Eulogy
I didn’t intend to get into capital F fashion. At 16, I was a Boy Scout who wanted to find better gear — shoes that didn’t make my feet bleed, backpacks that weren't made of paper-thin neon nylon. As a result, I quickly fell into “campcore” and “heritage outdoors” (gorpcore wouldn’t be labeled a trend for a few years still). Garments of interest included Danner Boots, Patagonia Synchillas, Best Made Co., and the Topo Designs Klettersack.
I’d never seen something so perfect -- the slender, 1970s styling, the breadth of colors, beautifully weathered leather, and, of course, made in the USA. I devoured every review I could find, researched fabrics, and memorized internal capacities. At $169, it was my first real purchase in the world of clothing. Boy was it worth it. International trips, bike rides, torrential downpours, and a blizzard on the side of a mountain -- this pack has seen it all. Did I suddenly become a devotee of Topo, buying everything in sight? No; I purchased a few products here and there over the course of the years but very little — the best bag is the one you actually use.
At some point, Topo released a few items made in Vietnam. I paused for a moment but it was no real issue, Only NY had just released a made in Vietnam hardshell, Patagonia had been outsourcing labor for decades. Most bags, tees, and pants were still US-made.
As the years went on, outsourcing increased, I became interested in other brands and makers. During that time, my girlfriend purchased one of the imported bags, a Rover Pack Mini. Sure, it wasn’t made of beefy 1000D Cordura but it's a great little bag, who am I to judge? Perhaps outsourcing makes a great deal of sense — provide great quality, low-cost bags which introduce consumers to the brand and, down the line, they can buy a Klettersack, duffle, carpenter pants, and the like… right?
Not quite, the Made In USA page on the Topo site now resembles a graveyard: two mostly sold-out bags and a couple of Nalgenes. Even the venerable Klettersack sits as final sale in unattractive colors. What did we lose? The quality is still there, the warranty is still there, but the product is no longer sewn by someone who isn’t your neighbor, but could be. Someone who you know is paid a living wage and probably (hopefully) has insurance.
Where do we go from here? Well, I’d encourage you to scour eBay, Depop, Grailed, and Japanese auction sites. I guarantee you’ll find some good stuff for even better prices. Sure, it won’t be made by your neighbor but it will be one less product in a landfill. Even better — do your research. There are a million and one bag-makers in the world, chances are you’ll find ones who make the styles you want, with the materials you want, and one might even be your literal neighbor. Go wild, buy only what you need.
