Production and Design Notes: The Bixi

In developing our latest travel bag, the Bixi, we’ve compiled a summary of production and design insights from various meetings, our project management app, and our recollections of the design process. We hope these notes provide you with a glimpse into what it’s like on the factory floor and offer a deeper understanding of what goes into bringing the Bixi to life.

 

Notes from Jose:

The idea for a new travel backpack began after reading feedback about our current travel backpacks. Some folks felt that they were not able to fully utilize the interior space of the clamshell compartment on the Synik, due to its rounded shape. I felt that this was an opportunity for us to explore a new shape and give our customers a new option for their carry needs.

 The shape

Finding a shape that allowed for the main compartment to be fully packed from top to bottom with no wasted space was my first challenge, while also keeping in mind how the shape of the bag would interact with the other features I planned to include. The back panel was the first part of the bag I worked on, after trying out a few shapes, I settled on the “tombstone” shape. This shape allowed me to include the features I wanted for the exterior of the back panel, and it set the foundation from which I would build the rest of the bag from.

The shape of the Bixi is familiar to anyone who has shopped for a travel backpack or is a “carry enthusiast”, and it’s a popular shape because it works great at maximizing how you are able to pack it.

 The features

Starting at the back panel, I wanted it to be breathable and comfortable. I knew from personal experience and reading customer feedback that the back panel construction featured on the Techonauts and Addax would work great. This construction also made it possible to have a vertical and horizontal pass through and gave us a place for a frame sheet.

The laptop compartment was another challenge for me to tackle. I wanted this compartment to be separated from the main compartment, have an opening at the top and it need to accommodate a range of laptop sizes. Finding the correct depth and construction took a few tries in sampling. The first few samples were a bit too narrow in depth making it difficult to sew, I had wanted to keep this compartment as small as possible, but the production team suggested to make it a bit deeper to make the sewing easier. After some revisions to the pattern, we were able to make it work. The double zippers at the top of the compartment made it easier to access electronics and I also included a smaller pocket on the inside of the laptop compartment for smaller laptops or tablets, I wanted these smaller electronics to be travel securely.

Once the back and laptop compartments were set, I worked on the main compartment next. I needed to have enough depth for this compartment to carry all your main travel items, while being deep enough to fit the exterior features I had planned. I wanted to have a comfortable carry handle at the top of the bag and another handle at the side to carry or pick up the bag while using the horizontal pass through. The water bottle pocket was the last piece of the exterior features, and it too went through a few versions before I settled on the final construction. I tried to fit an exterior zippered pocket at the panel with the side handle, but the zipper needed to join to the clamshell zipper and production pointed out this could become a point of failure for both zippers, so I omitted it for the final design.

The front compartment was the last part of the pack. I wanted the interior of this compartment to be a place for the items you frequently access during travel. I included a zippered pocket for a tablet or notebook, pockets for pens and cables and O-rings for attaching our pouches. I also made the front compartment taper from the top to the bottom so that you have a bit more depth to play with. The backside of this compartment features stretch mesh zippered pockets which work great to accommodate various odd shaped items like toiletries or sandals. I kept the exterior of the front panel minimalist, and after reviewing a sample with the production team they suggested to add some details that tie back to our other travel backpacks.

 

When our team gathered to brainstorm the next addition to the TOM BIHN line, Jose, our designer, proposed a concept inspired by the feedback and comments from you—our loyal customers. The Bixi is the result of integrating that invaluable input. His vision included implementing the following features into this new bag:

• Laptop sleeve
• Luggage pass-through
• Clamshell opening
• Front admin panel
• External water bottle pocket
• Large main compartment
• Interior mesh pockets

The development process involved numerous prototypes before arriving at the final design of the Bixi.

The origins of the Bixi, like many of our previous bags, was inspired by the feedback and comments of our customers. Our goal was to design a travel bag that met these needs and in return create a bag that can go above and beyond expectations. With that in mind, we began developing the first sample in early 2023.

Throughout various design and production meetings, we tackled several challenges with the Bixi. In one of our initial meetings in January 2023, we focused on revising the back panel. We needed to make the luggage pass through bigger, consider eliminating the top curved panel, and extend both foam panels to the top. We also reviewed the height of foam to ensure it created a large enough channel for airflow. Additionally, we found that the curved panels were challenging to sew in early samples. However, Tom liked the overall construction of the panel.

Later in the year, we worked more on the Bixi’s front pockets and began considering a water bottle pocket for the bag. We wanted the bag to have a water bottle pocket, but were unsure its location and size. After a couple weeks of deliberation, we re-patterned the bag to accommodate the water bottle pocket on the outside of the bag.

Additionally, we aimed to address the exterior access to the laptop compartment. We felt that exterior access was a key component of the bag, so we wanted to perfect it. Jose reworked the back panel to make space for the top-down laptop pocket.

In June 2023, we updated the side pocket, the water bottle pocket, the laptop sleeve, and the front admin pocket. We also considered using only a black label and altering its placement off to the side of the bag.

The next sample of the bag began to resemble the current Bixi, featuring a front admin panel, a main compartment that fits three large packing cubes, an external water bottle pocket, and a cambiata side pocket. We noticed that the water bottle pocket side was pulling. After some trial runs with our crew, we found the bag felt stiff, specifically where the laptop pushed the back foam out.

Our next iteration featured the laptop zipper on the side of the bag and included more structure. We proposed adding a layer of foam to resolve this issue. We used the Techonaut as a model for reworking the back panel’s structure, including a frame sheet and a handle pass-through.

Adding a frame sheet proved to be more challenging than anticipated. Jose continued working on the frame sheet while also making room for other important projects, such as the Nomad Tote.

In December 2023, we developed new back panel goals: frame sheet, external laptop compartment, luggage pass-through sleeve, and a breathable back panel. We continued to work on adding depth to the water bottle pocket. We proposed that the laptop sleeve would have two pockets with a mesh spacer, a false bottom, and a sleeve that can fit laptops up to 16 inches. We also continued discussions on the outside pockets.

As 2024 rolled around, Jose completed a new version incorporating the changes we had discussed in previous weeks. The water bottle pocket was enhanced, a handle was added to the left side of the bag, and a zippered stash pocket was also added to the left side. On the interior, we made improvements to the construction of the laptop compartment.

Overall, the features on the new sample are working out as expected, but there was a concern with the depth of the bag. The current sample depth is around 9 inches, but this can increase when fully packed. This may exceed the dimensions typically allowed for a "personal item" (18" x 14" x 8").  

“I had to make the center panel wider by 1" to accommodate the zippered stash pocket and allow for bigger water bottles to fit in the pocket.” - Jose

To improve the depth issue, Jose considered reducing the center panel depth by 1.25 inches and reworking the stash and water bottle pocket. Along with this change, Jose proposed revising the side panels: 

• Switch the water bottle pocket and stash pocket/handle – this would allow us to carry the bag on the right hand. 
• Move the water bottle pocket and stash pocket/handle up by 2 inches to better center them along the side panel.

Cindy Guan, our CEO, agreed that depth would be an issue. Also, should be mindful that outside the US, carry-on dimensions are even more restrictive. 

After deliberation with Cindy and Jose, we decided that the overall size of the bag and external water bottle pocket were to be revised and made smaller. 

“I only carry small water bottles (like a standard Poland spring size or even smaller, like the ones the airlines provide for free) when I travel, so having a small pocket would work fine for me!” - Cindy

At this stage, we began testing. We packed four days' worth of clothes and essentials into both the Synik 30 and the new travel bag, which Jose had named the Jackalope Project, inspired by mythical creatures.

Both bags accommodated about the same amount of gear, with some extra room for small items. Changes for this sample included a reworked laptop sleeve, the addition of a side handle and pocket, and an increased volume for the water bottle pocket. We still need to address the mock woven panel inside the laptop pocket. The overall depth increased, but Jose plans to reduce it by 1.5 inches and has a clear idea of where to make the adjustments.

The next iteration, completed in early February 2024, featured a reduced depth of 1.5 inches, added O-rings to the mesh pockets and admin panel, changed the material on the mesh pockets, added bartacks to the side carry handle, and considered further modifications to the laptop compartment.

For the next iteration:

• Adjusted admin pocket to change top pocket to zipper close, and interior mesh pockets changed to stretch mesh.
• Jose will complete the finished bag for next week, and then proceed with wear samples.
• Sample is in X-Pac but will not be included in the introduction.

We finally were able to take the Bixi on a flight and test it for a few days… We were able to test out all the features and determine what needs work and what is good to go towards the final sample. Cindy had some notes for improvements:

Aesthetics

• “It's really interesting using this bag without a TB label because it definitely had me asking: "Does this look like a TB bag?" There are a lot of black boxy backpacks at the airport. Bags like the Synik are so distinct that I don't think they could be any other brand. I wonder if there is something more we can do here to differentiate the Jackalope from all the boxy travel bags out there.”

Luggage pass-through

• “I'm going to be picky on this one because it's a feature I use 99.99% of the time. It's too tight. The Jackalope slid down easily into my luggage handle, but I had a hard time pulling it out in one swift motion, requiring both hands and lots of tugging to get it out of my handle. I think the issue is that while the width of the passthrough is wide enough, there is not much depth, so bulkier luggage handles just get stuck. For this trip, I was specifically using a Rimowa suitcase, which does have a slightly bulkier handle than some of the other luggages I've seen out there, but it is a common brand and I've seen complaints from customers about how the Synik 22 doesn't fit over Rimowa carry-ons.”

Bottom corners of backpack

• “Jose, I know you said you're working on refining the corners. When packing, I noticed that the bottom corners did have a bit of bulging out.”

Water bottle pocket

• “I used a 19oz Owala for this trip, and I felt like the water bottle pocket felt tight. Would like a little more stretch if possible.”

What I liked:

• Comfort is good for a big bag.
• Fits a lot! I put an entire helmet in the main compartment.
• Super intuitive bag to use, functions similarly to a suitcase.
• Devices all felt well protected.

With this feedback in mind, we revised the luggage pass through by adding 1” to each side of the sleeve. Jose also came up with three versions of the water pocket to consider in remedying the tightness of the water bottle pocket.

The flight testing also raised additional notes about the admin panel, cambiata-style pocket, and laptop compartment. We found that the bottom two pockets of the admin panel were located too deep, so when packed, these pockets were often forgotten and not utilized. The cambiata-style pocket had a similar issue; it didn’t seem useful enough to include on the bag. For the laptop compartment, the additional stretchy pocket proved less useful than anticipated, as the compartment already felt snug enough.

In early April, significant progress was made. The handles for the Bixi were completed, a new version of the water bottle pocket was developed, and the patterns were handed off to production to begin creating a sample.

“We all had an opportunity to take the bag out and test out how it traveled and how it worked in everyday situations. That feedback was really good for me to know if something wasn’t working or to know what to improve. Production also had a chance to give me some feedback, and that feedback is invaluable to me because it lets me know if something isn’t working construction-wise, pattern-wise, or design-wise. All of that feedback made itself into the bag.” - Jose 

Jose and our production crew, Fong, Trang, Hyonguyen, and Kim, revised the production plan and had some crucial feedback for the future of the Bixi, including: 

• Straighten the endpoints of the exterior handles and raise them by half an inch on both sides to eliminate the corner where fabric bunching occurs. 
• Reverse the folding direction of the outer mesh bottle pocket for better aesthetics. 
• The bottom belt loop's webbing is too thick where it meets with #10 zippers, risking needle breakage during sewing; consider using softer webbing or binding tape. 
• For the front exterior panels, introduce 5 notches to both the U-shape and the adjoining panel to assist with the curve fitting. 
• Move the four inner silver webbings away from all seams and bounded areas to prevent fabric bunching at joints; realign the silver webbing as needed. 
• The side pocket on the handle side presents significant repair challenges due to the parallel joining seam of two zippers (#8 and #10), which compromises the durability; Fong is particularly worried about customer returns for repairs that would require extensive effort, as fixing this issue will mean dismantling half of the bag. 
• To enhance aesthetics and reduce repair time, consider minimizing unnecessary seam lines and panel breakages; Jose could eliminate one seam line near the top inside next to the water bottle pocket, and perhaps more if removing another pocket is an option. 
• Replace the too-soft inner mesh pocket with a lining fabric for increased structure and durability. 
• Address concerns with the laptop compartment's back piece, particularly the proximity of the top half zipper to the binding; enlarging the panel by half an inch could facilitate binding and sewing. 
• Lastly, expand the U-shape dome of the laptop compartment by half an inch to alleviate the difficulty of joining in the cramped space.

Some changes proposed by Fong included: 

• Straighten the endpoints of the exterior handles and raise them by half an inch on both sides to eliminate the corner where fabric bunching occurs. 

• Reverse the folding direction of the outer mesh bottle pocket for better aesthetics. 

• The bottom belt loop's webbing is too thick where it meets with #10 zippers, risking needle breakage during sewing; consider using softer webbing or binding tape. 

• For the front exterior panels, introduce 5 notches to both the U-shape and the adjoining panel to assist with the curve fitting. 

• Move the four inner silver webbings away from all seams and bounded areas to prevent fabric bunching at joints; realign the silver webbing as needed. 

• The side pocket on the handle side presents significant repair challenges due to the parallel joining seam of two zippers (#8 and #10), which compromises the durability; Fong is particularly worried about customer returns for repairs that would require extensive effort, as fixing this issue will mean dismantling half of the bag. 
• Replace the too-soft inner mesh pocket with a lining fabric for increased structure and durability. 
• Jose: I removed the exterior pocket to avoid this potential issue.

• To enhance aesthetics and reduce repair time, consider minimizing unnecessary seam lines and panel breakages; Jose could eliminate one seam line near the top inside next to the water bottle pocket, and perhaps more if removing another pocket is an option. 

“ I reviewed the joining seams along the center compartment panels with Fong. The 5 seams are necessary for the handle and water bottle placement. To improve the construction process, we can join the panels together, bind the seams and then apply the lining. This would reduce bulk at the seams.” -Jose

• Address concerns with the laptop compartment's back piece, particularly the proximity of the top half zipper to the binding; enlarging the panel by half an inch could facilitate binding and sewing. Lastly, expand the U-shape dome of the laptop compartment by half an inch to alleviate the difficulty of joining in the cramped space.

“I made the changes to the pattern, as per the Production team's suggestions. I was able to sew the new sample, and we can review it during our design meeting. I also met with Fong to go over these changes and get feedback from her. Fong was pleased with the changes, but cautioned that production will need to sew a sample and provide more feedback and other possible changes.” -Jose

Production asked for the following changes

Laptop Panel Assembly

• Back Panel and corresponding lining pieces- Make the panel smaller by .25"
• Bottom Dome- Make the panel shorter by 3/8"
• Top Dome- Make the panel longer by 3/8"

These changes were made for production to be able to join the laptop assembly to the side panels of the bag. Production also cautioned of possible zipper failure at the laptop zipper. Production explained that the #8 zipper tape could become damaged over time and cause zipper failure. 

We discussed other possible zipper options with Ben, but we all agreed that the #8 zipper is our best option. I am confident using our #8 zipper as is with the current design, the zipper is not under unnecessary stress and there are no pieces being sewn to it that would create a stress point.

 

After these crucial meetings with production, the final changes went underway. We continued to discuss seam allowances, hardware, and the bag’s features. Production noted that the amount of o-rings in the Jackalope is less compared to our other bags. Jose determined that o-rings would only be added to spaces “Where I thought made sense to have them.” So, we skipped out on o-rings in the laptop and main compartment and focused on adding them to the front pocket where they would be utilised. 

 

May rolled around in the factory and final samples were onto their last stitches in production. The final patterns were being finished and a name was on the schedule to be chosen. Finalizing colorways was on the horizon.

 

After many conversations on colors from our team, we formulated a list of potential color offerings the new bag would be available in. We came up with: 

1. Black Ballistic/ Zest Halcyon
2. Black Ballistic/ Northwest Sky Halcyon- Blackout label
3. Nebulous Grey Ballistic/ Island Halcyon
4. Nebulous Grey Ballistic/ Acai Halcyon
5. Aubergine Ballistic/ Acai Halcyon
6. Deep Blue Ballistic/ Zest Halcyon
7. Wilderness Ballistic/ Moss Cerylon

 

We reviewed the internal laptop pocket and agreed that the best improvement would be to change the pocket from Mock Woven to Spacer Mesh with elastic binding. “My goal is to make the changes, confirm they work with production and cut a sample for them to sew this week” - Jose

 

With everything falling into place, it was time for a name. Taking inspiration from the mythological creature, our team decided on Bixi. We changed the name from Jackalope to Bixi on the pattern and the final steps were coming to an end. 

 

Bixi is pronounced “Be-S(h)ee" in Chinese mythology. For the TOM BIHN Bixi, we settled on the English pronunciation of "Bik-see,” as it seemed to fit the look of the bag better. (Though we think that you can pronounce it whichever way you prefer :))

 

“In East Asian mythology, a Bixi (or Bi Xi) is a type of mythical creature, often depicted as a dragon with the body of a tortoise. They are associated with protection and are often depicted as supporting structures such as bridges or tombstones. Given Jose's inspiration from mythological creatures, the tombstone-like shape of the bag, and the Bixi's symbolism of durability/longevity, it seemed like a great match!” - Maia

 

Awaiting needed materials to arrive at the factory to complete the foam handles, internal foam, and spacer mesh, we began putting pieces together in production and set up for the release date.