The seasoned traveler’s reliable companion and an industry leader since 1910, Skyway Luggage was founded by A.J. Kotkins as the Seattle Suitcase Trunk & Bag Manufacturing Company, operating out of historic Pioneer Square in Seattle, Washington. Embracing the then nascent mode of air travel, Kotkins’ son, Henry Louis Kotkins, introduced a line of luggage called Skyway after he joined the business in 1936. Close to a hundred years later, Skyway Luggage, now owned by Ricardo Beverly Hills, is ready for a new age in travel with the launch of its first eco-friendly Rainier collection of bags.
The Rainier Collection showcases five items, each manufactured from recycled PET plastics converted into soft yet durable bags. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the chemical name for the clear, lightweight and most common thermoplastic polymer resin used as fibers for various things including plastic water bottles. Depending on the size of the bag in the collection, from six to about 26 recycled bottles are utilized to produce these high-quality bags — bottles which would have otherwise ended up in landfills.
“The Skyway Rainier collection was designed for today’s travelers with active and adventurous lifestyles,” said Timm Fenton, the brand’s vice president of design and development. “Developing and perfecting the process of making the kind of bags we can be proud of was a challenge but it was definitely worth it.”
Fenton continued, “The introduction of this new line is our way of declaring our commitment to sustainability and to use recycled material whenever possible while maintaining the highest standard of durability that our customers have come to expect. We want to do our small part in saving our environment from another plastic container being tossed aside as waste.”
The five casual backpacks and travel bags in the collection feature sleek and contemporary silhouettes in dimensions that conform to travel regulations in gender-neutral colors and details.
The large Weekender Backpack is ideal for fun-filled weekend trips with a generous-sized main compartment, large-sized zipped pockets and multi-attachment options that provide flexibility in the kind of items you need to pack. Its padded back pocket is designed to fit even the largest laptop in the market, and it also features contoured, padded and tuck-away shoulder straps, a removable waist stabilizer strap and two side zipper pockets.
From workouts to workdays, the Roll Top Commuter Backpack keeps belongings in place throughout any busy day with its smart roll-top design, metal slide buckle and a magnetic closure. The bag offers contoured padded shoulder straps for comfort with a webbing grab handle. It also features a hidden back panel zipper pocket for a cell phone, two side pockets, and a mesh zipper storage pocket inside the main compartment; the padded zipped side pocket can also hold a 15” laptop.
The Compact Duffel Backpack is a versatile and utilitarian companion on rugged trips or a quick overnight trip to fun places. It has both a comfortable carry handle and a convenient loop webbing handle at the top, and its capacity can easily hold a pair of shoes and a change of clothes. The bag has a bullet shape with padded tuck-away shoulder straps and features a side zipper pocket with a card holder, a hidden zipper pocket for a cell phone and a large capacity main compartment with a zippered mesh pocket.
The Deluxe Backpack gives remote workers the ease of mind that they didn’t leave anything behind. Specifically designed to securely hold a laptop, its multiple carry handle options make it conveniently portable for work travel, dashing off to meetings in another city or just a jaunt to an overnight escape. Features include side access to a fully padded, zippered laptop compartment which can be accessed while wearing one strap, comfortable bail carry handles, side-mounted quick-grab handle and contoured/padded tuck-away shoulder straps. It also has a magnetic closure cell phone pocket, side pocket, front pocket with key leash and cardholder.
Finally, there’s the Simple Everyday Backpack, a no-fuss essential built with a padded pocket that can accommodate laptops. Its double front pocket allows for additional storage capacity and its adjustable, padded shoulder straps will be easy on anyone’s back. Additional features include the padded straps that tuck away and a bag strap that slides over a wheeled case, two front zippered pockets and a padded laptop pocket in the main compartment. Contoured/padded tuck-away, adjustable shoulder straps make the bag easy to handle and wear.
Interior details on all styles include padded laptop sleeves and multiple interior pockets constructed in a combination of solid and camo print PET fabrics. The five-piece collection is available in the versatile colors: Zion Gray, Tahoe Blue, Moab Red and Kohala Black. Prices range from $140 for the everyday backpack to $200 for the weekender.
