How it started After coming across an old box of family photographs taken in the 1940's, jack&marjorie was started in 2004 by Meghan Parsons, a Toronto native, and Manuel Opp, a native of Hamburg, Germany.

What materials we use Our bags are constructed primarily out of recycled military surplus materials. Among the items we currently use are: military tents and cotton tent fabric, wool blankets, duffle bags, parachutes, rifle sling straps, webbing, ammunition pouches, suspenders, zippers, buttons, and parachute cord. We love the history of these materials. It is not unusual that we work with fabrics that are 30 to 40 years old. Some of the materials show signs of use and even include things like handwritten nametags. Other materials are from dead stock and have never actually been used.

Some of the materials we use are not from military surplus. When sourcing these fabrics we select carefully as to minimize the impact on the environment. All bag linings are organic cotton twill. The majority of the leather we use is either vegetable tanned or reclaimed from upholstery salesmen samples.

How it's made The materials are at the core of everything. Sourcing the material can be a time consuming and challenging process. Because of this, the design of each bag is very dependent on the materials we find. After sourcing and designing, all the materials are cut by hand in house. After cutting, everything is sewn locally in Toronto, Canada. Every single bag goes through our hands several times in several stages and we would not want to miss that part of the process.