Name - Cora + Spink

Telephone - 01527 313678

Website - Coraandspink.com

Social Media - Facebook.com/coraandspink - Instagram.comcoraandspink / - Youtube.com/coraandspink

Opening Hours - Website is open 24/7 for sales and enquiries

Who are you? Cora + Spink make everyday work and travel backpacks in ethically audited, and sustainable environments using modern technical waxed canvas with handmade cotton canvas.

When did you open and why? Backpacks are something we always use, always relied upon, and always needed whilst travelling for work and adventure. In 2014 the opportunity arose to support myself doing something I love. Our goal was to make practical backpacks that supported the people who made them - it wasn’t just us I wanted to make happy, but everyone who touched the product from start to finish.

Tell us about your business Day to day, we have a busy website selling the backpacks - coraandspink.com, that works alongside our wholesale business. In September last year we officially launched at Autumn Fair NEC opening over 30 new accounts across a range of sectors including gift, fashion, outdoor and high profile tourist locations. Cora + Spink is now available across the whole of the UK from Orkney, Scotland down to St Ives, Cornwall. All new products are developed in Bromsgrove, where we coordinate design, marketing, sales and our staff all across the world.

How did you decide on the name? Cora was my great, great, great, great, great aunt on mothers side, who lived in the late 18th century, her story passed down over the years as a bedtime story. Often elaborated, as children we heard how she travelled unchaperoned as a 19-year-old woman all over Europe on her own grand tour, seeing the sites of France and Italy finally settling in Germany, returning home some four years later. The tales were spun in to a magical story of adventure and wonderment - later in life we wondered how could someone so young make such a journey. We wanted someone who inspired us, and so Cora + Spink was born.

Who works there? There are four of us based in Bromsgrove looking after development, design, marketing, website, sales and warehouse with two guys working remotely with customers and sales. In Europe we have a small team of sales agents, based in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland and Sweden. Then slightly further ashore we have an office in Japan, with a sales representative and distribution. Most importantly in India we have a specialist team of product developers and managers who oversee production and development of the backpacks. They are responsible for working with government bodies and officials to grow our relations with audited sustainable suppliers - such as our work with the government-backed Khadi Board of West Bengal, a cooperative that we source our handmade cotton canvas through.

Who are your customers? Our backpacks are bought by a wide variety of people. People need backpacks for a host of reasons, for business for travel and holidays or for the everyday commute to work. The website was how we started business and we are constantly shocked by where we are shipping the bags. We’ve shipped to nearly every continent now. Across the UK we are building our network of retailers, from tiny independents who sell our wallets to big fashion retailers, with cafés and restaurants and tourist attractions attached.

What’s your most memorable / proudest moment in business? Each day we are still proud to say we have built the business with no external funding. The entire operation started with an idea and literally a bunch of junk from a shed that was sold on ebay! Every step of building the business has focused on what we can do to improve, how to get better and how to give back. Supporting other businesses has been key to receiving support ourselves - in the early days we built websites, translated text, and did graphics for businesses we worked with in India, and in return they helped us develop products and sourced new materials for us.

At a trade show in February, at the NEC in Birmingham, we started talks with a very, very interesting worldwide renown retailer, unfortunately we’re unable to say anymore at this moment, but for them to show interest in buying from us is a testament to what can be done if you keep working at it.

Have you had any strange/ quirky suggestions or stories from customers?

Customers love scaring us. A few years ago we were working with an instagram influencer, who also transpired to be a customer - we were half way through a photoshoot when she explained how much she loved one of her backpacks, so much so, when she got it dirty she would put it in the washing machine. I don’t think we can stress how much this is absolutely the wrong thing to do with any of our backpacks - but she was proud that hers was back to new each time.

What are your ambitions for the future? Since launching the wholesale side of the business we’re working to build our retailer options around the UK and the world. We recently won a contract to supply a very large retailer in Japan, next month Cora + Spink backpacks will first be tested in two stores in Tokyo and Osaka - with roll-out to the other stores later in the year. We’re constantly seeking new ways to reach new customers, our focus is to drive how the benefits of buying quality backpacks that are not only brilliant for you to carry your belongings, but are made in such a way that they support every person on their journey to your back.

  • If you would like your business featured here email stephanie.preece@newsquest.co.uk