How it Started
The inspiration behind Daddy & I came from a simple yet impactful father-son day out. A planned trip to a theme park started a search for a 'Backpack for Dad's'. I didn't want to take another Paw Patrol backpack that was too small or a burgundy floral canvas one, I was looking for something stylish, convenient and practical.
After failing to find anything online I ended up with a leather backpack which wasn't convenient and didn't last. This was the start of 12 months research and development, sampling different leathers, manufactures and styles before arriving at the Daddy & I -
Dad Bag!
How it Developed
We spoke to hundreds of Dad’s at events, online, in parks and passing life to understand what they look for in a backpack, the most common answers were practicality, style and quality.
Practicality
We’ve all been guilty of pulling things out of a changing bag to find something then throwing everything back in only to repeat later. The Daddy & I - Dad Bag and Pouch prevent this by providing convenient compartments to easily keep an organised bag on the go. You can use a pouch for wipes and nappies, or snacks to keep those carrot puff crumbs in one place.
Style
Dad’s said they would typically grab any backpack, usually with character’s /cartoon’s on and begrudgingly carry it by the handle because it was too small or a little too floral for their liking.
The Daddy & I Dad Bag and accessories are handmade in a black, premium, naturally grained, soft Napa leather to provide a timeless look. We use a meshed back for comfort on those hot days, a reinforced carry loop, metal feet, and internal compartments for a drink bottle, valuables and a tablet or changing mat.
Due to the classical design, The Daddy & I Dad Bag isn’t out of place commuting to the office or simply as your daily backpack. The pouch is perfect to keep chargers, headphones and accessories together on the go.
Quality
All of our leather products are made in the same naturally grained soft Napa leather, we don’t stretch or artificially press a grain onto any of our hides. Some manufacturers will adopt these methods in order to yield more from each hide at the cost of potential weakness in the leather. Occasionally we notice a mark on a product, this is caused if the animal had a scare, we choose to leave this in our manufacturing as it is a natural character of that hide.
Sustainability
At Daddy & I we aim to be as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. When we were designing the Dad Bag and accessories, we looked at vegan and cowhide leather with many suppliers and manufacturers. We chose to make our products in cowhide leather for its long term durability and on the understanding that vegan leather can be less durable and harder to repair, increasing plastic waste. Our cowhides are sourced from cattle reared for its meat, essentially making the hides a by-product, this is why occasionally we notice a small mark on the hides if the animal had a scare for example, we chose to leave these in our manufacturing as they are a natural ascetic of that hide.
Our packaging is 99.9% recyclable and minimalist in order to ensure the package arrives safely without unnecessary waste.