Les denne artikkelen på norsk. Read this article in Norwegian.

“We want even the small things around our products to be thoughtfully considered. The tote bag is part of our brand experience, which is why we choose a production partner who shares our ambitions for quality, design and responsibility.”

Christian Søgaard, Vestre’s Sales and Marketing Director.

Bokhari has been producing tote bags for Vestre since 2019. What started as a product collaboration has developed into a long-term relationship built on quality, trust and shared ambitions.

The collaboration has included different products, formats and occasions – from tote bags for trade fairs and events to deliveries for The Plus, Vestre’s production facility in Norway, described by Vestre as the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory.

The bags have travelled far, to fairs and events in Norway, Sweden, Germany, the UK, the USA and other markets where Vestre meets customers, partners and the wider public.

Everything we put our name on…

For Vestre, the tote bag may be a small product, but it is a visible part of the brand.

“Everything we put our name on should be thoughtfully considered and help tell the story of Vestre. Bokhari has not only delivered great-looking and durable tote bags, but they have good designers, use recycled materials and have an important social dimension to their business, including through their contribution to the continued development of the LAMS school in Pakistan,” says Søgaard.

Founded in Norway, Vestre is internationally recognised for bold, colourful outdoor furniture and a design philosophy rooted in people, places and future generations. Responsibility is closely connected to how the company approaches design, materials and production.

The products around the brand should reflect those same ambitions.

Over the years, several leading design studios have put their creative stamp on the bags. Tank, Bielke&Yang, Rethink Design, Note Design Studio and ANTI have all contributed designs along the way, alongside Vestre’s own in-house design team. The visual expression has evolved, while the ambition to combine good design with quality and responsible production has remained the same.

Norwegian design meets Pakistani craftsmanship

Vestre has previously described the collaboration as:

“Norwegian design meets Pakistani craftsmanship – made with care for people, planet and prosperity.”

The design and brand expression are developed in Norway. Production takes place at Bokhari’s own weaving and production facility in Sultan Town, outside Faisalabad in Pakistan, where we manage much of the value chain ourselves – from textiles and cutting to printing, sewing, quality control and the finished product.

Around 450 women and men work in the production operation. Next to the weaving mill is the LAMS school, providing education to more than 1,000 children and young people.

For us, this is not a story added to the product afterwards. It is part of how the product is made.

A partnership built over time

“Vestre has worked with Bokhari since 2019, and it has been important to us that the collaboration develops in the same way as the rest of Vestre: with a long-term perspective, quality and a clear focus on people and the environment,” says Søgaard.

For us at Bokhari, that is perhaps what makes the collaboration most meaningful. A tote bag may be a small product, but it can also be a visible expression of a brand – and of the choices behind it.

Learn more about Vestre at www.vestre.com

Looking to develop merchandise and branded products that feel like a natural extension of your brand? Get in touch at post@bokhari.no.