The story of hukkepack began with the school enrollment of our son in 2015. When we bought a commercial schoolbag – made of plastic and quite colorful – we questioned the purchase afterwards. That’s why we started researching.
We are Antje and Robert – in their early thirties and pleased with things that impress with simplicity, but also with design and functionality. We like natural raw materials, good workmanship and the possibility of re-use things. Inspired by our research, our then 3 ½-year-old daughter decided: “When I come to school, I want to have a yellow schoolbag made of leather!” In the following three years her opinion did not change. However, there was no contemporary, everyday life-suitable leather schoolbag to be found, which suited our ideas.
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Almost a year before our daughter started school, we met a young saddler. Our preschool girl simply asked her, “Can you make me a yellow leather schoolbag?”. That’s why we started thinking about the appearance and characteristics of the satchel and the saddler-master implemented our ideas with her know-how. Our daughter was overjoyed and just looked adorable on the day of schooling – in a red dress with white dots and a yellow leather schoolbag.
We will never forget the ceremony, where 51 commercial satchels lined up in front of their little owners and in the middle was a plain yellow leather schoolbag. The reactions followed immediately: “Where did you get that from?”, “I used to have a leather schoolbag when I was young!”, Are you selling them? “We were overwhelmed by the response and interest. Above all, we were and are convinced that there is a lot of good in it: A daily worn satchel made of vegetable-tanned leather, natural rubber and cotton canvas – natural materials that last a lifetime. More children should enjoy this and also contribute to minimize the growing of garbage mountains outside the gates of the city. This is how the idea arose, which subsequently became the company “hukkepack”.
The first model – our rough diamond – has been thoroughly revised over an infinite number of working hours in terms of materials and production steps, weight reduction, improved wearing comfort and much more. Finally in February 2019 our first collection was finished. At the end of March, the homepage and shop went online. A big milestone!
At this point, however, we were far from finished. Our vision remains to create even more sustainable and environmentally friendly products. This led us to industrial hemp. The hemp plant requires neither fertilizer nor pesticides. Its fibers are free of chemicals and toxins, making them completely biodegradable. The perfect material for our accessories.
Afterwards, we addressed the many requests for a ‘proper’ backpack. More than a year passed once again – from the first sketch through several prototypes to our WEGBEGLEITER, which we launched in June 2021.
True to the motto ‘A rolling stone gathers no moss,’ we moved into the next development phase at the beginning of 2023. This time, we aimed to create two new models. Once again, we sketched, deliberated, improved, and discarded ideas. Ultimately, we created the ZWERG – a small backpack that doubles as a handbag and toiletry bag – and the hukkepack KOMPAKT, which, as the name suggests, is a more compact version of the hukkepack ORIGINAL. Both were completed at the beginning of 2024 and are now ready to be introduced to the world.
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We combine our constant wanderlust with the search for new ideas and inspirations. We prefer to stay simply and among the local people. We talk, discover, and explore. This has allowed us to develop a sense for good, high-quality, and useful materials, which over time has become a fundamental part of our work and life philosophy.
For our hukkepack school satchels and backpacks, we use high-quality, vegetable-tanned cowhide leather from selected tanneries, which is then processed with high quality standards by the Thielemann Leather Goods manufactory. Both the leather tanneries and the manufactory have decades of experience handling high-quality and natural materials.
The leather for our hukkepack products is vegetable-tanned. Plant-based tanning agents such as leaves, woods, barks, fruits, and roots are used in this process.
No chemicals are used in the tanning of our leather. Therefore, the leather may be somewhat stiff at first. This will subside after a short time. The leather will become more flexible and pleasantly soft.
Leather is versatile, distinctive, and alive. It is a natural product – unique and by no means perfect. That is why we love it. Our hukkepack school satchels, Wegbegleiter, and Zwerge are made from top-grain leather. Skin folds, scars, and insect bites are sometimes visible, indicating that hukkepack backpacks are genuine natural products. And the leather continues to live. Through sun, rain, and daily use, the leather of the hukkepacks acquires new marks that tell the story of their owners’ lives. These personal marks turn A hukkepack into YOUR hukkepack.
To ensure you enjoy your hukkepack for a long time, we recommend regular leather care. If the leather surface becomes dry, loses color intensity, or is heavily scratched, you should apply leather care. Your bag will thank you by revitalizing its colors, covering scratches, and making the leather supple again. Additionally, regular treatment promotes the development of a beautiful patina. So, it’s best to pamper your bag during winter and summer vacations.
Our hukkepack products are companions for years. They are exposed to wind, weather, and human moods. No other bag is as heavily used as a school satchel. It is used almost daily, has to carry heavy loads, and is not always handled gently. We are very proud of our high-quality and durable products, which are reliable companions for such intense use. However, the daily adventures leave their mark, and even the best material eventually shows signs of wear. The advantage of a leather school satchel is that it can be easily repaired!
To ensure that hukkepack products continue to bring joy, we naturally offer expert repair services. Our workshop fixes small and large defects according to all the rules of craftsmanship. Every seam can be re-stitched, every stressed rivet replaced, and every worn leather part exchanged.
hukkepack leather bags are alive. They collect marks, carry traces and remember the weather. You spend a lot of time together and share great experiences. As you change, your hukkepack changes with you. For example, when you grow or when changing jackets at the season change.
Simply release the lock, move the button and fasten again. Go on!
Maybe you like to wear something else for a while. Just store the hukkepack under the bed. But at some point … you give your hukkepack a new function: as a study bag.
Simply remove the straps, attach the carrying strap and go on!
about our hukkepack satchels from Sophie & Kerstin, Julia and Anne.
You can find more reports and interviews at www.lifeverde.de, www.kribbelbunt.de and www.einschulungsideen.de
handmade in Germany
