Meet the Makers: The People Behind Trakke

When you pick up a Trakke bag, you’re holding more than a piece of gear. You’re holding hours of work from real people — the cutters, machinists, designers and craftsfolk who shape every panel, stitch every seam and bring each pack to life.

Today, we’re stepping behind the scenes to introduce the hands and minds behind the workshop.

Crafted in the UK — by Humans, Not Machines

Every Trakke bag begins with a small team of makers in our UK workshop. There are no conveyor belts. No shortcuts. Just skilled people and the tools they trust.

Our makers come from different backgrounds — textiles, furniture, industrial design, fashion, engineering — but they share one thing: a belief that well-made things matter.

They are the reason your bag feels different. Solid. Honest. Built to last.

Meet the Team Behind the Seams

The Cutters

Before a single stitch is sewn, our cutters prepare every panel with precision. They work with waxed canvas, cotton webbing and Scottish-woven materials — understanding how each fabric behaves, stretches and ages. A well-cut piece is the blueprint of a long-lasting bag.

Beth — Factory Cutter: Favourite part of making a Trakke bag?
“Laying out the fabric, cutting each piece, handing it over to the machinists… and then seeing how it all comes together.”

The Machinists

These are the steady hands and sharp eyes behind Trakke. They guide every seam, reinforce every stress point and ensure your bag can handle a lifetime of use. Their craft is rhythm — needle, thread, fabric — all moving in harmony.

Mikina — Factory Machinist: Favourite bag to make?
“I love making the Bairn Pro because it’s compact, precise and super satisfying to build.

Susan — Factory Machinist: Best thing about working in this team?
“We’re always helping each other out. It’s a proper workshop crew — supportive, skilled and good fun.”

Jonathan — Factory Machinist: One word to describe Trakke:
“Sturdy.”

Alex — Factory Machinist: What makes a Trakke bag stand out?
“We use the good stuff: waxed canvas, solid hardware, Scottish-made textiles. And we take our time. You can feel that in the final bag.” 

The Designers

They sketch, test and refine every silhouette. A pocket isn’t added because it looks good — it’s added because it solves a problem. Our designers obsess over usability, durability and the small details that make Trakke feel intuitive on the trail and in the city.

The Prototypers

This is where ideas become real. Prototype makers test new shapes, stitch different materials, push boundaries and break a few things along the way. They’re the engineers of the workshop — part inventor, part craftsperson.

The Finishers

Before a bag leaves the workshop, our finishers check every seam, trim every thread and prepare each pack for its journey. Nothing passes unless it meets the same standard we expect in our own hands.

 

 

Why We Make the Way We Make

In a world where products are often made thousands of miles from home, we choose a different path:
local craft, traceable materials and people you can actually meet.

Keeping production in the UK means:

• We know who makes every bag.
• We can stand behind every stitch.
• We can build products with integrity, not just speed.
• We support skilled jobs and real craft in our own backyard.

It’s slower. It’s harder. But it’s worth it.

A Day Inside the Workshop

If you were to walk through our workshop doors, you’d hear:

• the hum of industrial machines
• the crackle of waxed canvas as it’s shaped
• the laughter and chatter between makers
• stories of projects past and ideas for what comes next

It’s a place full of energy, concentration and pride.
A place where craftsmanship still matters.

This Is Trakke

Every bag we send out carries the spirit of the people who built it. Their skill. Their discipline. Their fingerprints — figuratively, and sometimes literally.

We’re proud of our products, but we’re even more proud of the team who make them possible.

So the next time you sling a Trakke over your shoulder, know this:

It was made for you.
By real people.
With care, intention and craft that spans generations.