Our newest perk, the 8hz Hutch Backpack. Still made with 100% recycled plastic bottles. A simple, functional and sustainable backpack for everyday use, including a yoga mat or tripod.
THE BACKPACK AND TRAVEL BAGS
REVERSE IT INTO A MESSENGER BAG
The backpack reverses into a messenger bag within seconds, so now you can display the awesome Saber art print and use on a daily basis.
The minimalistic design works like luggage, but acts like a backpack.You should not have to compromise quality and craftsmanship for doing something good for the planet. A handcrafted bag in California that is sustainable yet stylish and very functional. See the demo below.
Saber is a world renowned artist from LA. More than that he is an extremely passionate individual. When he believes in something, he fights for it whole heartedly and he is ready to fight for sustainability. As he puts it "We are at the tipping point. Why are we creating more shit and more waste with oil based materials, why not make great products that benefit people and the environment?"
Our fabric is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles and custom made from our fabric manufacturer partner Waste2Wear, which is founded by an amazing dutch entrepreneur Monique Maissan.
The fabric is:
- Official certification to verify every step of the recycling process (SCS).
- Garment Quality Guaranteed by international test reports (ITS) and BSCI approved production facilities.
- Only eco-friendly dyes and treatments used.
- Great comfort: Highly suitable for combinations with eco-friendly cotton and other sustainable materials.
From bottle to Backpack, the process.
8hz is partnered with the 5 Gyre Institute in Los Angeles. We contribute 8% of the net profits to our non-profit partners, including 5 Gyre which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2017. Their mission is to empower action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, education, and adventure.
Roughly seven out of every 10 bottles are trashed. And from the landfill, many plastic water bottles end up in the ocean. 5 Gyres has historically supported bills to help change this reality: In 2017, we endorsed AB 319, which requires that all plastic beverage container caps in California are either attached to the bottle or designed so that the beverage can be consumed without removing the cap. Just like changing aluminum cans from pull to pop tops in the 1970s solved a health and safety problem, tethering the cap to the bottle will decrease the bottle cap and lid litter that pollutes our environment. We also supported a 2011 bill to ban plastic water bottles on federal lands, which was reversed by the National Park Service in 2017.
Do you know who makes your products? Meet Rafa and Alba, they are our manufacturing partners, who own and run the the facility in Ventura, California. You can be proud in knowing the names of the people making your backpack.
Frankie and Alba working on the final details of the backpack and a shot of the facility with Mateo and Alba in the background.
GUARANTEE
At 8hz, we are making the best products, handcrafted in California and we stand behind our products, being sustainable, being transparent and creating quality. We want to keep customers happy because this is what makes us happy, this is why we offer a lifetime warranty.
Our mission. To make beautiful products from recycled materials and work with organization to help prevent plastics from getting into the oceans. Our ethos is simple, leave the earth in a better place for our future.
How did it start? The vision started when Mateo's previous company was developing a large research project on climate change with scientist and health experts around the world and after being exposed on many levels for the last 4 years, this struck a cord, so after exiting URB-E, he decided to focus on sustainability and plastics in the oceans. The core as a designer was to make beautiful products from waste and not virgin plastic derived from petroleum, which is the easy way to manufacture products but is also extremely detrimental to the environment. This is why we chose to make our products out of waste and help this way of manufacturing become the new norm. Also, making products here in the U.S. was an important factor too, since his last venture made products in Los Angeles. The goal was to start and take action, knowing it was not going to be perfect but getting to a larger scale of a closed loop system in LA, where everything is made sustainable from fabric, bags, apparel to household goods.
Mateo then met Frankie who had designed an awesome bag and snowboard line and after awhile, they decided to form a partnership on putting the two ideas together for the greater good. There was also a nice mix of a Millennial and a Baby Boomer (on the line) that created a balance of experience and youth. Mateo then met Saber, the legendary artist and started discussing how to collaborate using his art for doing good. After many ideas and exploring, the Saber Collaboration is now happening.
After finding a local manufacturer and building many prototypes and designs with Frankie over a year, they connected to Jason who worked with Mateo at URB-E and a few other ventures heading up Marketing, among other things and now the team has officially launched 8hz.
What does 8hz mean? 8hz comes from the Schumann resonance, the “beat” of the planet, an electromagnetic field surrounding the earth that connects all humans. Why not do something with deeper meaning that is related to the earth, animals and people, so we love the meaning and the number.
Mateo Neri | Co-Founder, CEO
Mateo is a serial design entrepreneur having co-founded a pioneering interactive agency in the early 90's to his last venture URB-E, which is focused on making electric vehicles in Los Angeles for urban cities around the world. Art Center College of Design Alumni. Hybrid driver, anti-plastic bottle freak, recycler, and nature hippie in a past life.
Frankie Carone | Co-Founder, Design Director
Frankie has a long history of farming in his family. Growing up on the farm taught him the value of stewardship to the environment. His other passion is hands-on design, whether it be bag design or creating art with reclaimed wood from fallen farm structures. ArtCenter College of Design Alumni, Designer, Farmer, Outdoor Enthusiast, Artist, and known to occasionally yell at litter bugs.
Jason Chuan | Co-Founder, Marketing Director
An innovator who recognizes needs before people realize they need them. Jason founded MetaTaggers, a pioneer online marketing and SEO company founded a decade before Google was born. The company grew to create and run campaigns and technology platforms for clients around the globe, blending the human side of business interactions with digital marketing and statistics. He has led international speakerships on web strategy for B2B and B2C, authored monthly print/web columns on market strategy and data leveraging, founded/co-founded numerous webcentric entities as well as application development and analysis for tracking interactions ranging from eCommerce to Medical Surgeries. Art Center College of Design Alumni, electric car household, solar owner, nature psycho and the token Polynesian in nearly every group.
Saber, aka Ryan Weston Shook, Artist in Residence
Described as one of “the best and most respected artists in his field” by the Washington Post, Saber, also known as Ryan Weston Shook, is an American fine artist who originated as graffiti artist. Rising to international fame at the age 21, Saber created the world’s largest graffiti piece on the bank of the LA River, which was visible and documented by satellites in space. His work has influenced a generation of artists and graphic designers, and has become an influential part of modern entertainment, social media, and art for and involved in social reform. He continues to make his vibrant, mesmerizing and often political paintings from his home in Los Angeles with his wife and two young children. His art can be found in galleries and private collections around the world.
TC Graphic and Animation Design
Will and Yves (Black Sock Studio) Our the film and photography team who made our videos and photos. These guys are beyond good.
Will Evans Branding master
Bryce Photographer