New Tablet/Laptop Sleeves!

We have finally finished the new tablet/laptop sleeves! Perfectly fitted to a variety of Mac products, but they work for PCs too. And we can do custom sizes...

Get full info and purchase at our web store!

Shoulder Strap Detail

There can never be too many zippers.

Concrete - Graphite - Marble

I have been pondering adding colored felt to the UM line for so long. But it has never felt right. But now I've arrived at 3 combinations that I love: grey/orange, graphite/blue, and marble/green.

The new bags are being made now, and then we will photograph. Up on the site within 3 weeks. Stay tuned!

Cutting Corners

Learning how to sew around a corner.

Style Details

My new laptop bags are not radical, just very useful and - I hope - very nice. So everything needs to fall into place: material color, strap color, closure, labeling, seams. I like the label placement, just above the velcro inside the top flap. But the label should be larger and be separate from the velcro...

Organizing Details

Sometimes a certain detail is so compelling that it can organize the design of an entire object. The curve of a folded piece of felt is one of those details. I'm working on laptop bags and totes. This curve will define the construction technique I use for the entire line.

Designing Again

There are odd shaped pieces of felt being cut and scraps of paper on the floor. That can mean only one thing: I'm designing again!

Our 25-ton Die Cutting Machine & Manufacturing Possibilities

Last month we bought two die cutting machines, an exciting step that will allow us to directly do some of our own manufacturing. The one seen here is the 10-ton die press, which cuts 12” x 12”. This will be perfect for the Felt Coasters and smaller products. The larger 25-ton press can accommodate up to 60” x 20”. This will open up possibilities for easier manufacturing, like making the UM Bags in color!

Meet the Models: Josh Larson - Architect

Josh Larson let us follow him around at Larson Shores Architecture + Interiors, his architecture firm to photograph the Classic Orange Zip Tie. Read his thoughts about being an architect after 17 years in the field.

This is the final "Meet the Models" post.

How would you describe your work?

I learn something new every day by the nature of my profession. Being a designer can be exhilarating as well as exhausting, especially because it requires many different professionals to make a project come to life. Sitting at my drafting table with trace and pencil in hand is incredibly rewarding and gratifying. I love working in a profession that allows you to design creativity into every nook and cranny possible.

How long have you been an architect?
I have been licensed as an architect for 7 years, but worked in architecture and construction for the past 17 years. 

What do you enjoy most about your job? 
I enjoy seeing my vision realized and then appreciated by those who use it. 

What inspires you when working? 
Other creative architects, designers, and the nuances of living in a dynamic city filled with diversity and culture. 

Visit Us at the Wunderfaire - Thursday December 5 in Downtown SF

Come visit Josh and Katherine at the 5th Annual Wunderfaire hosted by IDEO, a celebration of local craftspeople on Thursday, December 5. Shop at over 40 local vendor booths for the holiday, learn from experts as they talk about their work, and eat yummy treats from one of the many food carts. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit Creative Growth, YBCA Young Artists at Work Program and IDEO.org.

Don’t miss Josh discuss how he experiments with felt structure at 5pm! 

Thursday, December 5
4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
IDEO - Pier 28 Annex - The Embarcadero - San Francisco, CA

Meet the Models: Adam Cardello - Visual Artist

Adam Cardello allowed us to watch him paint in his studio while sporting a new Skinny Zip Tie in Mustard. After seeing him make artwork, we just needed to know more about what inspires him. Read below and check out his website of his artwork, www.adamcardello.com.

This is the second "Meet the Models" post.


How would you describe your artwork?
My work is usually dictated by a formal interest in composition and color relationships. The content is both figurative and abstract in the sense that what you see is a representation of earthly life, reinterpreted using my own visual language. Control is another issue that frequents my work, evident in my process and craft. Some of my recent paintings attempted to weave a narrative between two recent major life events: the birth of my daughter and the death of a life-long friend. They never achieved this. Instead they stand as separate ideas that recognize and accept loss, and observe a child-like wonder of the world. Since those paintings I had been working on small studies, trying to solve a few technical issues that I felt were repeatedly surfacing in my work. I just started a new series of 10 paintings this weekend, which I am pretty excited about. 

How long have you been an artist?
I knew I wanted to be an artist and receive education in the arts from a very young age. With that, I believe that a certain amount of dedication is required to brandish such a nomenclature as being “an artist”; otherwise it is just cast around too easily. I graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2004, but lacked that dedication to call myself an artist until about 3 years ago. It took me some time to get my priorities straight. 

What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
The existence and relationships of color. 

What inspires you when working?
Right now I am very much interested in the work of Steve Roden. However, I believe that inspiration comes from within, rather than outside influences. Some days it is hard to paint but I make myself do it anyways. On those days, when I am dragging my feet and then one tiny decision reveals something in front of me that completely changes my perspective or experience, that is when I feel most inspired.

Making.

Meet the Models: Rob Hansen - Utilities Engineer

Rob Hansen let us follow him around a rail yard while wearing our new Skinny Zip Tie. Afterwards we asked him about his work inspecting the railways and what inspires him.

This is the first post in our "Meet the Models" series.


How would you describe your work?
As a Utilities Engineer, I work for the State of California to oversee the safety of our rail transit systems, such as BART and Muni. I review plans for new infrastructure, perform on-site inspections of construction sites, investigate accidents to determine the causes of a collision or derailment, offer recommendations to avert future accidents, and help with comprehensive reviews of the rail agency safety programs. 

How long have you been focused on engineering?I have a Bachelor's and a Master's in Civil Engineering, and have been working in the field for one year.

What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
The best part of my job is the diversity of work- there's always interesting project. Long term, it is satisfying to know that my work could have enormous effects in the safety of train passengers, rail system employees, pedestrians, and motorists. My job lets me think about how mechanical, structural, and human components interact in a complex system and create ways to keep them all protected.

What inspires you when working?
I find myself inspired by the idea that I can help create safer, better transportation systems, and that someday my ideas will be implemented. This drives me to refine my thought processes and work habits, to become as good as possible at what comes my way. I have a unique freedom in my current position where I can propose creative and radical solutions for safety issues and let lawyers, politicians, and better engineers worry about whether they are practical.

New Beginnings.

An experiment with felt and accordion-style construction.

Organic Elements of the UM Tote

We found this striking photo in the archive and wanted to share it. The UM Tote captured people’s attention and helped launch Actual in 2006. Often people say that the form is organic. We are trying to pinpoint the reason behind that.

Leave us a comment on Facebook – what does this bag remind you of?

Getting Square.

For a long time, I have thought about creating a laptop bag - something more practical that is still different from the crowd of messenger bags out there. These paper models are an exploration of how far I can push the basic UM Bag concept towards a more 'normal' shape.

How square can it get without losing its identity as part of the UM Bag Collection?

- Josh

Vote: Your Favorite Handle For New UM Bags

Josh has been designing new UM Bags. After numerous prototypes in this style, we now have two different handles – but can’t decide which one we like best. We want input from YOU, our fans.

Vote for the handle you want to see on the new UM Bag on our Facebook Page.

Zip Ties! Classic and Skinny Styles. Four Colors. Special Price.

After tallying the votes from our color poll, photographing the ties in cool spots around the San Francisco Bay Area, and finalizing the details, new Zip Ties are ready for you! Choose between Classic and Skinny styles, and four colors: Grey, Orange, Blue, or Mustard.

We are offering a special introductory price of $45 through the end of 2013!

You can order Zip Ties from our website. Our updated wholesale catalog is available by email request.

Rob Hansen. Engineer.

Andrew Thomas. Bass Player.

Adam Cardello. Painter.

Josh Larson. Architect.

Shumai Featured in Healthy Living Now Magazine

Check out the latest magazine feature of the Shumai, written by Dyan Perry in Healthy Living Now.

Coaster Packs

Cut from the handles of our UM Tote, the Coaster Pack is a smart way to re-purpose scraps into a usable item. We have been working on a way to package these for a while, and they now have a cool paper encasement. This shrimp-like packaging is finally ready and the coasters are available. The photography is also beautiful, so check them out on our website.