You’ve more than likely come close to sideswiping a cyclist sporting a messenger bag with your car. You better pray that’s a
R.E.Load product at stake. Operating out of a small boutique on 2nd Street in Northern Liberties, the Philadelphia company and its staff stand much larger and tougher than meets the eye. While growth has been slow, according to co-owner Roland Burns, R.E.Load continues to try new methods to stay afloat. "We discovered that, due to the nature of our production methods and materials, increases in volume didn't necessarily result in that much more of a bottom line, and it made us miserable."
The company prides itself on durable products that that honor self-expression, and an underlying business integrity rooted in humble beginnings. Roland Burns and Eleanor “Ellie” Lum, the ‘R’ and ‘E’ in R.E.Load, began the business while working full-time as bike couriers in Philadelphia, creating custom bags for friends and co-workers on the side.
“We're doing our part to inspire a resurgence of manufacturing within Philadelphia,” co-founder and materials engineer Roland Burns says. The company has grown from producing a few prototypes to creating an internationally marketed product.
“We're very lucky. Our bags are pretty recognizable, and in a lot of cases, when somebody has a really custom bag, other people will approach them to talk about it,” Burns says. Lucky is one way to describe it. With distributors in Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, Japan and several European nations, lucky seems awfully generous.
R.E.Load has made a name for itself in a largely cycling-friendly demographic. The company is comprised of a dedicated group of six staff members who produce all merchandise in-house.
The recession has posed challenges for the small company. “One of the main things we face is the rising cost of material,” Burns says, adding that he’s seen a steady decrease in the availability of US-made material. Rather than sacrificing quality for quantity, the company is now aiming for plainer designs.
New product lines have less focus on originality and limited edition bags. “I'd like to think that we give people a chance to express themselves in a way that they might not have previously considered,” Burns says.
Source: Roland Burns, R.E.Load Bags
Writer: Michael Murphy