Tote backpacks are endlessly useful hybrids, and this little Knut bag from Sandqvist is no exception. Carry it in your hand with the comfortable grab handles or sling it on your shoulders using the adjustable webbing backpack straps. Designed with the same minimalist Stockholm style as Sandqvist's larger packs, it'll hold 12 litres of stuff, including a small laptop in an internal slip pocket. There's also an outer zip pocket for whatever odds and ends you might need on the go. It's constructed in a blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester that combines the best of both fabrics, and over time the unwashed canvas will develop a unique fade. Whether you're wearing it to the office or nipping out to the shops, the Knut will always come in handy.
Fusing the style and creative energy of the Stockholm archipelago with the hard-bitten adventure of the Scandinavian mountains, Sandqvist's beautiful packs are as Swedish as cinnamon buns and that funny cod roe in squeezy tubes.
Founded in 2004 by three childhood mates living in Stockholm, the idea was to create bags that weren't tied to a single environment. Razor-sharp minimalist design to look stylish in the city, teamed with technical features and fabrics to perform in the backcountry. We could all do with less stuff in our lives, and Sandqvist's versatile packs will take you from fika in Södermalm to a red-painted summer cabin in the forest – all while looking just about as Grammable as it gets.
These are bags designed to do more with less – and that carries through into the materials and manufacture too. The durable polyester and nylon fabrics are 100% recycled from post-consumer or industrial waste, and supply chains are regularly audited for working conditions and environmental impact. The leather is a by-product of high-welfare Scandinavian meat and dairy herds, processed by independently certified tanneries – and in some cases they also produce vegan versions of their packs.
Speaking as inveterate Scandophiles, we reckon Sandqvist’s packs are everything gear should be. Sustainable, functional, versatile, and seriously good-looking.
