Danke für 10 Jahre treue!
Phone Sleeves in Every Shape, Handmade Accessories, Our Own Mulesing-Free Wool Blend – and Two Guys from Hamburg
HURRAY – THAT’S 10 YEARS OF PACK & SMOOCH!
Wow, where did the time go? Probably wrapped up in the many cozy, tailored sleeves for iPhones, iPads, laptops & more. We’re thrilled you’ve been with us on this journey. Because without fans like you, our Hamburg-based workshop for minimalist design pieces wouldn’t exist. Here’s to 10 years of Pack & Smooch!
We dug through the archives and dusted off a few milestones from our journey since 2010. Let’s go!
A FEW STORIES FROM OUR STORY
“You have to work hard, go through a creative process of development, use the best materials available, have good workmanship, and create something unique. That's how success stories begin.”
– Matt, our in-house philosopher ;-)
It All Started with Mom. And Sheep. And Cows.
We wanted to create something special and unique – made from truly high-quality, sustainable materials. After some serious design tinkering, the first Pack & Smooch product launched in 2010: the Hampshire laptop sleeve, made from Merino wool felt and vegetable-tanned leather from Bavaria. Nothing came off a production line – just from our mom’s sewing machine.
We Needed Backup
Apparently, we struck a nerve. Our idea for precision-fit sleeves for Apple devices found followers quickly. So by 2011, we needed help. That gave us more time to design and sew, while also building our first web shop and handling marketing. Real “bro business.”
From Hamburg to Honolulu
We never imagined we’d one day use the words “international expansion.” But thanks to anti-mainstream platform Etsy, the other end of the world started waving at us. Suddenly we had orders from Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand – wild, considering we hadn’t even sold outside Germany before. We owe Etsy a lot and are still proud to be among the Top Ten German sellers there.
Rich or Righteous?
In 2014, we hit a major milestone by exhibiting at the IFA in Berlin. “Handcrafted,” custom Apple accessories, and our signature Merino wool felt + leather combo drew international buyers. But we didn’t fit the mass market. Our prices couldn’t compete with low-quality imports. So what? We stayed true to our values and never looked back.
Better Small – but Great
We’ve always loved small design fairs and local shows. Events like DesignGift in Hamburg or the St. Pauli Wintergarten were the best – real meetups with our customers. Chatting over the sales table, hearing what you really want – way better than boring market research.
From perfectly tailored sleeves for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook to a growing range of accessories – by 2018 we even launched a new iPad stand via Kickstarter. Today, our collection includes over 300 styles and variations, from keyrings to camera patches. All handmade in Germany.
SUSTAINABILITY – THE BIG WORD
(it has many dimensions, we think)
Design Philosophy
To us, sustainability has many sides. A timeless, durable design is a big part of it. “You can be satisfied with a design — but new materials, trends, and techniques will quickly make it feel outdated. Maybe that’s why I prefer understated forms,” says Matthias.
“When people say our Pack & Smooch designs are understated, I take it as a compliment. Simplicity is one of the biggest design challenges.”
Material Quality
From the start, we’ve rejected mediocrity. We only use vegetable-tanned leather from carefully selected artisan producers. Our wool felt? That’s a science in itself. Since the beginning we’ve relied on 100% Merino wool. Since 2018, we’ve used a custom blend — and since 2019/20, it’s fully mulesing-free.
Fun fact: In 2012, our felt-and-leather accessories were featured in the Stylectrical exhibition (on Apple industrial design) at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg.
People
People behind the product matter. When orders ramped up, we partnered with a Hamburg-based reintegration program for workers returning to the job market. That’s how we met Aneta – our brilliant seamstress, still with us today since 2016.
Growth
We believe in growing slowly and organically – from within, not through investor money. Turns out you don’t need a watering can full of cash to thrive. Staying connected to the craft matters. Our 2016 move to a historic former chocolate factory in Hamburg-Wandsbek was perfect: production, storage, and office all under one roof.
