Inside Babymel: Convertible Bags

Convertible bags have taken over the bag scene, and in the parenting world we couldn’t think of a more practical way to travel with your little ones. We first designed a convertible bag around 13 years ago but we were ahead of the time. Most customers either wanted a backpack or shoulder bag and they weren’t willing to try something they hadn’t had before. Then suddenly, convertible was the new way forward and we launched our best selling Robyn and now the rest is history. We go behind the scenes to find out why a convertible back is the ultimate must have for parents on the go. 

What is a convertible bag?

A convertible bag allows you to wear the bag in different ways, making it more versatile and practical. Our clever convertible bags can be worn as a backpack or shoulder bag, and even have top handles for quick grabbing plus built-in stroller attachments to totally take the weight off! We developed our convertible bags to be super simple and easy to use. No faffing with undoing clips or moving straps, everything is integrated into the same strap so you can quickly convert the bag from backpack to shoulder bag with one pull. 

Why did you choose to design a convertible bag?

Above all else changing bags have to be functional. Functionality is so often overlooked in the design of a high street handbag, with dark linings so the internal is like a black hole, to skinny straps that might look stylish but are not designed or tested to hold the weight of a full bag.

Every part of a Babymel bag is designed with parents in mind and a convertible strap is the ultimate user-friendly feature. While the weight distribution of a backpack is ideal to stop shoulder and neck pain as well as leaving your hands free to hold little hands, accessing what you need from a backpack can be tricky sometimes! So, being able to just pull a strap and quickly fling your bag across your body, keeping it right by your side with easy access to your essentials - ideal for hopping on the tube or dashing from your car to your front door in the pouring rain.

What was the first convertible bag Babymel launched?

Our beloved Robyn was our first convertible changing bag, launched in 2017 it was an instant success! Satchels are a style classic; we took inspiration from this timeless shape to design the Robyn, including vegan leather tab and rivet details to give quite a new concept a familiar and commercial look. The final design is the perfect unisex changing bag that is still our best-selling style today.

How do you keep it comfortable to wear in so many different ways?

Our specially selected double thickness webbing is the key to making these bags comfortable to wear. When worn as a cross body there is a shoulder pad for added comfort that also doubles as handy block to stop the strap pulling all the way through when using as a backpack -  another handy feature that may only save seconds, but we know every second is precious with a young children. All our bags are designed using lightweight materials and components. The lighter the bag is to start with, the less strain you will feel once it’s full to the brim!

What next?

Well… that’s top secret… but we can say, we are excited to be re-launching the Robyn in eco very soon! Using the same durable recycled material used on our Georgi eco (another one of our gorgeous convertible changing bags!) but with the same timeless styling of the Robyn, every bag will have saved 10 plastic bottles from going into landfill or floating around our oceans. Sign up to our newsletter and keep your eyes peeled on Instagram for updates…

Click here to see our full range of convertible bags.