Waxwing Bag Co. is nestled in the heart of Vermont's Green Mountains.
All bags are made by me, Dave Cain (in blue shirt on left, above). The desire --perhaps need -- to make functional beauty is a significant part of who I am and it's been that way for most of my life. With a background is in design, woodworking, art and architecture, I've been making things, in one form or another for as long as I can remember; I've built boats and houses, studied painting and architecture, and created furniture, yet bags are where I've landed, and happily so. They provide a perfect opportunity to connect that desire to make with the world of bikes and adventure. I love the notion that my work helps facilitate the requirements of others as they travel, commute, adventure or simply just ride around.
I got into this a number of years ago because I wanted a Rivendell Hobo bag. Alas, they were no longer available, so I decided to try making my own. The process deeply engaging in a way that I noticed, and maybe even mentioned it to my future wife Nancy. In hindsight it was one of those lightbulb moments where I knew with an unusual degree of clairty that this is what I wanted to do and that clarity stayed with me over the next few years as we built our future home. Once the house was built and I had opportunity to do other things, I just started making bags.
A step along the way: As I was beginning to focus on bag making chance would have it that I noticed a ragged old French handlebar bag crudely strapped to the rear rack of an ancient three-speed at a nearby bike shop, but beyond noticing, did nothing. Unable to get the poor lump of canvas out of my mind, a few days later I went back and asked about the bag-- turns out it had been thrown out! Luckily the trash barrel had not been emptied and the bag was literally pulled out and handed over to me. Talk about timing, right? It's not everyday you come upon a lovely old randonneuring bag in rural Vermont. With this bag in hand I had a template--somebody was looking after me. That's the bag right there in that photo.
Besides making cycling gear I love to goof around with my wife Nancy, savoring long cycling journeys close to home and far away, making maple syrup, talking to the cats, gardening, skiing, taking naps, and doing magic tricks for impressionable nieces and nephews.
Life is short and I'm grateful to be doing this work. I'm also grateful for the slow and steady progress that practice and time allow.
All bags are made by me, Dave Cain (in blue shirt on left, above). The desire --perhaps need -- to make functional beauty is a significant part of who I am and it's been that way for most of my life. With a background is in design, woodworking, art and architecture, I've been making things, in one form or another for as long as I can remember; I've built boats and houses, studied painting and architecture, and created furniture, yet bags are where I've landed, and happily so. They provide a perfect opportunity to connect that desire to make with the world of bikes and adventure. I love the notion that my work helps facilitate the requirements of others as they travel, commute, adventure or simply just ride around.
I got into this a number of years ago because I wanted a Rivendell Hobo bag. Alas, they were no longer available, so I decided to try making my own. The process deeply engaging in a way that I noticed, and maybe even mentioned it to my future wife Nancy. In hindsight it was one of those lightbulb moments where I knew with an unusual degree of clairty that this is what I wanted to do and that clarity stayed with me over the next few years as we built our future home. Once the house was built and I had opportunity to do other things, I just started making bags.
A step along the way: As I was beginning to focus on bag making chance would have it that I noticed a ragged old French handlebar bag crudely strapped to the rear rack of an ancient three-speed at a nearby bike shop, but beyond noticing, did nothing. Unable to get the poor lump of canvas out of my mind, a few days later I went back and asked about the bag-- turns out it had been thrown out! Luckily the trash barrel had not been emptied and the bag was literally pulled out and handed over to me. Talk about timing, right? It's not everyday you come upon a lovely old randonneuring bag in rural Vermont. With this bag in hand I had a template--somebody was looking after me. That's the bag right there in that photo.
Besides making cycling gear I love to goof around with my wife Nancy, savoring long cycling journeys close to home and far away, making maple syrup, talking to the cats, gardening, skiing, taking naps, and doing magic tricks for impressionable nieces and nephews.
Life is short and I'm grateful to be doing this work. I'm also grateful for the slow and steady progress that practice and time allow.