A Brief History of Luggage
It may surprise you to learn that even though the luggage market tumbled when the 2020 pandemic started, sales picked up in 2021 — especially for smaller, independent retailers. One startup even thrived during the COVID-19 situation by focusing on luggage features that consumers wanted, such as accessibility and sustainability.
Despite all the modern luggage industry innovations, suitcases and other luggage items have been around for centuries. Let's look at the origins of the humble suitcase, from status symbol to travel essential.
The Early Years
The word "luggage" didn't appear in written English until the 16th century, but there are accounts of wheeled cases as far back as 1153. During the Crusades, the Knights Templar used cases mounted on wheels to help them transport armor and other tools of war more easily. Despite these early origins, wheeled luggage such as the type you might take to the airport was a long way off. For many centuries, the luggage of choice for any lengthy travel was a mixture of trunks, boxes, and bags. Of course, many of those items are still in use today. But, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a new item of luggage became the trend: the "suit case" or suitcase, which, you've probably guessed it, started thanks to high-end clothing.
Photo: Erwan Hesry, Unsplash
Luggage as a Style Statement
For many people, luggage is as much about style as quality and practicality. When you work with a sewing contractor to create your luggage, you're investing in product design and industrial manufacturing expertise at the highest level.
Style has been an essential part of luggage for a very long time. Way back, in the mid 19th century, a designer named Louis Vuitton was making luggage for Napoleon III and his wife, the Empress Eugénie de Montijo. The idea was to create luggage that the royals could pack their best clothes in, without damaging them. To help facilitate transportation, Vuitton developed lighter, rectangular-shaped trunks — the precursors to the modern suitcase. Changes to transport options were one of the driving forces behind this: Rectangular and square luggage items were much easier to fit onto railway carriages, and the cargo holds of steam-powered ships. In much the same way, the ability to travel just about anywhere on an airplane prompted the luggage industry to innovate once again. This time, the aim was to create more compact, lightweight options better suited for both the airplane ergonomics and the traveler.
Photo: Justin Buisson, Unsplash
The Luggage Industry Today
Today's travelers are looking for a combination of lightweight practicality and affordability. Many large retailers' best-sellers lists show that among the carry-on suitcases, consumers are searching for soft yet durable weekender bags, matching sets of small bags, fabric cases set around a lightweight frame, and backpacks boasting multiple pockets and compartments. Just as the rise of mass transportation drove the innovation of the suitcase, the increase of people indulging in outdoor pursuits and adventure-style vacations has boosted the development and sales of hiking bags and sports luggage.
Not everything in the luggage industry is about affordability, and the obsession with style that started way back in the 19th century has undoubtedly hung around. Travelers can invest the best part of $9,000 into a custom-made wooden carry-on bag from certain retailers that is made to order and takes six months to complete. If you're looking for a way to produce popular, durable luggage a little faster than that, an industrial sewing contractor where all the goods are made in America is an excellent place to start.
Choosing a Contract Sewer for the Luggage Industry
If you have a fantastic idea for a piece of luggage but don't have any industrial manufacturing facilities, a contract sewer is where you need to turn. CustomFab USA provides full-contract sewing services, allowing your goods to be made in the USA by experts with three decades of experience in the luggage industry. Cut and sew manufacturing enables huge amounts of creative control and helps bring your bespoke design to life. Our luggage manufacturing team works with a range of hardware, heavy-duty nylons, and other sturdy fabrics, plus highly precise and automated stitching for a final product that your customers will rave about.
Talk to CustomFab USA and find out how we can help you create a piece of luggage that will truly stand the test of time.