Bellroy

Gleaning valuable insights into the bag industry, Bellroy was able to get a handle on exactly what the market required—that being smarter designs. By sizing up its competition and slimming down its silhouettes, the data-driven brand can be accredited with pioneering the Slim Your Wallet revolution. That sleek mindset (coupled with Roy the Owl’s wisdom) ultimately led to a collection of fashionably functional accessories—from travel essentials to everyday totes. Plus, they also give a hoot about protecting the environment—and we love them for that.

Read our hands-on reviews of the Bellroy Transit Carry-On and Bellroy Lite Carry-On for an in-depth look at what makes these bags stand out.

Behind the Brand

History of Bellroy

Originally dreamt up as a global luxury bag brand in 2009, Bellroy may not have started as such. But in 2022, it’s safe to say that they’ve got a handle (pun intended) on how to disrupt the industry. However, practical bags themselves are no longer a novelty. So what sets a brand like this one apart from a market saturated with similar products?

Well, in short, Bellroy didn’t try to take any shortcuts. From the very beginning, they were steadfast in making data-driven decisions. In fact, so much so that they created an editorial testing ground, Carryology, from which they could glean valuable insights pertaining to the bag market.

Those insights revealed stats that backed up their initial thoughts—that a brand built around frictionless travel bags was a good idea. But Carryology also exposed an interest in wallets in particular. This seemed to be the perfect place to start. And so in 2010, the founding team of designers and engineers–Andrew Fallshaw, Hadrien Monloup, Lina Calabria and Matthew Fallshaw—sat around a kitchen table in Bells Beach, Australia, discussing how to perfect the standard wallet.

The brand’s first product was the Slim Sleeve wallet as they set out to prove the all-hailed (yet really lived up to) saying: less is more. And by using as few materials as possible, the Slim Wallet was a lot sleeker and streamlined than the traditional bulky silhouette, but it maintained the capacity to fit excess cards and cash. After the success of their first design, they soon released four more silhouettes—all of which slid effortlessly into the modern minimalist lifestyle. And they began signing contracts with big international retailers such as Huckberry.

By 2014, the burgeoning brand outgrew its small bay, Bell’s Beach roots, and relocated to Fitzroy, Melbourne (hence the name.) And as a nod to their smart designs and inherent (data-driven) wisdom, they adopted Roy the Owl as the brand’s official logo. Along with a new mascot, the founding team demonstrated that they also gave a hoot about their social and environmental standards. They signed up as a Certified B Corp company in 2015 and soon after became committed to only sourcing leather from gold-rated LWG tanneries and experimenting with recycled materials.

Through collaborations with big names like Barneys and Google, Bellroy extended their product range to include phone cases and work accessories before they finally felt equipped to materialize their original vision as a fashionably functional bag brand.

Interesting facts about Bellroy

The name “Bellroy,” pays homage to the brand’s Australian roots. “Bell” derives from Bell’s Beach—a small bay along Victoria’s Surf Coast, where the surf-loving founding team (uncoincidentally) set up their product design, marketing and sales team. While “roy” comes from Fitzroy, Melbourne—home to the brand’s creative division, tech dome and business engine. Of course, now when we think of “roy,” we think of the brand’s quirky newsletters written by their mascot, Roy the Owl himself.

As a team of young designers and engineers who spent most of their savings on surf travel, Bellroy’s co-founders certainly didn’t leave anything up to chance when starting the brand. Before doing anything, they pitched their idea of functional travel bags to friends and family. And after receiving less-enthusiastic feedback than expected, they launched Carryology—an affiliate marketing editorial from which they could glean invaluable insights into the bag market.

Besides being data and design-obsessed, Bellroy is also passionate about protecting the environment in the process. And alongside B Corp Certifications and gold-rated LWG leathers, in 2020 they launched the MIRUM collection. MIRUM is a regenerative plant-based, plastic-free leather that only uses natural inputs such as rubber, soybeans and biomass charcoal. Naturally, the eco chic line is vegan-approved. And matching genuine leather in aesthetic, flexibility and longevity, it is also endorsed by high-end shoppers.

Bellroy product range

Although envisioned as a travel bag brand from the very beginning, Bellroy started with only their signature wallets. As some of our best wallets for men, the slimmed-down silhouettes included the Slim Sleeve and Hide & Seek. Ten years later, they have a huge range of designs in a myriad of distinctive hues and sustainable fabrics. And they’ve also extended their range to fashionably functional bags.

Bellroy bags now include some of our best totes for women, as well as light gym duffels. Their travel line comprises compact carry-ons and failsafe belt bags. Their ever-growing accessories collection is known for practical organizers such as tech kits and work folios. And whilst we love every one of the brand’s carefully considered designs, a Bellroy backpack is a quintessential transit staple for travel and everyday wear.

Signature materials and craftsmanship

From day one, Bellroy was dedicated to using only the best premium materials. But as they grow in size and influence, they are continuing to explore ways in which to make the brand more sustainable, whilst maintaining the integrity and quality of their long-lasting accessories. Sourcing environmentally-conscious materials has played an instrumental role in this vision. And at Luxe Digital, we particularly appreciate that we can enjoy Bellroy products with the knowledge that they have a much lower carbon footprint than similar luxury labels.

It’s no secret that leather has gained a bad environmental reputation in the fashion industry. Bellroy is conscious of this. So, they only source eco-tanned leathers from gold-rated tanneries. And all of their leathers are a byproduct of the meat industry. As a result, no animals are killed for their hides. And they save more than 15 million liters of water every year.

In 2020, Bellroy took the concept of environmentally-friendly leather even further and made it vegan. The MIRUM collection features a regenerative, plastic-free, plant-based leather that looks and feels like the real thing but without the involvement of any animals. While other plant-based fibers used by the brand include Tencel X Refibra, which derives from harvested wood pulp and upcycled cotton offcuts. As well as a fully compostable bio-based polymer.

Bellroy is also big on recycling. And recycled polyester and recycled nylon are two of its signature materials. Recycled polyester in particular transforms used plastic bottles. And since the release of Bellroy’s first range of recycled polyester in 2019, the brand has diverted over 10.5 million plastic bottles from seeing a landfill.

Where is Bellroy made?

As alluded to in the name, Bellroy products are designed and imagined in Bell’s Beach to capture the adventurous Australian spirit. And only once every detail of the designs have been scrutinized, are the final products manufactured in China, India or the Philippines. Understandably, the production in the East has developed a bad reputation when it comes to social and quality standards. But Bellroy only partners with suppliers that fully comply with the high standards for environmental and social responsibilities of a B Corp certified business.

Where to buy Bellroy

Bellroy is stocked by a handful of third-party retailers. But to view their full collection of silhouettes, styles and colorways, the official Bellroy online store remains our favorite place to shop.

Bellroy price

Crafted from premium materials with impeccable attention to detail, Bellroy products are covered by a 3-year warranty. Bellroy prices are a lot more affordable than other similar labels. The iconic Bellroy Tokyo Tote is priced at $189. Whilst their signature wallets range from $55 to $179. And tech organizers range from $35 to $95.

Bellroy discount code

Bellroy’s website features an Outlet section where they sell soon-to-be discontinued products at discounted prices. Not only does this reduce waste, but it also gives us the opportunity to buy originals for a lot less.

Bellroy shipping

Bellroy ships to customers around the globe. Shipping costs and delivery times depend on where the order is shipping to, all of which is made clear upon check out. The brand tries to dispatch orders within two days. But if you need your order sooner than it’s expected to arrive, they also offer express shipping at an extra cost.

Bellroy return policy

We can’t see why anyone would ever want to return Bellroy bags. But if that is the case, the brand does have a full refund policy for all orders returned within 30 days of purchasing. The refund includes all initial shipping costs. But it doesn’t include the return shipping costs. And the refund has to be sent to the original purchaser’s method of payment.