Palmer & Sons Bags

The fatherly duo of Palmer & Sons started two years ago when Jack and Nik Palmer set off to learn the process of leather work and old style carpentry. From their respective industries irrelevant of bag-making the two started off creating a collection of bags which were simple in philosophy; Create a collection of bags to the best of their ability and from heritage materials with a method that best suits a certain functionality aspect. Aside from bags and suitcases, leather cuffs are also in the collection with more pieces on the way. The words of Nik Palmer regarding his project can be seen below.

It was two years ago when my son and I began our training in artisan crafts. In particular, old style carpentry and leather work. At the time (and still to this day) we had full time jobs in other industries. Jack was working around town in retail, whilst going through the process of finding out what he wanted from life, and i was deeply embedded in the Video Games Industry. We learned our skills mainly trolling through many old time books, magazines, and reference materials…and of course seeking out people who knew. We were also driven by our ever energetic partner Beata Kacy, who helps us with marketing, PR, Web Design etc.

There is a real change coming to Vancouver, BC, you can see it in the bicycles people now ride, sleek, simple, elegant, and old style. You can see it in the return to natural fabrics, vintage and heirloom. It’s part of that flow that Palmer And Sons fits into. Our Design philosophy is simple… make something that will last, make it as best we can, make it from heritage materials. So we use leather, wood, brass, or stainless steel and put it where best it functions. Our designs allow Jack or myself to build each item one by one, by hand, from start to finish. It’s getting back to the time when a guy could actually make something of use and beauty, by his own hand.

Oddly our inspiration typically comes not from leather workers but from industrial design, construction, and tool makers. There are people today who still make tools by hand for hands, Karl Hotley and Konrad Sauer stand out as masters. To watch what they do and how is amazing.

Our product line is pretty small, and will stay that way. We produce mainly small suitcases and bags, whats makes us unique is that we bespoke make to size, functionality, hardware, and material. Or, such as in the XXS suitcase images, we can totally custom fit out an interior. Again it’s either Jack or myself that completes all the custom work, in our small 300sqft shop in Downtown Eastside Vancouver.