A Mirror on the Moment. Looking at Our Reflection, Again.

When we started T|W Tote, it was in response to a need. Our co-founder Shallon, on his way to work, looking dapper and grownup in his suit, checks out his reflection and sees a man in a suit with a lunch sack a school kid might carry. He looked at that reflection and wanted something better. A lunch tote that he would be proud to carry. After massive R&D (because that’s what we do!), T|W Tote was born. Along with our lunch tote came a community of makers, suppliers and supporters, and for that we are thankful.

I find myself looking at our reflection again, in this confusing moment, and thinking about how to be better as a company. I guess a global pandemic can give you pause, who knew?! I’ve been using this time to strengthen our foundation. Spring is all about the fresh start, so we’ve been freshening up around here by:

1. Revisiting our business plan.
2. Getting around to an employee handbook.
3. Social media strategy solidification.
4. Inventory review and redesign of physical space

Just like the soul searching needed during our initial startup... we’re taking this time to really look at what we can do to dig deeper, and renew our commitment to ourselves and the community we have built. We are asking questions like: how do we stay true to our values during this time? How can we collaborate, mentor, and lift up other creators, designers, and suppliers who we rely on and relay on us? How do we keep the spirit of community that is so vital to our work going, during a time of necessary isolation? 

Sometimes life forces you to get simple. Two years into TW Tote, and 6 years into Thomas Wynter, we’re getting back to the basics of how we can stay true to ourselves through all this.

Google recently asked us to share some of this story in a video, you can check it out here:  T|W Tote: Carrying a Legacy. That’s what we’re doing at this moment.