what it is now. 

It happened gradually, over months of trial and error, lots of samples, and even more testing. 

“The Forager has been a fun project from the start. The first sample I saw, while rough, had potential, and I’m glad we were able to bring it to fruition.”

“The team and I are excited to finally release it and see how it’s used.”

By the time the Forager reached its final form, it had already been through a few lives of its own — taken apart, rebuilt, carried, adjusted, and passed from one set of hands to another. 

It started as an old sample with no clear origin, just a cinch top and a shape that hinted at something unfinished. Through testing, iteration, and a lot of small decisions along the way, it slowly took shape. 

Not all at once, but piece by piece (or O-Ring by O-Ring).

Now it’s out there, ready for whatever your day throws its way — whether you’re preparing for morel season or a day at a café, the Forager is happy to tag along.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts once you receive your Forager. As always, we’re happy to answer any lingering questions you have about its design. 

The Forager is available to shop now.