Company
There was a simple philosophy that Manhattan Portage set out to achieve back in 1983, "A Bag For Everyone." Twenty Five years later it is certainly ringing true. From Montreal to Melbourne, Osaka to Oslo, and Stockholm to San Francisco, Manhattan Portage's line of bags are indeed everywhere and carried by everyone.
Despite their sweeping global popularity, Manhattan Portage remains loyal to their NYC roots. This 25-year lifespan in the volatile fashion world, and in a town that embraces the designer-of-the-moment but does not suffer has-beens, is no small feat. Manhattan Portage has been able to avoid becoming another fleeting fad and withstand the test of time because their bags do.
By innovating and expanding their line to accommodate the range of uses their bag owners' demand, the Manhattan Portage line has developed to serve all walks and runs of urban life. Whether you are a DJ transporting your spinning equipment, a cell phone-toting investment banker, a starving student hauling pricey textbooks or a messenger racing to deliver documents on time, Manhattan Portage has a style for you. (Even if, like many New Yorkers, you fit into two or more of these categories!)
The variety of stores that sell Manhattan Portage bags also speaks to their varied clientele. Luggage, leather, bicycle, shoes, clothing, and even variety and gift stores all carry Manhattan Portage bags. With their Red logo, 1000 Denier Cordura Nylon, Delrin hardware, and a style selection including laptop bags, messenger bags, backpacks and more, Manhattan Portage bags don't hide and won't be going away any time soon. The emergence of competitors and innumerable imitators hasn't fazed them, but rather left Manhattan Portage celebrating this ultimate sign of trend triumph.
Although Manhattan Portage has received press in New York Times, People, Newsweek, and the Village Voice, their media coverage is not what has fueled their resounding success. It is their versatility, durability, and adaptability that has allowed them to survive the ebb and flow of mercurial fashion tides. So don't settle for an inferior product, get the real thing and treat yourself or a loved one to an authentic Manhattan Portage bag.
Our Manufacturing Philosophy
Manhattan Portage has been designing and producing hand made bags since 1983 and over the years gained a reputation for outstanding quality and detailed craftsmanship. So what makes our bags so special? It all comes down to three basic things that must be done well: the design of the bag, the choice of components, and the overall construction & finishing of the bag during production.
Out of these 3 tenets stems our manufacturing philosophy: to carefully design each new bag, to personally select and inspect all materials, and finally to ensure we get the construction and quality control right. So how do we achieve that you may ask?
First and foremost Manhattan Portage spent its early days designing bags to answer that question: how could we meet the practical needs of New Yorkers when what was mostly available in the 70's were outdoor backpacks, handbags and leather briefcases? The answer came from the streets. By deciding to turn the popular outdoor gear of the days into urban gear that answered the needs of city people, the Manhattan Portage line of messenger bags and DJ bags was born.
What was originally designed for bike messengers in NYC and DJ's in the East Village became mainstream, and these authentic designs from MP have now become classics in the bag industry.
Second, Manhattan Portage uses the best components and the latest in hardware, such as 1000 Denier Cordura Nylon, the highest grade of nylon currently available in the market today (originally developed for the US military, the yarns used in our Cordura are still made in the USA by Invista) and YKK custom zippers, the gold standard for zippers in the bag and clothing industry. The same dedication to quality goes for other components used in Manhattan Portage bags such as the buckles, inside lining, outer binding, webbing straps, key rings, etc. All these components cost more than a standard grade, but as the saying goes, you ultimately get what you pay for.
Third, while getting the bag design right and picking the right components goes a long way, it is still not enough. So how do we get the production part right at MP? Detailed craftsmanship (e.g. all stress areas of a Manhattan Portage bag are triple stitched for durability) and numerous quality controls during all stages of production allow us to detect and correct most issues when they happen, long before our bags ship out and hit retailer's shelves.
Despite all these steps you may ask, what if something still goes wrong with the bag I just bought? Visit our Q&A page for more details about your Warranty Protection.
Last but not least, New York is a city of many different ethnicities and cultures. As you can imagine our company has a multi-cultural staff and we are proud to be a representation of the melting pot that is New York City. We value any comments or feedback you may have, so please don't hesitate to drop us a line at: customerservice@manhattanportage.com.
Related Information
