Tin cloth tote (new tan webbing)
On Sunday, Sara and I did a quick spot check on the new totes at the Filson flagship store in Portland, Oregon. It's a little early in the season for wool, but apparently the new versions are selling--even the crazy electric blue/black plaid tote (a version not currently shown on the Filson site). Though I love the eccentric look of this tote, and robust blanket weight wool, it doesn't quite stand up on its own and I question its practical use value. Since I own more totes than I'll ever wear out, I suppose this version could be my indoor, workplace, hallway or elevator tote. Send along your own suggestions for the proposed function of a wool rather than waxed bodied bag (for snowdrift climates, I imagine?).
After the classic tin cloth tote w/green webbing disappeared from the Filson website in July, I was concerned that this practical, affordable, Seattle-made bag had been discontinued. Several friends and I use this bag on a daily basis, and after a year of wear, the bag still looks great (though mine is slightly frayed at wear points on the webbing). Although I love the classic twill Filson tote, the tin cloth version, with taffeta lining, really forgives sloppy use as a grocery bag or bag-within-a-bag commuter. To my relief, Filson reintroduced an unchanged version with khaki webbing. Though I prefer the graphic contrast of the green webbing against the tin cloth fabric, I'm happy to see this basic model back in the Filson line-up.
On the subject of totes, I want to campaign for Gilles Berthoud, French bagmaker, to produce a tote bag that combines the fabric and leather trim of his bicycle panniers w/the carrying capacity, basic structure, of a Filson tin cloth tote:
