A Deep Dive into The Healthy Back Bag - Written by Priscilla Chase, The Healthy Back Bag Company.
The Healthy Back Bag’s are part of our Loved By Arthr range, a collection of carefully curated products from inventors that share our values and passion for high-quality innovative design.
The Healthy Back Bag is all about balance. We make bags that perfectly combine fashion and function, comfort and style, and are designed to make life easier, every day. Healthy Back Bags are a unique teardrop shape which is both great looking and practical, contouring naturally to the body and so reducing stress on the neck and shoulders.
The Healthy Back Bag® started its journey in the USA in the early 90s when Margery and Irwin Gaffin set themselves the challenge of creating an alternative to a conventional two-strap backpack that was both comfortable to wear and actively good for your back. They came up with a unique idea. ‘I wanted a bag which looked good but also worked with my back rather than against it’ explains Margery of her vision. As a leather craftsman and designer, Irwin set about creating a single-strap bag with no rigid elements which enabled it
to curve to the spine, and after collaborating with a doctor and a chiropractor The Healthy Back Bag was conceived and patented in 1994.
In 2004 the US parent company set up a London office to manage expansion into the UK and beyond, and since then the brand has gone from strength to strength with its iconic shape recognised across the world as a well-designed and practical everyday essential. The bag’s unique shape and intelligent pocketing inside and out are designed to distribute weight evenly, which means less strain on your neck, back and shoulders. It’s comfortable for people of all shapes and sizes, perfect for a variety of lifestyles and offers men and women alike a functional and stylish alternative to a backpack or conventional one-strap shoulder bag. The company has come a long way since that original single-size leather bag and now produces hundreds of different colours, patterns, prints and fabrics. With two seasonal launches every year along with trend-led designer collaborations, the bags not only feel good but they look good too!
One of the most popular features of a Healthy Back Bag is that it can be worn any one of 4 ways; on either shoulder or cross-body, so you’re hands-free. It’s ideal for everyday activities such as shopping or walking the dog, but equally practical for travel and day trips. The cleverly thought-out pockets for phones, pens, keys, documents, water bottles, cosmetics or medication deliver hidden functionality to help keep you organised and spread weight around the bag sensibly, while the signature silver lining provides an easy-to-see interior to ensure stress-free rummaging. Another favourite feature is the elasticated key hook - your keys are always within easy reach when you need them. Healthy Back Bags have also been designed with security in mind; they have a full-length double zip that always sits against your back so whichever way the bag is worn, you can access the contents without removing the bag and at the same time it keeps your possessions safe and secure – the position of the zip makes it difficult for anyone to get to the contents apart from the wearer. They make perfect travel companions and are frequently spotted far and wide including on Dame Helen Mirren who was photographed wearing one of our leather bags on her return from an Oscar’s ceremony and who declared ‘Utilitarian and chic! I love it!’.
Healthy Back Bags are functional, comfortable, stylish and above all else designed to make life easier, everyday! Don’t just take our word for it. We are rated 4.9* on Trustpilot and with over 2000 reviews, we know that our customers love their Healthy Back Bags.
This piece has been written by Priscilla Chase, Managing Director of the Healthy Back Bag company.
Arthr identifies innovative products in the market that solve everyday difficulties for people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. The great thing is, many of the products are simply better, more ergonomic solutions for anyone!