Troubadour

It sits at the pricey-but-built-to-last end of everyday bags. The Apex was named the best laptop backpack by The New York Times' Wirecutter in December 2022, which speaks to its everyday utility. If you want a sophisticated, hard-wearing commuter bag and you'll actually use it daily, owners generally feel it justifies the outlay.

The reviews lean strongly positive. Wirecutter praised the Apex 3.0 Backpack for its handsome styling, ergonomic design and thoughtful details, while The Wall Street Journal earlier called Troubadour's bags discreet and stylish. The brand's emphasis on considered design over flash is exactly what its admirers cite.

Troubadour is a B Corp certified company. It uses fluorocarbon-free waterproofing and DriTan leather tanning technology to cut water and chemical use in manufacturing, and in 2023 it launched the Orbis Circular Collection, made with 100% recycled materials. So the sustainability claims are backed by certification and specific processes, not just marketing.

Launched in 2023, the Orbis Circular Collection is a Troubadour line crafted with 100% recycled materials. Forbes praised it for its approach to sustainability. It's the clearest expression of the brand's circular-design ambitions if that's a priority in your buying decision.

Troubadour Goods was founded in 2011 by Samuel Bail and Abel Samet. The London-based company designs and produces bags and accessories, with a focus on sustainable materials and understated, functional design.

Yes. The company initially focused on accessories for men, then launched its first women's collection in spring 2019. So while the early identity skewed menswear, the range now spans both.

Creative director Samantha Jacob joined Troubadour in 2015, having previously worked with Whistles and Anya Hindmarch. That design leadership coincides with the period the brand built its reputation for polished, detail-led bags.

Several. In 2023 it won the Marie Claire UK Award for sustainability and the ISPO Award; in 2024 it received the Red Dot Design Award for a user-friendly product line, won a Glossy Award for Breakthrough Product Innovation, and was a finalist in the Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards. The recognition spans both design and sustainability.

Troubadour Goods is a London-based company. It designs and produces bags and accessories with a sustainability-first ethos, reflected in its B Corp certification and recycled-material lines.

The Apex backpack is the natural starting point — it's the piece that earned Wirecutter's best-laptop-backpack title and The Daily Telegraph's best city backpack nod for the Apex 3.0. If sustainability is your priority, look at the Orbis Circular Collection. For most everyday commuters, the Apex is the flagship to try first.