Tags: Entrepreneurship
By KC Santos
MARIKINA CITY, METRO MANILA – Seasoned travelers Leo Panergalin and Philip Uy established a bag business that mixes functionality with a local flair.
“It’s in traveling habitually that we got to narrow down the things that we really need. In the process, we just sort of compartmentalized those things in a smart collection of bags,” says Leo, co-owner of Garbo Bag-ahe Co.
With an initial capital of P300,000, the college best friends started importing leather and canvas bags from abroad. The initial investment was a hit, especially during the Christmas season when they decided to sell the first products in bazaars.
“However in the lean months, we had to find a way to sustain the demand. That’s when we decided to go local,” Leo adds.
Tapping the skills of bag makers from Marikina, the two introduced their own spin to traveling organizers, tote bags, and laptops bags using alternative materials like polyester.
“Especially to travelers who just can’t travel without their laptops, we made sure the designs of the laptops bags were functional without sacrificing style,” Leo says.
To strengthen the bag, rubber is interwoven with the main material giving it a more sturdy and polished look. Most of the designs are intended to be complex to give each bag multiple purposes.
“We try to make the designs to fit the lifestyles of those who love to travel but values practicality,” Leo says.
While Philip takes care of most of the external, mostly out-of-the-country transactions for the business, Leo makes sure the quality of their bags sold locally are comparable, if not better to the bags sold abroad.
“As much as possible, I stress to the people who actually make the bags the importance of quality. It doesn’t matter if the workload is doubled because if we produce bags that do not exceed customer standards, the costs would be higher and it will affect our integrity,” Leo says.
While their focus is on bags, Garbo also markets passport holders, vanity kits, organizers, and foldable laptop bags. These smart unisex bags are sold in bazaars and online from prices ranging from P75 to P3,000.
Ultimately, these passionate travel junkies simply want to tell their fellows that traveling need not be expensive, but should simply be organized and well-put together, which also applies to bags and luggage that travelers use.
Get more information about Garbo Bag-ahe Co
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