Tom Bihn ⚠️ With reservations

'Like a cult, but sometimes it's worth the hype.' Sewn in Seattle, living wage, materials you won't find elsewhere. The entire subreddit looks like a cult. Then Snow Hill Capital bought in, and the cult has doubts. Bags hold up. The soul, we'll see.

Tom Bihn was 10 when he started sewing. His grandmother had an old Singer, his brother Dan got it running, his mom taught him to sew, his dad taught engineering basics. In Santa Cruz, California, he made his first bags in the 70s - frameless backpacks, kayak portage bags, everything he could imagine.

In 1982, the company became official. First workshop/store at 109 Locust Street in Santa Cruz, 275 square feet. Tom designed, cut and sewed every bag himself. The sign didn't say "Open/Closed" but "Here/Gone." In the 90s, he briefly tried a sub-brand "Black Bag" - bad idea, lesson learned.

In 2005, moved to Seattle to grow. Team went to 20+ almost overnight. In 2010, new HQ at 4750A Ohio Ave S., doubled the square footage. The Synapse and Aeronaut became the absolute classics of les passionnés. The modular pouch system and clamshell opening became signatures.

Tom Bihn paid all employees a living wage in Seattle - a city with insane rent. Carbon neutral operationally in 2018. In 2020, they made and donated over 200,000 reusable cloth masks, collaborating with NIST on material studies.

The les passionnés subreddit is a cult. Ravelry knits gifts for the team every year. The fervor is almost annoying - except no one ever criticizes the quality.

Late 2021, everything shifted. Tom Bihn was sold to Snow Hill Capital, an investment firm. New CEO, Cindy. The community discovered the sale months later, by accident, via an M&A brokerage site. On enthusiasts: "since ownership change, Tom Bihn lost what made them THEM." Cindy claims Snow Hill isn't majority shareholder, but transparency is minimal.

In October 2025, Tom Bihn announced partial offshoring to Vietnam: accessories, straps, organizers. Backpacks, travel bags and briefcases remain Seattle-made. les forums reacted: "I guarantee you Tom Bihn will not lower prices." Some put it in perspective - "bags from Vietnam are often higher quality than US" - but the symbolism hits hard for a brand whose identity was "Made in Seattle, living wage."

The bags are still well sewn. But the soul, the transparency, the "Here/Gone" of Santa Cruz - it's Snow Hill Capital making the calls now.