The backpacks that Daniel Chong designs in Lavapiés and sells all over the world

I am sure that if you have come across a Daniel Chong backpack on the street, it will not have gone unnoticed. As his own designer affirms: they were needed.

The question that assails one when learning about the brand is, and who is Daniel Chong?, to which Chong himself answers: "Daniel Chong is a young entrepreneur of Chinese Ecuadorian origin who studied design and communication at the University of Palermo in Argentina and which currently has its own brand of accessories and clothing".

The brand celebrates its 10th year this year. From its workshop in Lavapiés, where Chong has lived for six years, it sends its models all over the world: "Here we do all the collections, the selection of fabrics and the cutting of some pieces. In the Elche workshop and the Pamplona workshop are made and from there they return to Madrid again where the pieces are finished off".

However, the firm was not created in Spain but on the other side of the Ocean: "The brand emerged in 2009 in Buenos Aires, in the last year of my degree. I was already beginning to experience the need for a job opportunity and I decided to investigate fashion design and its language. That's when I saw an ally in accessories".

Backpacks, purses, shoulder bags and fanny packs that in Chong's words are: "Timeless and light, and they give that cool touch to any look. They are very simple and minimalist accessories. What we are passionate about is color. We have achieved a accessory that everyone likes because we all have a favorite color", affirms the businessman who describes his brand as "all terrain".

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Of course, the firm is up to date when it comes to sustainability: "We use sustainable materials such as cotton recycled by the company Recover, which is in charge of transforming discarded garments back into fabric, managing to close the fashion cycle which is one of the most polluting and also in the case of waterproof backpacks, where we use fabric obtained from PET bottles".

The average price of the pieces is 80 euros and the best sellers are the backpacks: "They are all sold in any size, but the one that most is the flat backpack format with a touch of color that was needed in a daily look".

Very resistant (they hold between 10 and 15 kilos), they must be cleaned by hand with a soft cloth or brush, soap and water or upholstery cleaning formulas.

Future projects? "Our goal is to grow organically, without losing our essence, our values, but to continue growing and exporting our brand to the rest of the world."

Inside all mods, Chong includes a label that reads: "Dont't forget to smile". Well that.