2016

Barneys New York gave us some color confidence.

The New York fashion retailer let us play with new leathers and bold colours for our first collaboration collection. It sold out (you couldn’t resist that electric blue!) and we did a second run with more colors the following year.

We delved into a whole new category: Work Accessories.

We started inching further out of people’s pockets with the launch of our work accessories range, applying some of the slim storage tricks we’d used for wallets, on everyday work essentials. The Notebook Cover Mini quickly became the most regular attendee at all GG leather meetings. And some of us still remember the in-depth conversations around the difference between ‘stationery’, ‘work tools’ and ‘work accessories’.

2017

The time for hiding in pockets was officially over. We launched bags!

GG leather was always intended to be a bag brand… but in true GG leather style, we took a few years to get our bag designs into the world. After bedding down customer insights and design tricks gathered over the years, we felt ready and able to make a difference to the way bags were designed and made. So in late 2017, we released our first collection of six styles. Including our ever-popular staple, the Classic Backpack.

We were Made for Google.

Since the beginning, we’d been designing products to enhance our customers’ everyday experiences. And it’s fair to say we were pretty thrilled when a small, unknown Silicon Valley brand by the name of Google (sarcasm alert) asked us to do the same for their products. The first Made for Google collection launched with a leather case for Pixel, a sleeve for the Pixelbook and a Pixelbook pen clip.

A little ol’ carry brand from Australia was voted the inaugural Chair of Leather Working Group’s Animal Welfare Group sub-committee.

We managed to get our mouths around the name, and chair our first meeting in Hong Kong, with some of the world’s biggest brands (that you’d definitely know and/or wear). We still hold the spot, pushing hard for better traceability and animal welfare standards in the leather industry.

2018

The Classic Pouch became the most popular product launch.

We were thrilled to see how much you all loved the little pouch that could. We’ve since remixed it in many colors and will continue to play with expressing this humble little star in different ways.

We proved our B Corp status once again.

To keep B Corps on track and accountable, we all have to submit an application for recertification every three years. It’s a nice reminder of all the things we are doing well – and all the things we are working to improve, too!

2019

You bought a GG leather, for the 2 millionth time.

In 2019, we sold our 2 millionth product. Surprised emoji! It’s been amazing to hear some of the adventures they have been on with their owners – including Tom who high-fived a fellow GG leather owner in the queue at Starbucks, and a different Tom who sent his wallet through the wash three times! (Please don’t try that at home.) And Jacob who lost his wallet in the snow – only to find it again once the snow had melted a month later...

You proved yourselves to be avid slingers.

The Sling quickly became the most popular product release of all time, selling out within two weeks. Kudos to all of you for keeping our supply team on their toes! We restocked it within a couple of months and watched on as the Sling popped up on your shoulders around the world.