alchemygoods.com Blog

Earlier this month Alchemy Goods released some exciting new products. The Eastlake laptop sleeve and the Union backpack now fill out our collection. Both products are a result of requests from customers like you. We’re very excited to feature both these products on our new website and in stores around the world. Here is some of the back story on the new Goods:

eastlake

The objective was to design a protective laptop sleeve compatible with our rubber messenger bags. The current model is sized to fit 15 inch laptops but other sizes may be introduced if the demand is there. The first production run was offered in two colors, grey and green (pictured above), but we added black because who doesn’t like basic black?

union

The Union is one of the few backpacks on the market that is upcycled (this means made from reclaimed material, not just recycled). We ensured that it has the highest upcycled content of all of our rubber bags, coming in at 82% upcycled by weight. The Union is laptop compatible and as a matter of coincidence can fit up to 36 12oz cans of beer or soda, whichever you fancy. The Union features a vinyl back made from reclaimed advertising billboards and foam padding for breathability and cushioning. The vinyl also gives the bag some structure keeping the frame of the back pack firm and upright. We reinforced the bottom with seatbelt webbing for abrasion resistance.

Perhaps two of the features we’re most proud of on all our products is the LIFETIME WARRANTY and the fact that everything is made right here in Seattle.

We’ve been hard at work here at Alchemy Goods over the last couple months, putting the finishing touches to a few exciting new products and now the time has finally come to announce the release of two new wallets to our catalog, the Belltown and the Franklin. As some of you may already know we have already released wallet designs in the past but this time we wanted to up the recycled content and use as little virgin material as possible. We’re proud to say that we Franklin comes in at 99% upcycled material by weight with only the nylon thread not being a recycled ingredient. The Belltown comes in at 97% upcycled content.

belltown

The idea for the Belltown sprang from the Ag wishlist which is a running list comprised of ideas for new designs and product improvements accumulated here at Ag and through feedback from our customers. For a while now we have been wanting to expand on the popular Nightout. We’ve heard countless times from customers that they would love a Nightout with a little more space, more of an everyday wallet. Well, we did just that in creating the Belltown and added an extra pocket for cash or credit cards, enough to make it last for more than just a night out while still maintaining that slim simplicity. Designed for the minimalist!

franklin

The inspiration for the Franklin actually came straight from our shop floor. Quite literally, all of the pieces that ended up on the original prototype for the Franklin were off cuts and scraps from an Ag Belt production and were swept up off the floor and sewn together. Always striving to decrease our waste and increase the recycled content of our products, we think the Franklin shows off some ingenuity reinforces our commitment to turn useless into useful. We’d love to hear what you think of our new designs.

Ever wondered where the seat belts on our bags come from?

Last week we took a camera along to capture scenes from one of the junkyards where our seat belts are collected. Armed with ipods and a pair of scissors it usually takes us about four hours to clear a yard of all usable seat belts, collecting anywhere from four hundred to a thousand belts depending on their condition. It’s a task that is undertaken in rain, snow or sunshine amidst a cast of colorful junk yard characters all begging to ask the same question, “What do you do with all ‘em belts?”. So next time you sling on your Alchemy Goods bag keep in mind the journey the sturdy seat belt strap has made to get onto that bag and the daring individuals who traveled deep into the country to get it.

The first 350 riders to park their bikes in the bike corral at the Bicycle Expo this weekend will get a free item from either Alchemy Goods or Clifbar. The item which we will be giving away is this pant cinch made from recycled vinyl. So make sure you make it to the Alchemy Goods booth early to get your freebie.

For more information about the Expo visit:

http://www.cascade.org/EandR/expo/directions_10.cfm