Travelteq

Two years ago, Dutch entrepreneur Maarten van den Biggelaar gathered a team of friends to collaborate on the design and development of a new line of travel products. The result is a brand called Travelteq. Sophie van Bentum of the Travelteq team was kind enough to grant the following interview to Things Is Cool.

THINGS IS COOL: Where is the company's home base?

TRAVELTEQ: Amsterdam.

T.I.C.: Who is behind Travelteq?

TRAVELTEQ: The founder of Travelteq, Maarten van den Biggelaar, is a serial entrepreneur. He is mainly famous for founding the magazines Quote and Dutch Elle. His ventures vary from starting a restaurant to creating a whole new brand like Travelteq. He travels the world frequently and that is where his inspiration came from. After that he collected some friends to pursue this idea.

T.I.C.: When did the group first come together and what was the objective?

TRAVELTEQ: We started two years ago as a group of friends with the idea to create new, intelligent, elegant and timeless travel products. We’ve been live now for two months.

T.I.C.: What are Travelteq's guiding principles and creative vision?

TRAVELTEQ: In this decade, mobility has become a greater part of our every day life. The time we spend traveling has increased. We understand that time is our greatest luxury; therefore, we want to create more comfort and serenity for our fellow travelers during their journeys. Through our travel products and services, we want to inspire travelers to experience their time away from home as comfortably as they deserve.

It’s important to think along with our clients. This means that we design products that are genuine and qualitative. For us to understand our clients, we have to remain in open contact and communication. We listen to our travelers and learn from their journeys to create the best products. This is also why we offer a blog [through the Travelteq website]. We want to share information about our great travel secrets. We are currently working on a new blog, the best travel blog we can make.

We as a luxury goods company believe luxury is not a status in society; luxury is to encounter the feeling of freedom.

T.I.C.: As far as product is concerned, where did you begin?

TRAVELTEQ: Our first product is the “Trash” (regularly €495, current sale price €365), a unique laptop bag with classic design and innovative compartments. Each bag is individually made by hand in Italy of the finest Florentine Vacchetta leather with a high-quality, water-resistant nylon lining. It features eight compartments (inside and out), three of which are zipped, and it can store up to a 15-inch laptop in the main shock-resistant compartment. There is an outside leather strap for trolley attachment. And it comes in a variety of colors. (Note: Pictures of the “Trash” are attached.)

T.I.C.: What does the future hold for Travelteq? Can you offer more detail about forthcoming products?

TRAVELTEQ: It’s our goal to slowly add new products to our collection. In May 2010, we will come out with the “Trip,” the first intelligent carry-on suitcase. It is a remarkable case with features travelers have never seen before. It has been in development for two years with three of our team members, two industrial designers and one engineer, working 24/7 on the project. And in June, we will release our weekend bag. However, our goal is to create the best travel gear, so also think of things like the best bike or travel clothing.

T.I.C.: Can you give any hints about the details of the "Trip" suitcase?

TRAVELTEQ: One of the main features of the “Trip” is that it transforms into a comfortable chair without losing luggage space. Imagine never having to stand in the middle of an angry, fed up crowd waiting for a delayed plane.

T.I.C.: Where can readers acquire Travelteq products?

TRAVELTEQ: At the moment, our products are only available through our website: www.travelteq.com.

Travelteq x Tenue de Nîmes | Limited Ed. Laptop Bag

Travelteq and Tenue de Nîmes, both responsible for holding down their share of hotness in Holland, collaborated on this limited edition laptop bag. 50 of these hand-made pieces were produced at the Travelteq factory in Tuscany from vegetable-tanned Florentine vacchetta leather and Japanese selvage chambray. The bag contains eight compartments, of which three are zipped, including one for a cigar and one for your 15-inch laptop.

Travelteq x Tenue de Nimes | "Trash" Laptop Bag

Tenue de Nimes is one of your favorite stores in Amsterdam. Both locations showcase exceptional taste and employ some of the friendliest and most knowledgable staff out there. You were excited to see their latest collaboration with Travelteq, a brand that you've featured, on a limited edition of 30 handmade "Trash" laptop bags. Each piece was crafted in Italy from Florentine Vacchetta leather and Japanese selvage denim. Both the leather (€545) and "inside out" denim (€450) versions are available online through Travelteq and Tenue de Nimes.

New Variations on the Travelteq "Trash"

Travelteq, the Dutch company responsible for the Trash laptop bag, has just released several new editions. They've introduced a larger version of the original Trash, the Trash 17 Inch, which accommodates up to a 17" laptop and has a special interior pocket for your charger. And there's the Trash Cougar, for the ladies, which features elongated handles and a more feminine look. Here it is.

Finally, there's the Trash Messenger complete with shoulder strap. Lay your eyes on it.
All of these variations include an extra, invisible, outside pocket to carry your newspaper. Oh, and one more thing, you've been dying for a look at Travelteq's new rolling suitcase design, the Trip, and you will get it soon. Release date is mid-June. With one push of a button, the trolley turns into a chair without losing storage space.

Travelteq | Trash Canvas Messenger

Travelteq are changing it up a bit with their newest bag, the Trash Canvas. Made in Italy, it features solid canvas construction with vegetable-tanned leather, and it includes more external pockets than previous Trash models. It still has six internal compartments, four of which are zipped, including a shock-resistant one for your laptop.

Travelteq Trip

You've heard about this design coming from Travelteq for a while now, and it seems the Trip is finally here. As promised, it is a carry-on suitcase that not only has thoughtfully designed storage compartments, but also converts into a chair. The pics tell the tale.