I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of making a backpack for kids. Not just a scaled down version of a full sized pack, but a product that is intended for the actual users.
Like adults, kids need abrasion resistance, easy access, comfortable suspension and well thought organization but, compared to adults, they don’t have the time to get used to exotic design choices. Kids have way more important things to do than handling roll tops, compression straps, double compartments, etc, and the benefits of these solutions are not something they can easily get in everyday use.
In other words, it had to be “Simple”.
As many other ideas, this just remained at that stage until Peter and Nana from Copenhagen based LilBoo, decided to make it real.
I’ve been knowing Pete and Nana since 2010, when both ATD Supply and Lilboo didn’t exist yet. We were both backpacking in South East Asia and we met on a flight from Manila to the not-mainstream-yet island of Palawan, in the Philippines. A few hours later, when we found ourselves at the same guesthouse and Nana asked to borrow my travel plug adapter, the game was done: that same night, i was discussing music and sub-cultures with Peter and finding we had similar backgrounds.
In these years, we met up again in Europe and we both started our own companies: LilBoo makes outstanding, organic apparel for active kids mixing scandinavian clean lines with streetwear culture, filling a gap in the market and adding great value to it with their ethical approach to materials and manufacturing.
In spring 2018, i was in Copenhagen for a bunch of days and we had breakfast together: we wanted to work on a shared project and a kids backpack was the natural direction.
Pete and Nana asked me to base the design upon the typical scandinavian school bag. I scaled it down, upgraded materials to durable 500d Cordura® Fabric and beefy YKK zippers to meet ATD Supply requirements, and finally worked on the pattern. The pack has a single compartment with two internal vertical pockets for diapers or a change of clothes, a generously sized external pocket for those toys kids need to keep at hands and another external quick access pocket for a pacifier or tissues. Straps were completely reimagined and padded, together with the back panel, with the same Evazote 50 closed cell foam we use on travel bags, just at a less bulk thickness.
The result is exactly what we wanted: a timeless, simple and accessible design, as sturdy and comfortable to carry as your own EDC or travel backpack, because your kid deserves the best stuff as you do.
After many product developed for other companies, this is our first branded collaboration and i'm incredibly proud that it is with LilBoo: that trip to South East Asia was the spark that started ATD Supply itself and our first collaboration couldn't have been more appropriate.
Meet the ATD Supply X LilBoo Copenhagen Backpack
