Why we’re spending so much time on a detail many brands treat as an afterthought.
When we started developing the Vela Sling, I knew the strap mattered. I just didn’t realize how much work it would take to get it right.
A strap is one of those parts of a bag that can easily become an afterthought. It is often selected late in the process from a standard catalog: black nylon webbing, plastic adjuster, basic hardware, done. It works well enough, and because people are used to seeing it, it rarely stands out as something that was thoughtfully designed.
But when you actually carry a bag every day, the strap is not a small detail. It is one of the main ways you experience the product. It touches your body. It affects comfort. It determines how stable the bag feels when you move. It can slip, twist, dig in, or quietly do its job without asking for attention.
That is why we have spent so much time on ours.
Starting with the standard
Most straps on everyday bags are made from standard nylon webbing. Many are not recycled, and a lot of them have a thin, flat, almost seatbelt-like feel. Some are too slick, which can make the bag slide around more than you want. Others feel stiff in the wrong way, or flimsy once you start paying attention.
The hardware is often just as basic. Plastic adjusters are common because they are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to source. They can be practical, but they do not always feel durable or refined, and they are not always the best fit for a product that is meant to be kept and used for years.
We did not want to start with the default just because it was available.
For SustainGear, the strap needed to feel like it belonged to the rest of the bag. It had to be comfortable, durable, responsible where possible, and visually quiet. Not loud. Not overdesigned. Just considered.
What we wanted to make
The direction we landed on was a custom 38mm textured jacquard webbing strap.
That sounds simple when written in one sentence, but it created a lot of decisions. Width, thickness, handfeel, edge structure, recycled content, weave density, icon scale, rib spacing, surface texture, flexibility, grip, and how all of that would pair with the hardware.
We wanted the strap to be slightly thicker and more substantial than a typical generic strap, but not bulky. It needed enough structure to feel supportive and durable, while still remaining flexible and comfortable across the body.
We also wanted to use recycled material if we could do it without compromising the feel or long-term performance. That part matters to us, but not as a surface-level sustainability claim. A recycled strap that feels bad, wears poorly, or needs to be replaced sooner is not a better product. The material choice has to support the larger goal: making gear that lasts longer and feels good enough to keep using.
Instead of printing a pattern onto standard webbing, we chose to explore jacquard weaving. With jacquard, the design is woven into the strap itself. The texture becomes part of the construction rather than something sitting on top of it.
That gave us a way to make the strap feel more custom and more durable, while keeping the look subtle.
Texture with a purpose
One of the details we kept coming back to was the raised ribbing along the edges.
At first glance, it may seem mostly visual. But the ribbing does a few things. It gives the strap more structure. It adds depth to the surface. It helps the strap feel less slick against clothing. It also creates a more premium handfeel without making the strap look busy.
A lot of standard webbing is very flat. We wanted ours to have more dimension, but still feel restrained. From a distance, it should read as a clean black strap. Up close, you should start to notice the woven texture, the raised edges, and the subtle pattern running through the center.
That balance has been harder to achieve than expected. Too much texture and it starts to feel overdesigned. Too little, and it looks like every other strap and doesn't help with slipping.
Our SustainGear star icon
We also wanted to work the SustainGear star icon into the webbing in a quiet way.
This has probably been one of the most difficult parts of the strap. The icon looks clean in artwork, but thread changes everything. Points stretch. Curves flatten. Small details disappear. A shape that feels balanced on screen can look distorted once it is woven.
We did not want the strap to feel like a logo repeat. The goal was more subtle than that. The icon should feel integrated into the structure of the strap, almost like a texture you notice after spending time with the product.
The first few versions were just not right.
The strap was too thin, and there was a waviness that made it feel less refined than we wanted. The ribbing was not spaced correctly, so the proportions felt off. The stars were stretched more than expected, which made the pattern feel less intentional.
It was useful because it showed us where the design was breaking down, but it was not something we were comfortable approving.
The next sample got much closer. The strap had better structure. The waviness was improved. The ribbing was more consistent and the overall feel was more substantial. It looked and felt more like the direction we had imagined.
But the star still was not quite there.
That is where we are now: close, but still refining. We are working through the weave, the scale, the definition of the icon, and the overall handfeel until the strap feels right as a complete piece, not just acceptable in isolation.
The hardware has to match the effort
The webbing is only part of the strap system. The adjusters, buckles, D-rings, and connection points all have to meet the same standard.
For the Vela Sling, we are pairing the woven strap with durable PVD-coated hardware. I will write more about PVD separately, because it deserves its own explanation, but the short version is that we wanted hardware with a more refined finish and better long-term durability than typical painted or basic coated components.
Hardware is one of those areas where a bag can start to feel cheap quickly. It gets touched constantly. It moves against other surfaces. It picks up wear. It affects the sound, feel, and confidence of the product every time you adjust or clip the strap.
A custom woven strap paired with generic hardware would feel unfinished. The full system has to work together.
Why we are showing the unfinished versions
It is tempting to only show the final product once everything looks clean and resolved. But I think there is value in showing the development process, including the samples that did not make it through.
The early versions help explain what we are looking for. Not because every customer needs to care about rib spacing or jacquard distortion, but because those small things add up. A bag is not made from one big decision. It is hundreds of smaller ones stacked on top of each other.
The strap is one example. The same level of scrutiny goes into the stitching, the seam finishes, the zippers, the zipper pulls, the lining, the hardware, the reinforcement points, the way the pockets open, the way the bag sits on the body, and the way each material feels in your hand.
Some of those details will be obvious. Many of them will not be. But they shape the product every time it is used.
That is the kind of product we are trying to build with SustainGear. Refined, durable, responsible where possible, and thoughtfully made from the inside out.
The strap is still in progress, but it is getting closer. And when it is finished, the hope is that it will not scream for attention. It should simply feel right: comfortable, stable, substantial, and built to belong on a bag designed for years of everyday movement.
Designing a Better Strap
Why we’re spending so much time on a detail many brands treat as an afterthought.
When we started developing the Vela Sling, I knew the strap mattered. I just didn’t realize how much work it would take to get it right.
A strap is one of those parts of a bag that can easily become an afterthought. It is often selected late in the process from a standard catalog: black nylon webbing, plastic adjuster, basic hardware, done. It works well enough, and because people are used to seeing it, it rarely stands out as something that was thoughtfully designed.
But when you actually carry a bag every day, the strap is not a small detail. It is one of the main ways you experience the product. It touches your body. It affects comfort. It determines how stable the bag feels when you move. It can slip, twist, dig in, or quietly do its job without asking for attention.
That is why we have spent so much time on ours.
Starting with the standard
Most straps on everyday bags are made from standard nylon webbing. Many are not recycled, and a lot of them have a thin, flat, almost seatbelt-like feel. Some are too slick, which can make the bag slide around more than you want. Others feel stiff in the wrong way, or flimsy once you start paying attention.
The hardware is often just as basic. Plastic adjusters are common because they are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to source. They can be practical, but they do not always feel durable or refined, and they are not always the best fit for a product that is meant to be kept and used for years.
We did not want to start with the default just because it was available.
For SustainGear, the strap needed to feel like it belonged to the rest of the bag. It had to be comfortable, durable, responsible where possible, and visually quiet. Not loud. Not overdesigned. Just considered.
What we wanted to make
The direction we landed on was a custom 38mm textured jacquard webbing strap.
That sounds simple when written in one sentence, but it created a lot of decisions. Width, thickness, handfeel, edge structure, recycled content, weave density, icon scale, rib spacing, surface texture, flexibility, grip, and how all of that would pair with the hardware.
We wanted the strap to be slightly thicker and more substantial than a typical generic strap, but not bulky. It needed enough structure to feel supportive and durable, while still remaining flexible and comfortable across the body.
We also wanted to use recycled material if we could do it without compromising the feel or long-term performance. That part matters to us, but not as a surface-level sustainability claim. A recycled strap that feels bad, wears poorly, or needs to be replaced sooner is not a better product. The material choice has to support the larger goal: making gear that lasts longer and feels good enough to keep using.
Instead of printing a pattern onto standard webbing, we chose to explore jacquard weaving. With jacquard, the design is woven into the strap itself. The texture becomes part of the construction rather than something sitting on top of it.
That gave us a way to make the strap feel more custom and more durable, while keeping the look subtle.
Texture with a purpose
One of the details we kept coming back to was the raised ribbing along the edges.
At first glance, it may seem mostly visual. But the ribbing does a few things. It gives the strap more structure. It adds depth to the surface. It helps the strap feel less slick against clothing. It also creates a more premium handfeel without making the strap look busy.
A lot of standard webbing is very flat. We wanted ours to have more dimension, but still feel restrained. From a distance, it should read as a clean black strap. Up close, you should start to notice the woven texture, the raised edges, and the subtle pattern running through the center.
That balance has been harder to achieve than expected. Too much texture and it starts to feel overdesigned. Too little, and it looks like every other strap and doesn't help with slipping.
Our SustainGear star icon
We also wanted to work the SustainGear star icon into the webbing in a quiet way.
This has probably been one of the most difficult parts of the strap. The icon looks clean in artwork, but thread changes everything. Points stretch. Curves flatten. Small details disappear. A shape that feels balanced on screen can look distorted once it is woven.
We did not want the strap to feel like a logo repeat. The goal was more subtle than that. The icon should feel integrated into the structure of the strap, almost like a texture you notice after spending time with the product.
The first few versions were just not right.
The strap was too thin, and there was a waviness that made it feel less refined than we wanted. The ribbing was not spaced correctly, so the proportions felt off. The stars were stretched more than expected, which made the pattern feel less intentional.
It was useful because it showed us where the design was breaking down, but it was not something we were comfortable approving.
The next sample got much closer. The strap had better structure. The waviness was improved. The ribbing was more consistent and the overall feel was more substantial. It looked and felt more like the direction we had imagined.
But the star still was not quite there.
That is where we are now: close, but still refining. We are working through the weave, the scale, the definition of the icon, and the overall handfeel until the strap feels right as a complete piece, not just acceptable in isolation.
The hardware has to match the effort
The webbing is only part of the strap system. The adjusters, buckles, D-rings, and connection points all have to meet the same standard.
For the Vela Sling, we are pairing the woven strap with durable PVD-coated hardware. I will write more about PVD separately, because it deserves its own explanation, but the short version is that we wanted hardware with a more refined finish and better long-term durability than typical painted or basic coated components.
Hardware is one of those areas where a bag can start to feel cheap quickly. It gets touched constantly. It moves against other surfaces. It picks up wear. It affects the sound, feel, and confidence of the product every time you adjust or clip the strap.
A custom woven strap paired with generic hardware would feel unfinished. The full system has to work together.
Why we are showing the unfinished versions
It is tempting to only show the final product once everything looks clean and resolved. But I think there is value in showing the development process, including the samples that did not make it through.
The early versions help explain what we are looking for. Not because every customer needs to care about rib spacing or jacquard distortion, but because those small things add up. A bag is not made from one big decision. It is hundreds of smaller ones stacked on top of each other.
The strap is one example. The same level of scrutiny goes into the stitching, the seam finishes, the zippers, the zipper pulls, the lining, the hardware, the reinforcement points, the way the pockets open, the way the bag sits on the body, and the way each material feels in your hand.
Some of those details will be obvious. Many of them will not be. But they shape the product every time it is used.
That is the kind of product we are trying to build with SustainGear. Refined, durable, responsible where possible, and thoughtfully made from the inside out.
The strap is still in progress, but it is getting closer. And when it is finished, the hope is that it will not scream for attention. It should simply feel right: comfortable, stable, substantial, and built to belong on a bag designed for years of everyday movement.