13 Bag Brand Success Stories
Bags are a staple accessory, and because they are essential in the fashion industry, demand for bags and purses is expected to surge in the coming years.
If you are considering starting a bag brand, there’s no better time than now to turn your dream into reality.
Here are a few tips for starting your own bag brand:
- Have a clear vision of what kind of brand you want to create.
- The name of your brand is memorable and easy to spell.
- Be consistent with your branding material
- Create a line that includes several different styles and sizes so that there's something for everyone!
Here are some real life success stories of starting a bag brand:
1. Tortuga ($3.6M/year)
Fred Perrotta, co-founder and CEO of Tortuga, came up with the idea for their business during a backpacking trip to Eastern Europe in 2009. Frustrated with the lack of suitable travel backpacks on the market, Fred and his friend Jeremy decided to create their own. Despite initial challenges in design and manufacturing, they persisted and eventually launched their flagship product, the Outbreaker Backpack, which has become a top recommendation in the industry.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
Current team size: 9
How Tortuga bootstrapped their way to seven figures in revenue, by solving a problem for travelers with their carry-on sized travel backpacks, after overcoming challenges in design, manufacturing, and advertising.
2. Gobi Gear ($240K/year)
Chez, the founder of Gobi Gear, came up with the idea for her business while preparing for a trip through Asia. Wanting to stay organized while collecting botanical specimens, Chez created a divided stuff sack to pack her gear efficiently. After receiving positive feedback from other trekkers, she decided to turn her idea into a business and launched Gobi Gear.
How much they make: $240K/year
Current team size: 1
Gobi Gear's founder, Chez, designed a unique organizational bag for her trek through Asia, and now, 4 years later, the company sells ultralight outdoor gear and is expanding to an everyday lifestyle line, having raised over $80k on Kickstarter, partnered with 1% For the Planet, and garnered support from major media outlets like Men's Journal and the Chicago Tribune.
Learn more about starting a bag brand:
Where to start?
-> How much does it cost to start a bag brand?
-> Pros and cons of a bag brand
Need inspiration?
-> Examples of established bag brand
-> Marketing ideas for a bag brand
Other resources
3. Maxwell Scott Bags Ltd ($3.6M/year)
William Scott Forshaw, founder of Maxwell-Scott, noticed professionals carrying plastic bags and poor-quality briefcases while working in corporate London. Recognizing a gap in the market, he launched Maxwell-Scott in 2002 to provide high-quality, functional briefcases for these professionals. The brand, which now offers a range of luxury leather goods, has grown to take in $400,000 a month across multiple countries and has gained recognition in the market, including becoming official suppliers of Saracens Rugby Club.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
Current team size: 14
Maxwell-Scott is a British-born luxury leather goods company handmade in Tuscany that sells to AB degree-level educated professionals with high disposable income and is now taking $400,000 a month across websites in 7 countries.
4. Lunchbox Packs ($660K/year)
Tom Worcester, founder of Lunchbox, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the top issues facing festival attendees - theft, security bag restrictions, and long water lines. He and his team developed the Lunchbox, an anti-theft festival hydration pack made of coated ballistic nylon with an inward-facing zipper system, faster refill capabilities, and insulated compartments. Since launching in April 2018 and completing a successful Kickstarter campaign, Lunchbox now generates $36k in monthly revenue and continues to attract customers through direct sales and event presence.
How much they make: $660K/year
Current team size: 7
Lunchbox, an anti-theft festival hydration pack, was created to solve the top issues facing festival attendees and has since reached $36k in monthly revenue after a successful Kickstarter campaign.
5. Faire Leather Co. ($540K/year)
Ryan and Joseph came up with the idea for Faire Leather Co. after realizing that there weren't any bags on the market that effectively solved the problem of organizing daily essentials while still looking polished on the outside. They used their traditional know-how and expertise from Joe's family-owned leather factory to design and create functional, sleek leather goods that combined style with maximum function. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, they hit their two-year sales target of $1 million in just 10 months and have generated a total revenue of $2.3 million to date.
How much they make: $540K/year
How much did it cost to start: $180K
Current team size: 7
Faire Leather Co. is an online leather goods label with a total revenue of approximately $2.3 million, started with a Kickstarter campaign that overfunded eight times, and now operates as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business that is fully, vertically integrated, saving on costs and able to offer quality products.
6. Foxly Handmade ($72K/year)
Jen, the founder of FOXLY Handmade, started her business by experimenting with various handmade bag styles before realizing the potential of zipper pouches. She simplified her product line and partnered with artists to create illustrations for the pouches, allowing her to scale the business and expand her brand's reach. Transitioning to eCommerce sales in 2019 proved successful, and Jen anticipates tripling last year's sales by the end of this year.
How much they make: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
Current team size: 0
Foxly Handmade, a handmade bag company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, pivoted to focus on e-commerce sales and scaled their business to anticipate tripling last year's revenue, which was made possible by data analysis to focus on their standout product.
7. Adventurist Backpack Co. ($300K/year)
Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstrom, founders of Adventurist Backpack Co., came up with the idea for their business while traveling between North America and Europe. They wanted to design a fashionable, high-quality, and affordable backpack that would blend the styles of Sweden and Colorado. Additionally, they wanted to integrate giving back as a key pillar of their business model, which led them to provide 25 meals to families in need for every backpack sold. Since launching 22 months ago, they have been able to provide nearly 100,000 meals and sell their backpacks in Urban Outfitters and eBags.com.
How much they make: $300K/year
How much did it cost to start: $7K
Current team size: 0
Adventurist Backpack Co has co-founders that have provided nearly 100,000 meals to families in need, which is done through their business partner, Feeding America, and have had their backpacks sold in Urban Outfitters, eBags.com, and over 50 universities and retailers across the US, bootstrapping their business from the beginning.
8. KASA ($960K/year)
KASA, an online luxury shoe and accessory boutique, was founded by Kartik Gurmule at the age of 16. After a failed sneaker business, Kartik discovered the potential in the luxury shoe market during a trip to Italy and decided to focus on designing and selling high-quality leather footwear. Since its launch in November 2018, KASA has experienced rapid growth, with over 250,000 social media followers and a monthly profit of $80k.
How much they make: $960K/year
Current team size: 0
16-year-old entrepreneur founds KASA, an online luxury shoe and accessory boutique with over 270 luxury shoes in the collection, generating $80k in monthly profits and exploring expansion into lower-end shoes and custom shoes for the poor.
9. Linjer ($10M/year)
How much they make: $10M/year
Current team size: 10
Linjer, a sustainable jewelry, luggage and watch brand, founded by Jennifer Chong & Roman Khan, generated $10 million in revenue in just three years and has plans to expand via influencer marketing, pop-ups, new product markets & wholesale partners.
10. ANIMA IRIS ($1.2M/year)
How much they make: $1.2M/year
Current team size:
25-year-old Wilglory Tanjong turned her side hustle of designing geometric hand-stitched women's handbags into a Beyoncé-approved luxury brand, generating over $700,000 in lifetime sales since its launch in February 2020, including $603,819 in 2021 alone, and bringing in approximately $100,000 per month in recent months.
11. Mon Purse ($24M/year)
How much they make: $24M/year
Current team size: 19
Custom leather bags and fashion accessories business MON generates an impressive $24 million in revenue, thanks to founder Lana Hopkins' unique idea of letting customers design their own handbags.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
