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 (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 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 help you enjoy life and your journeys as you travel, commute, adventure or simply just ride around.
Many years ago I wanted a Rivendell Hobo bag. Alas, they were out of stock, so I decided to try making my own. The process was deeply engaging and fun in a way that caught my attention. In hindsight it was one of those lightbulb moments where I knew with an unusual degree of clarity that this is what I wanted to do. That clarity stayed with me over the next few years as we built our future home and I did other work while I just started making bags.
As I was beginning to focus on bag making, chance would have it that I noticed a ragged old French handlebar bag (see photo) crudely strapped to the rear rack of an ancient three-speed at a nearby bike shop. Unable to get the neglected lump of canvas out of my mind, I went back a couple days later and asked about the bag--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. Random old French randonneuring bags don't just "show up" in rural Vermont.
Something was conspiring...
After years of building Waxwing into a part-time endeavor, I finally committed to making bags fully in the spring of 2020. I was nervous at first, but haven't looked back since!
All bags are made by me, Dave Cain (in blue shirt on left, above). The desire (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 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 help you enjoy life and your journeys as you travel, commute, adventure or simply just ride around.
Many years ago I wanted a Rivendell Hobo bag. Alas, they were out of stock, so I decided to try making my own. The process was deeply engaging and fun in a way that caught my attention. In hindsight it was one of those lightbulb moments where I knew with an unusual degree of clarity that this is what I wanted to do. That clarity stayed with me over the next few years as we built our future home and I did other work while I just started making bags.
As I was beginning to focus on bag making, chance would have it that I noticed a ragged old French handlebar bag (see photo) crudely strapped to the rear rack of an ancient three-speed at a nearby bike shop. Unable to get the neglected lump of canvas out of my mind, I went back a couple days later and asked about the bag--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. Random old French randonneuring bags don't just "show up" in rural Vermont.
Something was conspiring...
After years of building Waxwing into a part-time endeavor, I finally committed to making bags fully in the spring of 2020. I was nervous at first, but haven't looked back since!
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, gardening, skiing, taking naps, and going on adventures with friends and family.