Home of Millican - The Cave

Why We Need to Celebrate Craftsman

2012-02-10T10:17:00.001Z

What's one of the best things about travelling?

A block of time with nothing to do but read.

A couple of weeks ago when we were in Germany, Jorrit recommended a book to me named 'Conversations on the Coast' by Nick Hand.

Photo courtesy of Cycle Stuff

During a cycling holiday in Cornwall, graphic designer Nick Hand wondered how long it would take him to cycle right around the British coast and back to the same point. A year later he did just that.

Through a fascination and appreciation of craftsmen and women, Nick tells the story of the folk he meets along the way, from stick makers to tea tasters.

Intrigued by how much he could do on a bike, Nick set himself a target of

5000 miles
50 films
100 days
50 blogs
500 tweets

As you can see he likes round numbers.

Photo courtesy of Brooks

The book is as much about the amazing people he meets along the way as it is about the journey itself. Much of the soundslides Nick has recorded on his journey can be viewed through his website. Whether it's a basket weaver or hat maker, the short clips give a real insight into the passion and deep seated love these craft workers have for their art.

Nick believes there's a real relationship between cycling and craftsmanship. Both can be viewed as a slower and more considered approach towards their counterparts. I like that.

It certainly gets the juices flowing for the Epping Cycle Ride in May.

Machines for Storytelling

2012-02-03T09:29:00.000Z

We can all tell stories.

In fact, it's one of the most natural ways to communicate.

Photo courtesy of the fantastic Witchmountain

The 28th of January marked the beginning of National Story Telling Week There will be festivals and celebrations in your local area every day up until and including the 4th February.

Story Telling Week brings together tellers and listeners, professionals and enthusiasts, to celebrate the power of the spoken story, as a modern form of entertainment and as a powerful educational and therapeutic tool.

Photo courtesy of the fantastic Witchmountain

If I had to pick one skill to master, I think storytelling would be a close contender for the top spot. Stories are how we organise our experiences in the world and how we make sense of events that have happened to us.

The oral tradition of storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful teaching and learning methods we have. It is a way that human beings have communicated information since before written language. I'm sure if Millican Dalton were with us today, he'd have a few stories to tell.

Don't know about you, but I'm far more likely to remember facts if they're wrapped around an interesting story.

Everyone needs oral stories. Why else would we tell each other jokes and anecdotes so compulsively? Stand-up comedy is really a version of storytelling.

Storytelling is theatre in miniature. It requires eye contact, gesture and imaginative use of the voice.

'You could look at human beings as machines for storytelling. From body language to syntax, from inflection to timing, we're the perfect shape and form for utilising this amazing art form.' Julian Barnes - courtesy of the Do Lectures.

Photo courtesy of the fantastic Witchmountain

I'll be making my way over to the Queensbury Deli this Saturday evening for the Story Meal with Queen of the New Wave of storytellers, Rachel Rose Reid. Maybe I'll get the chance to share the Millican story...

Happy storytelling this week.

Gute Zeiten in Berlin

2012-01-24T17:37:00.001Z

Our blog posts have been a little thin on the ground so far in 2012. However, don't let our recent lack of activity fool you into thinking that we've not been up to much. In fact, quite the opposite.

2012 has started faster than ever. Just three weeks into the new year and we're already preparing for our second trade show.

The eagled eyed amongst you will have noticed the German title. We spent last week having a whale of a time in Berlin at Bread and Butter, Europe's largest fashion trade show for selected brands. After the success of our visit back in July, we were thrilled to be invited back to the L.O.C.K. (Labels of Common Kin) Hall.

L.O.C.K. Hall, Bread and Butter

In Berlin we launched our very first collaboration - Universal Works x Millican. You also may have picked up on one or two snippets on twitter recently...

Around six months ago we were approached by David Keyte, founder of British clothing label Universal Works. He'd been using a Mark the Field Bag for a while and loved it.

To be honest, we were a little taken aback at first. Universal Works is a brand we have admired since its inception back in 2008. Drawing inspiration from British workwear clothes and outdoor clothing, they use honest, natural fabrics and yarns, often using end of lines that would otherwise be wasted.

You can see why we liked them.

The collaboration with Universal Works has resulted in some healthy additions to the Millican family. Introducing, Jan the Daypack, David the Shopper, Martin the Courier Bag and Jamie the Holdall. More pics to follow soon...

We will launch the range in a limited run, which will hit the shop floors in August, however if you would like to reserve a style in advance drop us an email at uw@homeofmillican.com.

The Bread and Butter crowd were also able to catch a glimpse of our brand new colour for later this year (Grey Blue) as well as our two latest styles - James the Duffle Bag and Rob the Traveller (Large). I did say we'd been busy...

James is our Millican take on the traditional Duffel Bag, the ultimate utilitarian shape perfect for a weekend getaway. We loved the shape of Rob the Traveller so much, we thought we might as well make a bigger one. If only our product development was usually that simple. The larger Rob allows you to comfortably fit in a 15" laptop, documents, notebook with extra pockets for pens and iPhone. Adding an extra level of efficiency and style to the daily commute.

All sounds great, but where are the pictures? This time around we thought we'd try and film our road trip adventure through the eyes of a Flip camera and get our friend Magnus to edit it.

We were lucky enough to work with local musician Annemarie Quinn, a singer songwriter from our very own Keswick. Her music has a real sense of the lakes, mountains and countryside that we have on our door step. Pop over to itunes to hear more.

Enjoy.

Millican at Bread & Butter Berlin - 2012

Guest Post: Teach a Man to Fish

2012-01-09T12:20:00.001Z

We've been lucky enough to bump into some highly inspiring and interesting individuals on our travels - all with stories to tell and experiences to share. So we've decided to open the floor this year, with the introduction of guest posts and stories to the Millican blog.

Good stories, like good ideas need spreading, so what better way to make use of our blog...

As always we plan to keep the content diverse and interesting. The only common thread will be 'we like what they're about'. Simple.

You may remember I introduced you to Si and Cat. Two fishermen, building a boat, making a living from catching fish under sail and oar and selling it locally from the village of Portscatho, Cornwall.

You can see why we like it.

Cat kindly agreed to keep us updated on their progress, so over to Cat.....

Teach a Man to Fish - January 2012 Update

The past few weeks have been a blur of conversations,emails, early mornings, shopping lists and mince pies. We’ve cooked turkey forthe first time in our house; taken our boat 'Planet'out for a Christmas Eve sail and spent New Year’s Eve in blonde wigs andmasks.

Christmas Day Walk on the Beach

So westarted 2012 buoyed up from time with friends and family and looking forward tothe year ahead and I didn’t think it could get much happier than that. And thentoday Simon came back from the profile cutting workshop with this:

Simon with our half model

I never thought a piece ofMDF could look so attractive. This is our half model; a fifteenth scalelongitudinal section of the hull of our boat and an exact three dimensionalreplica of Simon’s digital design. It is the penultimate step in the designprocess before we start ordering materials and making the real thing and thefirst tangible piece of boat we own. Proud.

Our half model being cut out by the three axis routerat Fibrefusion

It strikes me that our boat -to some degree like every boat built - will be so much more than the sum of herparts. Already there are so many things built into the fabric of her design andthe first stages of her build and I can only imagine there will be many more tocome. Here are some of the things we’ve used so far:

- Endless quantities of paper filled with boat design sketches and addresses forChristmas cards that we later forgot to deliver.

- Every fishing book we can get our hands on, including FishingNews, an addictive little weekly number that we had never heard of threemonths ago.

- A reliable computer for Simon to finalise his boat design on; spending hours tweakinglines, rendering surfaces and fairing hulls. For writing blog posts. For beingunreliable. For breaking, mourning and eventually mending and replacing via ahard drive transplant and panicked tweets to Toshiba. For Twitter.

- A mild Internet addiction to researching, emailing, blogging andprocrastinating. And Twitter.

- A loud alarm clock to wake us up at 4am to go Newlyn Fish Market and learn how to befishmongers. For getting us out of bed to put the turkey in the oven.

- A love of chatting to people who catch fish, cook fish, buy fish and sell fish, and theirpatience and readiness to share ideas and resources.

- And finally, a couple of sore heads filled with fishing vocabulary, techniques andconfusing legislation. And, on Boxing Day, slightly too much mulled wine.

Editing drawings for our boat

Next time, we hope to updateyou on our progress from the final checks on the model to the first few planksbeing fastened on our boat.

Cheers,

Cat

In the meantime, you can keep updated on all things Si and Cat on their blog and also Twitter.

A Resolution or Two

2012-01-05T12:42:00.002Z

It's amazing how 1 day can make such a difference.

On 31 December, you're looking back at the year behind you, still recovering from the Christmas festivities.

One day later, you feel lighter already (despite the possible hangover), looking ahead at the 366 days still to be filled - dreaming about all the options ahead, with a healthy dose of enthusiasm. Well, at least we do.

How optimistic are you about 2012?

If you believe the world's media, the current outlook seems less encouraging, with many leading economists predicting further recession in 2012.

We often remind ourselves we started Millican in a recession and we've been lucky enough to do very well despite the recession. Microsoft launched in a recession too apparently, so there's clearly hope!

And hope leads to dreams and resolutions.

Our main resolution for 2012 is to get out there more often. "Out there" is on our doorstep after all, literally. And being a tad busy can't be an excuse, can it ...? Cycling, hiking and BBQ's by the lake (when the weather clears) need to become the order of the day this year.

Another one is to get organised for the Epping Ride in May, from Epping Forest back to Millican Dalton's cave in Borrowdale. That'll be a ride an a half to look forward to - keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page for this one.

And then there are the many product resolutions for 2012.

Dave the Rucksack will make his debut in Antique Bronze this Spring, a new Grey Blue colour will be introduced in Matthew, Mark, Rob, Harry and Joe this Summer, followed by an exciting new collection of felt wool protective covers for phones, iPads, laptops and cameras.

The Epping Ride will also be used as a test-bed for another brand-new collection for 2013 - if we'd tell you more now, we'd have to shoot you unfortunately, so we'll come back to that later in the year!

In the summer, we're launching our first collaboration, with British menswear label Universal Works. Four new canvas bags to fit alongside the Universal Works clothing collection for Winter 2012, and equally at home alongside our regular Millican bags. More on this to follow soon.

Other collaborations are in the pipeline for later this year and 2013, whilst the sampling team is busy with our first wheeled luggage, some new shoulder bags and another overnight bag.

That'll keep us busy ...

So what are your resolutions for the new year? If any involve cycling, check out the London Cycle Blog for some inspiration.

Here's to a healthy, active and vibrant 2012 ...

It's Nearly Here

2011-12-21T16:15:00.000Z

4 days to go.

So when did the countdown begin for you?

It's been a little busy here of late at Millican HQ (the shed at the bottom of the garden). It seems like I'm not the only one who likes to leave Christmas shopping to the last minute.

We had a bumper weekend of sales - our record best. Great to see the sales come flying in. However, I did feel for Russ in the warehouse who had to pack them all by hand. If anyone can do it...

Unfortunately we can no longer guarantee pre-Christmas delivery. However, we'll try and ship all UK Mainland orders placed before noon on Thursday the 22nd of December, for delivery the following day.

Still time then to take advantage of the festive bundle - it makes the ideal gift for someone special. For the more thrifty amongst us, it makes the ideal gift for two special people.

The view from the office window sees snow resting on the top of Skiddaw. As busy as we have been over the last couple of weeks, actually the last couple of years, it can sometimes result in a lack of appreciation for the surroundings.

View from the office window

Nothing like family, food, mulled wine and snow to bring you back in touch with what really matters.

What a year it's been for Millican.

The 2 and half (I'm doing Sandra an injustice referring to her as a half) team has now mushroomed to 3 and a half. We received our five minutes of fame on the ITV show The Lakes. We mixed it with the likes of Barbour, Levis Vintage, and Nigel Cabourn at Bread and Butter in Berlin. We've met some great people who are keen to help spread the Millican philosophy and we've attended counselling for our addiction to Twitter and Facebook.

Those of you who are signed up to the newsletter will have noticed that we've been competition crazy of late. Congratulations to our latest winner, Robert who is now the proud owner of a Finisterre Sasturga insulated jacket. To stay up to date with all our latest promotions and competitions, sign up to the newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

George making the most of the snow

We look forward to continuing the journey with you in 2012, for now a big thank you for all your support over the last couple of years.

We hope you enjoy your bags as much as we enjoy our jobs. From all at Millican, we wish you a peaceful and joyful Christmas Break.

Berties Country Store

2011-12-15T23:57:00.000Z

We are very proud to announce our latest stockist, Berties Country Store.

Opening their doors yesterday to the people of Dorset, Berties is situated in the beautiful town of Wimborne, making a perfect location for Millican on the south coast.

It was a few months ago when we received an email from David explaining he and his wife Anna, were planning to open a boutique country store. We were particularly inspired to hear that the idea for the store originated from a Millican bag.

They often say great business ideas begin with a hunch...

Whilst chatting away one night after seeing Millican featured in a magazine, they realised that there was nowhere close to them to see Millican bags, let alone buy them. Their thirst for interesting things didn't stop at Millican, they kept spotting goods they'd love to own but had nowhere near to go and buy.

They didn't always want to visit London to pick up what they'd seen in magazines etc. and Regents Park didn't sit too well with Bertie, their Border Terrier.

Bertie the Border Terrier

So hence 'Berties' was born.

Just a few months after our initial encounter, you're now be able to see, touch, feel and buy Dave, Matthew, Stewart, Mark, Stephen, Rob, Harry, Jonathan, Peter, Ian, Andy, Derek, and Les all from the beautiful Berties Country Store.

The Millican corner

We're all wishing David and Anna every success.

Berties opened its doors for the first time yesterday at 10am and need I tell you what the first sale of the day was...

Berties Country, 28a West Street, Wimbourne, Dorset, BH211JS.

Christmas Tree Weekend

2011-12-07T10:32:00.001Z

Here at Millican we like everything to have a second use.

Admittedly, it isn't always possible.

Packaging is a big deal for us. It becomes even more apparent as we find ourselves surrounded by boxes and packaging as the Christmas orders flood in.

The whole process of buying a Christmas tree and decorating it has always been a really important event in my family. A true festive occasion.

I certainly sway towards the more traditional approach, an artificial tree just doesn't really do it for me. That said, I'm not usually the one doing the hoovering and finding dead needles months after December...

So how about this? Last weekend I popped over to the London Design Museum to see designer Giles Miller's, latest commission. He has designed a set of bespoke Christmas trees to be sold exclusively through the Museum's shop during the festive season.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your corrugated branches!

Photo courtesy of Arts Thread

The cardboard trees come in a range of sizes with the largest standing at roughly 20 feet high and is said to be the tallest of its kind. The tree comprises of no fewer than 3,600 individually cut, handmade cardboard pieces.

Photo courtesy of Design Museum

For those of you who have a 20 foot + ceiling, you'll be sorry to hear that this is a one off for the London Design Museum. However, the smallest of the range is 16.5 inches tall and costs £25, if you're in the market for something a little larger you can purchase one for £50 which measures in at 31.5 inches tall.

I think you'll agree - a little less maintenance than your traditional Nordic pine.

I can only imagine that these trees will sell out pretty fast so if you want to get your hands on one then head over to the London Design Museum before they've all gone.

The exhibition is available to view from the 2nd of December - 5th of January 2012 at London Design Museum, Shad Thames, London, SE1 2YD

So have I convinced you on an alternative to the traditional, or does the lack of tinsel not do it for you?

Rain Rain Go Away

2011-11-30T15:08:00.001Z

Come again another day.

We should know a thing or two about rain, living up here in The Lakes. Borrowdale Valley, home to MD's cave and of course Millican HQ, is the wettest in England. What a claim to fame.

Rain is often referred to as miserable, accompanied with a level of negativity.

Well, not any more. Things are looking brighter with the advent of intelligent clothing from innovative companies such as Raincatch.

Raincatch, is a multi-purpose poncho that funnels precipitation through its collar, filters it through a charcoal and chemical purifying system, and then stores the water near the hips where it's least obtrusive and most figure flattering.

They're obviously not familiar with the saying 'a moment on the lips, a month on the hips'....

Raincatch - Photo courtesy of Crunch wear

Designed by two students from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, the poncho's transparent tubing displays the process, while the water reserve remains hidden. With clean water concerns at an all time high, has the poncho arrived at just the right time?

The Raincatch would be perfect for polluted areas of the world where drinking water may not always be the best life choice. The design is still very much in the primitive stages, so you may struggle if you want one in time for Christmas.

Continuing on the raincoat theme, I introduce to you the Spud Raincoat. Or preferably, Spud the Raincoat.

Wear it. Plant it. Then eat it.

Yes it's true, when you have finished with the spud coat, plant it and it will grow into tomatoes or cucumbers.

Spud Raincoat - Photo courtesy of Spudcoat

As we are becoming increasingly aware of our plastic consumption, alternative materials such as Equilicua's Spud Raincoat, aka 'The Fantastic Plastic' are welcomed. This productive garment is made from a potato starch laced with the seeds of various flora. The embedded seeds will upgrade even the most barren ground with a pastoral assortment of shrubs and small plants.

Last but by by no means least is the Tyvek Raincoat from Wrk-Shp. It could well be described as green fashion at its purist, well that's how I see it. Clothing embedded with actual living plants. You can often spot Nicky at the garden centre with Mark the Field Bag, does this count?

Tyvek Raincoat - Photo courtesy of Wrk-Shp

The wheat grass-speckled coat, made from highly breathable Tyvek, grows with every drizzle it absorbs. I'm not sure how it would be received on Keswick High Street, but never the less you have to admire the innovation.

Thanks to Trendcentral for bringing the above to my attention.

Competition Time

2011-11-22T15:37:00.001Z

You may remember that a few weeks ago I posted a few in store photos from our latest stockist Murdock Barbers, London.

Murdock London, Monmouth Street

In typical Murdock style the dapper London gents have put together a cheeky little competition give away over on their website accompanied with a great blog post about their five favourite British adventurers. We are extremely proud to announce that MD made the short list. Of course we wouldn't expect anything less...

The man himself (Millican Dalton in case you were wondering)

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a Jonathan the Roll Wash is send your answer to the following question with your name and address to moustaches@murdocklondon.com by midnight on Sunday the 27th of November:

Q. The lake District lies within which county?

The geographers amongst you will no doubt be rubbing your hands together on this one.

Jonathan the Roll Wash

Remember, you gotta be in it to win it!

Good luck.

Teach a Man to Fish

2011-11-14T12:10:00.001Z

Is it possible to make a living from fishing?

Simply. Sustainably. Under sail.

Well Si and Cat are in the process of finding out.

Our friend Jack dropped me an email this morning telling me allabout his pal, Simon. He has recently returned from sailing around Europewith his wife, Cat, in their beautiful yacht. I think that should read, intheir yacht with his beautiful wife.

Photo courtesy of Teach a Man to Fish

In September 2009 Simon and Cat set sail from Percuilon their boat the Heard 28 Planet.

Before they left, Simon was working at Falmouth Marine School as aCAD and boat building lecturer. Cat was studying for an MA in creativewriting and working as a Spanish tutor.

They both left with mixed feelings about coming back to the samejobs and lifestyles. They realised that any plans about their futurewould be made whilst they were on their journey.

The result is that they have decided to build a boat andbecome fishermen.

Photo courtesy of Teach a Man to Fish

Their aim is to set up a small business running from the villageof Portscatho on the south coast of Cornwall - catching fish under sail and oarand selling it locally.

Over the next few weeks and months Simon and Cat will bedesigning and building their boat while trying to find out and learnas much as possible about fish and fishing.

They're on a mission to untangle the legislationsurrounding un-powered (i.e. propelled by sail and/or oar only) commercialfishing and research sustainable and responsible fishing methods thatreally work.

They're documenting the whole process through their blog 'Teach a Man toFish'. Be sure to pop over for the full story.

Their story reminded me of something I came across a whileback. Si and Cat, I think you will like this one.

'A businessman was at the pier of the smallCornish harbour when a boat with a fisherman docked. Inside the small boat werefish. The businessman complimented the Cornish man on the quality of his fishand asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied: 'Only alittle while'.

The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catchmore fish? The Cornish man said he had enough to support his family's immediateneeds. The businessman then asked, 'but what do you do with the rest of yourtime?' The Cornish fisherman said, 'I sleep late, fish a little, play with mychildren, take a nap with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where Isip wine and play guitars with my friends; I have a full and busy life.'

Portcatho:Photo courtesy of PaulWarrington

The businessman scoffed,"I am a London Business School MBA and I could help you. You should spendmore time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceedsfrom the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have afleet of fishing boats. You could sell directly to the processor and eventuallyopen your own cannery. You would need to leave this small fishing village andmove to Vigo, Spain where you would run your expanding enterprise.'

The Cornish fisherman asked,'But how long will this all take?' To which the businessman replied, '15 to 20years.' 'But what then, sir?' The businessman laughed and said, 'That's thebest part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell yourcompany stock to the public and make millions, flying around on your owncorporate jet!' 'Millions, sir? Then what?' The businessman said, 'Then youwould retire. Move to a small coastal fishing island where you would sleeplate, fish a little, play with your kids, take a nap with your wife, stroll tothe village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar withyour friends.'

The fisherman, still smiling,looked up and said, 'Isn't that what I'm doing right now?'

(Story adapted from Hearblack).

We'll keep you updated on theprogress of Si and Cat's adventure.

Murdock Barbers

2011-11-11T15:23:00.001Z

Yesterday evening I made a trip down to our latest stockist Murdock, London. A traditional men's barber situated in Covent Garden on Monmouth Street.

Whether it's a haircut, a beard trim, or a traditional wet shave, you can't go far wrong here. As well as being home to premium male grooming products, you can purchase designer accessories and apparel to complement your new cut.

Matthew, Stephen, Jonathan and Joe are fittingly situated in the travel inspired waiting area at the the rear of the shop where you can browse a range of vintage books, magazines and curios, all selected to enhance the Murdock experience.

I resisted the offer of a handle bar moustache, however I did manage to take a few snaps.

If you are in the area, or are in need of some inspiration for Christmas gifts, pop over to the website to see all that Murdock have to offer.

Going to the Cycle-In

2011-11-08T14:20:00.009Z

I gazed up at the massive open air screen of a drive in movie in South Africa aged 6. Ever since, I've been captivated by the silver screen - outdoors if at all possible.

As a kid from Manchester (not known as the Rainy City for nothing), I never had much chance to relive the experience. Not until Jorrit and I were travelling in the Australian outback in the early 90s - as odd as that may sound.

After a long and dusty day on the road, we came into a small one road town on the North West coast of Oz. After settling in at the local hostel, we opted for a night at the movies, entered the small stone front of the building delighted to find an open courtyard, with rows of chairs and an enticing screen on the wall.

I'm just hooked on outdoor movies, the combination of audience involvement and being able to look up at the stars. My favourite movie is even Cinema Paradiso, where an entire italian hilltop village is entranced by the movies projected on the town hall wall.

So of course I was more than intrigued when I heard about Barbara Patkova - founder of The Magnificent Revolution - a not for profit education project compromising artists, designers, ecologists and engineers.

The collective organises cycle-powered cinema nights up and down the country, so folk can enjoy a good movie and understand more about energy use and it's impact on the environment.

How cool is that?

So it works like this, the audience cycle in on their own bikes and are hooked up to a modified training stand. The stands have a scooter motor at the back, which has a roller in it that spins like a generator and then feeds back into a power pack.

Simple but inspiring stuff.

The more people there are the better, 2 bikes will produce a fairly intimate viewing while 50 bikes could generate enough energy to project onto the side of building.

Barbara and the team have used the same concept to teach school children how much energy is needed to run an X Box, or to make a toastie ( 8 kids pedalling for 15 minutes if you're interested).

There's another reason she calls this cycle power. Now using the same concept at live music events, the audience use their cycling to power the sounds and lights for the band. "It's a natural feedback mechanism" stated Barbara " if no one likes the music then there's no power"

Now that would keep any up and coming bands on their toes...

If you'd like to experience the next cycle-powered cinema event, a selection of short films is on November 12th at the Rich Mix Arts Centre in East London as part of the Snapshots Festival.

Don't forget your bike and Simon the waterbottle - it could be thirsty work (and send us some shots if you make it there).

All photos courtesy of Magnificent Revolution.

Nest Thermostat

2011-11-02T16:44:00.000Z

I don't usually take too much interest in my thermostat, or any one's thermostat for that matter. But the recent drop in temperature, or should I say variances in temperature have resulted in a little thermostat tweaking.

Allow me to introduce this little beauty, Nest, the world's first learning thermostat.

Photo courtesy of Hypebeast

Founded by Tony Fadell, the guy who led the development of the first 18 generations of iPods plus the first three iPhones, has developed a new automatic, energy-saving thermostat. Nest records your heating habits, notices patterns and programs itself; thus saving you energy. Pretty clever eh?

Although there are a handful of other customizable digital thermostats geared to help consumers reduce heating and cooling bills, Nest thermostat is the first that I have come across that actually learns a user's habits and preferences and adjusts a household's temperature accordingly.

This nifty little number measures in at approximately 8.2 cm in diameter and 3.7 cm deep. The device is made of a stainless steel ring and a 320 pixel round LCD display in its centre to make up the core. Nest can be controlled via the use of a smart phone or a tablet (another reason for me to buy the iPad 2). Multiple devices installed within the same home can also interact with one another, ensuring they work in harmony.

Photo courtesy of Hypebeast

Nest is capable of remembering your personal schedule and heating/cooling tendencies within just a week. Internal sensors will observe when there has been reduced or no movement for extended periods of time and determine whether there is a pattern. It then programs itself to save energy while you're away, continuously refining itself to adjust your unique schedule of coming and going. Genius.

Once the pattern has been established, Nest will contribute to energy-saving by displaying a leaf icon on its LCD display whenever an energy-saving setting is currently in use. Users may also browse their 'energy history' and visualise what activities result in the most amount of energy saved.

This neat little video gives a demonstration.

Introducing the Nest Learning Thermostat via Youtube

Nest aims to increase awareness about our lifestyle habits, and perhaps alter it in a way that is beneficial for both the environment and our lives.

All this for just $250, I'm hoping it won't be too long till we can get our hands on one in the UK.

Power of Making

2011-10-28T09:42:00.000+01:00

Words like craftsmanship, tradition, handmade and skill have become the buzzwords of recent marketing material. The Victoria and Albert Museum decided to investigate what all these words actually mean.

The current exhibition 'Power of Making' is presenting a selection of more than 100 crafted objects from amateurs to experts. Ranging from a crochet bear to a ceramic eye patch, a fine metal flute to dry stone walling, all of these present a snap shot of making in our time.

The fantastic One Eight Nine website that seems to get better with every post brought to my attention a short film that delves into the working lives of four makers. Shoe designer Marloes ten Bhomer, crochetdermist Shauna Richardson, artist, curator and glass designer Matt Durran and flue maker Stephen Wessel.

Crochetdermy Bear, Shauna Richardson

It's fascinating to hear about the processes they go through producing and making for a living. Particularly interesting is the final comment from Matt Durran, referring to a group of school children who thought he was really poor as he was working with his hands. A complete misconception. Matt expresses a real importance for people to rein-gage with actually making things.

The exhibition runs from the 6th of September to the 2nd of January. It's definitely one that has been added to the diary for the coming months.

Power of Making from Victoria and Albert Museum on Vimeo.

Thanks to OEN.

We're Obsessed

2011-10-25T16:19:00.001+01:00

Ever wondered where your iPhone comes from? Where your laptop comes from? Where everything we own comes from? Ever wondered where all this stuff goes when we throw it out?

There is no doubt that we're becoming more aware of our consumption as a society, but do we really know all the intricacies of the consumption chain?

Just as I'm obsessed about consuming the iPad 2, Anne Leonard became obsessed with finding out the real story behind what happens to all our stuff.

In her book, 'The Story of Stuff', Anne explains that the linear system from extraction to disposal is simply too idealistic for modern day culture. Her 10 years of research reported that the traditional system is in a state of crisis, having severe effects on the environment and economy.

Anne's work has inspired a whole movement of activists raising awareness about our consumption habits. Pop over to the Story of Stuff website where you can learn more about the story of cosmetics, electronics and bottled water.

Her latest project is the 'Story of Broke'.

Much like the recent Occupy Wall Street movement, the Story of Broke believes that the government's actions, should reflect the will of the many, take on board the opinions of the majority whilst working with the big corporations.

It's not hard to see why the Occupy Wall Street protests have gone global. The one thing that these groups all have in common is that they represent the 99% of the population that will no longer tolerate the actions of the 1%.

What kicked off a month ago in relative obscurity, has now spawned peaceful protests in more than 900 cities around the world (source: Guardian).

Protesters camp outside St Paul's Cathedral, London - Photo courtesy of the Guardian

The Story of Broke suggests that instead of handing out tax breaks to oil companies and bailouts to banks, they should be making investments in clean, green solutions, renewable energy, safer chemicals and materials, zero waste and more. That can deliver jobs and a healthier environment.

Story of Broke (2011) - Teaser One, via YouTube

I highly recommend you pop over to the website, share the teaser video with friends and family.

We're not broke. We just want a more sustainable planet and environment to pass onto the next generation.

Millican Dalton would be proud!

The Marathon Man

2011-10-19T00:01:00.000+01:00

Just a few days ago, Fauja Singh, from Ilford, East London became the world's oldest marathon runner after finishing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 8 hours, 25 minutes and 16 seconds.

He took up running 11 years ago and trains every day by running 10 miles. Born in India, in 1911, Mr Singh is no stranger to a world record or two. He currently holds the world record for the over 90 category after running the 2003 Toronto marathon in 5 hours and 40 minutes.

Photo courtesy of CBC news

Apparently he puts his stamina down to ginger curry, tea and most of all 'being happy'. I'm a coffee nut and I don't like ginger - not much hope for me...

It's always been an ambition of mine to run a marathon. Quite comforting to know that I've got some time to go before I start worrying about that, especially when Mr Singh was 89 when he ran his first marathon.

But in all seriousness, here at Millican, we are running our own marathon. We realise that it's going to be a journey of endurance to get to our finish line rather than a quick sprint. Just as you need character, confidence, integrity, grit, focus and determination to complete a marathon those same aspects are needed in building a business.

Conserving your energy over a long period of time. Knowing that there will be ups and downs along the way that you just have to work through. What do they call it... hitting the wall around that 22 mile mark? With perseverance and getting through the highs and lows you know you'll get there.

Photo courtesy of Pam Daugherty

So have I made a convincing defence for my lack of marathon medals? Or do you just think I'm lazy...

Whether you're training for a marathon or building a business, I think we can all learn a thing or two from Mr Singh:

'The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress free. Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.' (BBC).

The Oxbridge Expedition

2011-10-13T14:16:00.003+01:00

You may remember an earlier post, Micro-adventures inspired by Alastair Humpfreys. Well, the following post is certainly an adventure, and it may be doing it a slight injustice if I referred to it as micro.

Come to think of it, when does an adventure become an expedition, can an adventure be an expedition?

The 1955 Oxford and Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition, from London to Singapore was undertaken by six graduates from Oxford and Cambridge University. Their mode of transport was two Land Rover Series Station Wagons, one painted in traditional Cambridge Blue and the other in a darker shade for Oxford. Land Rover were the main sponsors and gifted the two vehicles for the expedition. From their point of view the expedition was a great road test, whilst also being a fantastic publicity opportunity for the vehicle before its 1956 commercial release.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

It was the first time the route, or anything similar, had been attempted using overland vehicles. The journey took six months and six days, during which time the expedition had clocked up 18,000 miles.

One thing missing - Dave the Rucksack?

The Route

After setting off from Hyde Park in London, the expedition crossed the English Channel in an air freighter. There after its route went through France, Monaco, Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia (in areas now parts of Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia), Greece, Turkey (crossing the Bosphorus by boat), Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore.

I told you it would be an injustice if I referred to it as a micro-adventure.

The expedition was documented using film stock secured by Sir David Attenborough and the footage was broadcast on the BBC.

Part 1: Overland to Singapore, courtesy of YouTube

The 1955 route as a whole is now sadly deemed largely impassable. Not least because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but also on account of the Indian border with Burma being closed in 1958 due to an insurgency along that frontier (source: Wikipedia).

Jorrit, I know how you love Land Rovers and travel. I'd buy you one myself if you completed this trip, just make sure you take me with you.

Crumpled, not stirred

2011-10-10T18:08:00.000+01:00

Whatever you do, don't stand on the corner of a street with a map in your hand.

Rule #1 for backpackers and travellers who don't want to stick out like a sore thumb.

You know the sort of scenario - you've just come off the bus, need to get your bearings, so open up the large and unwieldy map to find out exactly where you are.

Bingo! You've done the equivalent of shining a torch on yourself - you're now fair game for all those waiting to guide you to their cousins nearest rug shop/jewellers or leather shop, steal something from you or worse.

It was advice Jorrit and I heeded almost to the very end of our 2 year world trip, only to be foiled at the last hurdle. A very smartly dressed gent spotted that we were lost (yes we did have a map in our hands at the time), arranged a taxi back to our hostel only for us to end up in a rather dodgy part of town. The sole "exit ticket" to entice our driver to take us "home" was to buy the smallest piece of weaving we could get away with.

So add that memory to my passion for maps and you'll understand why I was over the moon to receive my very own Crumpled City Map of Rome (still on our "to do" list).

Crumpled City Map - New York, courtesy of Palomar.com

The creative baby of Italian industrial designer Emanuaele Pizzolorusso, Crumpled City Maps are made with innovative Dupont lightweight (and easily to scrunch) material Tyvek. Waterproof, as light as a tissue and super strong, they really do tick the boxes.

Crumpled city maps can be crammed into the small fabric bag provided, stuffed in your pocket, or one of the handy external pockets of Dave, Matthew, Ryan, Mark or Rob. Perfect.

Map in a bag, courtesy of Palomar.com

Add to that, Emanuaele's top ten soul sites for you to explore. On his site, he states " these are places of intense emotions that are brought to life by the people passing through them or stopping at them". I couldn't have said it better myself.

Crumpled map is something you shouldn't leave on a trip without.

What "must haves" do you always carry in your travel bag?

PS check out other beautiful designs in the Palomar stable, the zoomart combines beauty with function impeccably. And the mirror on the base of odnom is pure genius.

Zoomart, courtesy of Palomar.com

Ode to Steve

2011-10-07T13:29:00.000+01:00

By now, most of you will have heard the sad news that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has finally lost his battle against pancreatic cancer. As a global community, we have lost one of the leading innovators of our time.

Steve Jobs was one of the greatest entrepreneurs and innovative leaders of modern history, and the likelihood is, that you're reading this very blog post on a device designed by him.

Photo courtesy of NY Times

We hope that in remembering Steve's death, we remember and celebrate his life - to create a better environment in which ideas and innovation can help improve all of our futures.

In this spirit, have a look at some inspiring sustainable innovations:
1. Living Homes - founded by US Environmental Entrepreneur of the Year 2009, Steve Glenn, Living Homes are affordable, modern, healthy homes. The first one was built in 8 hours.

Photo courtesy of Living Homes

2. The Sea Chair Project - a machine fitted to a trawler that collects marine litter to manufacture chairs, from London's Royal College of Art (source: Time to care Victorinox).

Photo courtesy of Gizmag

3. The Common Threads Initiative, Patagonia has launched a programme in partnership with ebay, encouraging customers to repair and recycle clothing - Awesome.

Common Threads Initiative

Let us know your favourite innovation project - we'd love to be inspired more ...

Innovation comes from thinking outside the box and being different. This short clip, narrated by Steve Jobs himself, encapsulates this philosophy perfectly.

Enjoy.

Apple Think Different

'The people who think they are crazy enough to change the world do'. Steve Jobs. Respect.

Scorchio!

2011-10-03T20:53:00.000+01:00

It's official: the weekend was the hottest October since 1984 or 5, one of the two.

In typical British style, we didn't let it pass without making the most of it. On Saturday afternoon at exactly twenty seven minutes past one the temperature hit 29.5C in Gravesend, Kent, making it the hottest 1st of October since records began 101 years ago (Met Office).

The previous record for England was set in 1985 in Cambridgeshire, when temperatures for the 1st of October reached 29.4C.

Brighton Beach on Saturday, photo courtesy of the Guardian

As great as the hot weather was, can it be attributed to global warming or climate change?

A spokes women at the Met Office told Channel 4 that the weekend weather was 'wacky':

'...but it isn't necessarily climate change - just the wacky British weather'

The Royal Horticultural Society said strawberries and rhododendrons were among some of the plants seen blooming at it's flagship garden in Surrey, when they were not expected to flower again until next spring. Crazy.

I've been informed (by a highly unreliable source), that the weather should last until Wednesday. I'm quite sure that's wishful thinking. Does this look like barbecue weather to you?

The usual view from the Shed

Whatever you did over the weekend, we hope you had a chance to take advantage of the unusually warm weather, as the next prediction is for snow in November - ah well....

LFW - Menswear Day

2011-09-30T14:51:00.000+01:00

Maybe it's something that would be hard to imagine (at the moment) and that's the likes of Dave, Ryan and Jim striding down the runway at London Fashion Week (LFW). Never say never...

Whether you're a fashionista or not, the fashion industry in the UK is one we should be proud of. London in particular has long been recognised as a city at the forefront of style and design. It acts as a healthy contributor to the economy and if this trader is anything to go by we may need all the help we can get...

This morning I came across a particular post that caught my attention on the fantastic Style Salvage blog - it takes an innovative approach to providing a review of the Menswear Day at LFW.

'Going to the show is a wonderful experience, but looking over catwalk photos afterwards can be a bit mind-numbing'.

To help bring the day to life, Style Salvage enlisted the help of Anne-Marie Jones, a recent graduate from University College Falmouth. Anne-Marie has taken a few of the guys' favourite moments of the day and presented them through illustration.

To say Anne Marie is talented is somewhat of an understatement.

I'm sure you'll agree they're a little more inspiring than your standard runway snaps.

I particularly like the E. Tautz paintings. If you have the chance, pop over to Anne-Marie's blog to see more of her work.

Next Development?

2011-09-28T17:42:00.000+01:00

As many of you will have seen, we have introduced Adam, Ian, Rob, Ryan and Keith to our product range over the last couple of weeks. So as you can imagine there has been a lot of talk surrounding new ideas and product development.

This morning as I was flicking through Google Reader I came across a post from Bag Blog titled the Scooter Backpack.

Scooter Backpack via You Tube

Immediately it reminded me of one of our good friends Jon who openly describes himself as a pro kick scooterist. I am sceptical whether this will be the solution to children's overloaded backpacks as I'm sure with added textbooks and laptops it will weigh a ton.

What the heck! It looks a lot more fun than walking.

Check out the Evo Luggage website for further details.

Material Choices

2011-09-26T17:01:00.000+01:00

Just last week I was explaining to a customer about the materials we use to produce our bags, it went something along the lines of this...

Me: 'We use 100% organic cotton canvas on all our bags..'

Customer: 'Organic... I don't want to eat the thing!'

OK, so we don't have to choose sustainable materials, there are plenty of the "bigger boys" out there still using conventional, standard cotton. But for us, organic cotton is a no-brainer.

Mark the Field Bag

We go into great detail about our material choices in Behind The Scenes on our site, but quite simply compared to conventional cotton, organic cotton requiries significantly less pesticides, insecticides and water for the cotton to grow. Organic cotton is also much healthier for the farmers to handle and delivers a premium to their families, allowing for a better standard of living.

We also use recycled polyester, vegetable tanned leather, local Lakeland wool and stainless steel but I won't go into all the detail here - just pop over if you fancy a more in depth explanation.

Organic Cotton

A material that we're interested in considering in the future is Hemp. Hemp is the common word for the plant Cannabis Sativa. Before you get excited, it's not the stuff you can smoke (well I'm sure you probably could but the result would be a headache rather than a high).

Hemp Field - Photo courtesy of Kyall via Flikr

Hemp has been referred to as one of the most useful and beneficial plants in nature (by me). It has a variety of uses such as food, body care, paper, fuel, paint and plastic, and as an alternative to wood and concrete (seriously).

Renewable House made from Hemp

As awesome as the multitude of uses are for Hemp, my primary concern lies with textile. Hemp is one of the longest and strongest plant fibres. It is extremely abrasion and rot resistant and was the primary source of canvas, sail, rope, twine, and webbing fibre for hundreds of years before nylon was patented by DuPont in 1937. There is no doubt that MD would have used a hemp rope whenever he was climbing a fell.

Hemp was used for clothing, military uniforms, ship's rigging, shoes, baggage and much more. The great explorer Christopher Columbus' ships were fully rigged in hemp (a great thought).

There are some great companies out there that are producing some fantastic products with hemp, The Hemp Trading Company, Christopher Raeburn and Maharishi to name a few.

At Millican our aim is to constantly improve. As a small team, we are thoroughly committed to the materials we use, even though we may be small fry compared to the massive producers out there.

We're making conscious choices every step of the way, doing what we feel is right and focussing on creating highly functional products with strong eco and ethical credentials.

And we reckon they look pretty good too, what do you think?

Bushido

2011-09-22T12:17:00.002+01:00

I came across an article on the fantastic Pro Blogger website just the other day and it really struck a cord. It was a guest article from Aman Basanti of ageofmarketing.com focusing on Samurai philosophy.

Photo courtesy of YgV sEr via Flikr

It was directed in particular at bloggers, however I feel it's relevant to many people from all walks of life.

Hagakure: The Book of Samurai delves into the inner workings of the mind of Samurai Yamamoto Tsuetomo. Written in an era when Japan was obsessed with warfare and martial prowess, the book offers instruction on how a samurai should live and die.

The most famous and most misunderstood line in Hagakure is 'I have found that bushido means to die.It means that when one has to choose between life and death, one quickly chooses the side of death'

I agree, perhaps a little morbid for a Thursday morning but stay with me...

If you can look past the initial shock of the statement you might see there is a real logic to this. Once you understand what the statement is saying, you realise that Tsunetomo is not really preaching about the obsession of death; he is preaching freedom from it's obsession. (In case you were wondering I didn't figure this out for myself, I just read the additional notes).

So he is saying that being afraid of death attracts it? I think so.

Fear of death paralyses the warrior in battle stopping him from thinking clearly and acting correctly. When you accept death, however, you neutralise its paralysing effects. You become better at mobilising your martial skill. Therefore increasing your chance of survival.

It is a great paradox that by accepting death you increase your chance of survival.

OK, so now we're all ready for battle, you're probably thinking how does all this relate?

Whether is is dying in a battle or failing at living out your dream, the fear of failure paralyses people. Should I change jobs? Should we move to the country? Should I start that business that I have always wanted? Should I start a charity, should I start a blog?

Whatever it may be, just accept failure. See it as another aspect of life, as another season in the year. Do not think of it as the end but another starting point.

'Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.' Winston S. Churchill.

So why not take the plunge like Jorrit and Nicky did back in 2009 and follow your dreams, after all why have them if you're not going to chase them.

Jorrit and Nicky at MD's cave

I'm sure Millican Dalton would have been proud of such a post, I know he was a pacifist, probably a realist, but I'm pretty sure he was a dreamer and followed both his dreams and beliefs.

Need more convincing, then follow the link to check out some famous individuals who failed before they succeeded.

Failure doesn't mean you're a failure...it just means you haven't succeeded yet.

Introducing Adam

2011-09-19T15:06:00.001+01:00

After much anticipation we are very proud to announce that Adam the Suitcase is now available to purchase on-line via the website.

Adam has been an exciting development for us, solving another carrying need. I must admit we can't claim to be the first to develop a suitcase but a soft-suitcase made using 100% weatherproof organic cotton and vegetable tanned leather is certainly more unique and the first in the Millican range.

Adam the Suitcase

Although our largest product to date coming in at a whopping 44 litres, Adam still fits within hand luggage regulations (the reasonable ones anyhow). Made from Millican's sustainable materials, Adam has two large internal compartments, a water proof cover or shoe/laundry bag and three external pockets that are fit for travel documents, water bottle, books etc.

Over the summer months we have been showcasing Adam up and down the country at the select events we attend. As we don't yet have a bricks and mortar store of our own, the events provide a great opportunity for us to interact directly with our customers and receive feedback on potential product developments.

Although Adam has been with us at events since the start of the summer it felt a little more official this weekend at Goodwood Revival Festival, as Adam was live on the website he is now part of the small but distinctive Millican range.

Along with the excitement of Adam becoming part of the Millican family we had a blast down at Goodwood Revival. I have to say it is definitely one of the highlights of the event calender for us and from what I hear it is getting bigger and better every year.

We certainly had a fantastic time, and as ever here are a few pics from the iPhone to share.

Grandstand finish

Mod set up

Vintage Tesco

Jorrit loves dressing up

One day

Adam is one of many new developments that are set to hit the website over the next couple of months. A great way of keeping updated on our new product releases and general musings is through our facebook and twitter pages.

Look forward to seeing you out there.

What Time Is It Again?

2011-09-14T11:29:00.000+01:00

Everyone has a mobile phone, right? Well everyone I know has.

The advances in technology means that I can use my phone for many things other then just making phone calls. In fact making a phone call probably comes last in the line behind emailing, texting, GPSing and taking photos.

What a mobile phone has always been able to do is tell the time. Well for as long as I can remember anyhow. Ask a person in the street for the time and I reckon seven times out of ten they will search for their phone.

Are wrist watches therefore still needed? Some may argue probably not.

I would suggest that a watch is something that everyone should have, along with a nice pair of shoes (now that's another blog post altogether). Ever catch your Granddad without a wrist watch? Then you'll know what I'm getting at.

Here's a few favourites.

1. Braun / BN0035 (All Black).

Available at Oi Polloi

2. TSOVET FW331011-02.

Available via TSOVET

3. IWC Portofino Chronograph, (leather strap) via Selectism

Available from IWC

4. Mondaine Evo.

Available from our good friends at Upper Ten

5. Timex Camper.

Available via Amazon - can't say fairer than that for 20 quid!

What's it gonna be?

Contain Yourself

2011-09-12T12:33:00.004+01:00

So the new stock arrived last week (well most of it)managing to transform the office (known as the shed to all at Millican) into asea of boxes. As you can imagine this doesn't make the best working environmentbut ideal for making a den. Not that I still do that sort of thing.

Slightly frustrating is that the port at Flexistowe had beenclosed for three days due to all the nasty weather we've had, resulting inmuch of our stock being held at the port.

This made me think about all our bags stuck at theport amongst many other boxes in a very large shipping container, one ofhundreds no doubt.

It reminded me of a recent article I read from Trend Central that shipping containers are now regularly being used to house public artinstallations around the world.

Kalasatama Temporary, a public arts space in Helsinki, Finland was transformed into a DIY haven, with walls featuring the works of famous Nordic graffiti artists, a sauna, and a series of containers-cum-galleries. Those who make it through the urban maze to the end of the port will find an Astro-turf area stocked with hammocks and bean bags from where you can sample a beautiful espresso in the cafe - housed, of course, in a spray-painted container.

Located in Long Island City, Queens, The Palms, a pop-up space which is spearheaded by the crème de la crème of creative minds of New York, including arts non-profit Chashama, The Collective 3^rd World, and alternative – party planners The Danger.

The Palms

New Holland an artificial island in St. Petersburg once held ships and prisoners, but today its visitors are there to see the recently renovated project featuring a café, a sports shop, and galleries harboured by brightly coloured containers. Up-and-coming Russian artists are prominently featured, such as the skate-punk photographer Gosha Rubchinskiy.

New Holland

Oh, and any excuse to show this photo.

Tommy Hifiger installations at Bread and Butter, Berlin

Honestly, I was appreciating the shipping containers.

Joe Nigel Coleman

2011-09-06T12:16:00.003+01:00

The great outdoors is a big part of our lives here at Millican. So I was thrilled when 189.com brought photographer Joe Nigel Coleman to my attention.

Joe presents a series of stunning lifestyle looks taken in vast outdoor terrain that really showcases the beauty of the great outdoors. It appears that Joe may have captured many of these shots whilst out exploring with friends - something that perhaps we should do more of ourselves.

I am not certain of the location of the above shots but if you like what you see then I would really recommend that, if you have the time, to take a look at his website which features much more of his amazing work.

The Boys Are Back In Town

2011-09-02T16:21:00.030+01:00

We're delighted to announce that after a long summer vacation, Dave the Rucksack, Matthew the Daypack, Mark the Field Bag and the rest of the crew are all now back in stock.

Matthew the DayPack

After Millican's appearance on ITV The Lakes in the Spring, sales went through the roof. We were over the moon of course, but it did mean we were slightly taken by surprise by the demand for every one of our bags in the range. Here's a little reminder of the Oscar winning performance.

The Lakes Clip courtesy of Youtube

You guys liked our gear so much that we sold out of quite a few lines and the waiting lists have been growing steadily over the summer months.

For those of you who've been waiting patiently for your orders to be despatched, we're on the case and they should be with you next week. Your patience and loyalty really mean alot, thanks so much.

So here's to an exciting Autumn, the new kids on the block - Adam the Suitcase, Keith the Writer's Bag, Ryan the Dome Pack and Rob the Traveller will be entering centre stage within the next 2 weeks.

Adam the Suitcase

Watch this space.

Bank Holiday Fun

2011-08-30T14:18:00.039+01:00

So how was your Bank Holiday?

We all know how important it is to make the most of the last Bank Holiday of the year. I always make a conscious effort as I interpret the August bank holiday as a marker for the end of summer...

It certainly felt like the end of summer on Friday evening. As we sat in the tent with the the rain lashing down I did wonder whether I'd made the right decision to opt out of the Notting Hill Festival and go for the camping.

You'll be pleased to hear that the rain cleared up and although the first night was a little cold and windy the sun certainly had his hat on for Sunday and Monday.

We're big fans of camping here at Millican, with MD being recognised as one of the original cycle campers (a camper who's mode of transport was a bicycle). Here at Millican we spend most of the summer months in a tent at the many shows we attend up and down the country.

So when I heard via Selectism that menswear clothing label Griffin had opened up a camp site I had to get it in the diary.

Loveland Farm is a camp site with a difference, a place where sustainibility comes first, the beautiful basics are encouraged and life is just a little bit simpler. A space that is completely unique, a solution to the busy modern world.

Image courtesy of Selectism

Located on the Hartland Peninsula on the border of North Devon and Cornwall, Loveland is the dreamchild of husband and wife team Jeff and Karina. Sustainability is high on the agenda at Loveland and the camp site has been developed using green technologies, the composting toilets are just one example. I have to say it was certainly a more pleasant experience that the ones I remember from Glastonbury.

The couple both have a really interesting and inspiring background, I highly recommend popping over to the Griffin website and checking it out for yourselves. This short video also gives a further indication of what Griffin stand for as a brand.

Walking with Jeff Griffin from Highsnobiety on Vimeo.

A few personal highlights:

Dinner at the Old Smithy Inn on Friday evening (Lamb Shank was awesome).

Surfing at Sandymouth Bay on Saturday.

Pick of the weekend has to be the Sunday walk along the South West Coast Path - doesn't get much better.

Camp

One of many beautiful coves

No idea, something to do with the spies?

Never too old for a rope swing

Blackberry picking (never pick below the waist!)

Hartland Quay Sunset

What a great way to spend the last weekend of the summer...

You Gotta Love Explorers

2011-08-26T10:35:00.001+01:00

Exploring is close to our hearts here at Millican. Unfortunately the standard holiday leave is not enough to satisfy our travelling needs.

Recently we have been working on new product ideas for the coming seasons. I have to say this is probably one of highlights of the job, as you have the opportunity to directly influence a product and the Millican range with your input.

We've an ever growing collection of vintage luggage that we pick up from flea markets, vintage and charity shops, in fact wherever we see them. Just a few weeks back Jorrit picked up an awesome military duffle bag from a market stall in Berlin.

I am always inspired by the explorers and mountaineers of days gone by- Sir Edmund Hilary, George Malloy, Bentley Beetham and Chris Bonnigton are amongst the most famous. These guys were tough and also pretty cool. Before Gore Tex and the latest kit, they were up there getting the job done. Legends.

The sole purpose of their clothing and backpacks was pure functionality.

Bentley Beetham

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

Sir Edmund Hillary

The 1924 expedition base camp

Chris Bonington

Those backpacks are pretty special.

We're currently in the process of putting together some designs for a dual purpose duffle pack as well as a wheeled version of Harry (think Harry on steroids). As ever there will be some references to the functional packs that these guys were using.

Cave Living

2011-08-22T15:02:00.022+01:00

People have been living in caves for thousands of years. Millican Dalton made a nice summer home from a cave just up the road from our HQ in Borrowdale.

Back in prehistoric times it was easier in some parts of the world for people to carve out warm dry spaces than to use other building methods. In China and the Middle East, houses were cut into the soft sandstone cliffs; and into volcanic ash and lava flows on the Pacific Islands.

The idigenous people of North America went as far as to build elaborate cities under cliffs.

Photo courtesy of the Mesa Verde Company

While some of these ancient structures are still standing, few are still inhabited.

However, today people are once again experimenting with the benefits of modern cave living. Anyone who has visited a cave will know that they are naturally quiet and maintain a constant temperature - cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Cool in the summer - maybe, but I think it's more likely to be freezing in the winter. When I try it out I'll let you know.

Millican Dalton's cave is no longer a permanent address for anyone. However it still serves the local climbing community effectively and is often used by climbers and walkers as an overnight stop.

Jorrit and Joe (of iPad Cover fame)

So how about living in a cave? The primary structure is all-natural material, and it's as locally sourced as it gets.

Well, I have to admit I'm not totally there yet but there's a possibility I could be persuaded, particularly by the following examples.

Photo courtesy of MAKR

Mediterranean Cave Home

Photo courtesy of Zoo Patrol

Tucked into a 17,000 square foot hole left by a sandstorm mine in Festus, Missourri (see above image), the spacious, beautiful home was bought buy a guy on ebay. (I guess it's true what they say, you can find anything on ebay).

The next Millican HQ?

Making a difference

2011-08-18T17:10:00.002+01:00

I am currently in the process of reading Yvon Chouinard's 'Let My People Go Surfing'. It is clear to see why Yvon, founder of outdoor technical clothing label Patagonia is cited as one of the original revolutionary entrepreneurs of his time.

Photo courtesy of Thos

He describes himself as a reluctant businessman. He certainly doesn't fit your average stereotype- who aims to establish a profitable company, sell it for as much as possible and then retire to the golf course.

Yeah, he wanted to make incredible products, and those products would be part of a bigger greater vision - creating a role model for people who wanted to build a sustainable and responsible organisation.

Patagonia has been a pioneer in the use of organic cotton and in using recycled plastic bottles to make its 'fleece' garments. In 1985 the creation of 1% for the planet (a pledge to donate 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment) has made a great impact on putting sustainability on the political agenda in the U.S, Europe and Japan.

Yvon never sought to be head of a multi-million dollar company.

Much of his early twenties saw him spend April to July on the walls of Yosemite, then heading out from the heat of the summer to the high mountains of Wyoming, Canada or the Alps, and then back to Yosemite until the snow fell in November. In Yosemite, Yvon and his friends often had to hide out from the rangers as they occasionally overstayed the 2 week camping limit. Both he and his friends took pride in the fact that climbing rocks and ice-falls had no economic value. They considered themselves as rebels.

Photo courtesy of Patagonia

He began by making mountaineering equipment as a way of sustaining his lifestyle. The motivation for growth was fuelled by the need to access better equipment and clothing for climbing. Having found himself in this role, he has seen the opportunity it provides to, if not change the world, then at least change some people's perceptions of it.

Photo courtesy of Patagonia

Forty-odd years after he started, Yvon remains a maverick. His business approach is 'management by absence' - meaning that he spends part of the year testing the goods and coming up with ideas which enables him to indulge in his life long passions for climbing, surfing, fly-fishing, canoeing and being outdoors.

Yvon Chouinard

Why not go to their website and check out Footprint Chronicles. It's an interactive mini-site that allows you to track the impact of specific Patagonia products on the environment and humanity - from design to delivery.

It's this type of interactive transparency that inspires others toward more responsible thinking and thoughtful actions.

2nd Use

2011-08-16T14:19:00.000+01:00

Whether you're a speaker aficionado or not you'll probably be familiar with the Minipod series from Scandyna.

Photo courtesy of Scandyna Shop

The iconic design was the brainchild of design engineer Simon Ghahary. It was his creative, music and sci-fi inspired designs that earned him a level of fame. Whilst under the employ of the B&W Loudspeaker company in the early 1990's Simon and his colleague Laurence Dickie came up with a design for the curved speaker cabinets, known as the 'pod' series.

Ghahary refers to his designs as functional pieces of art. Coincidentally we refer to Mark the Field Bag in much the same way!

He was one of the first to question whether speakers actually needed square box type enclosures to work; he then discovered that round enclosures improved both the sound quality and performance.

Photo courtesy of Nikon Holic

Ghahary pushed the limits of design and the overall brand experience to the extent of overseeing the creation of nylon bags that would encase the Minipod loudspeaker, but then could also be re-used as rucksacks as an environmentally sensitive alternative to conventional packaging.

At Millican we are huge fans and advocates for all things that can have many uses, we aim to install this philosophy where ever possible e.g. our brand bibles also double up as a notebook.

Over the last 6 months we have been exploring the possibilities of developing our current packaging. As yet we are still in the process of finding a solution that we feel is beneficial to both the packaging of our product and the environment.

If you have any suggestions on sustainable alternatives to our current packaging that doesn't compromise the delivery of our products then we would love to to hear from you.

Please send any suggestions through to info@homeofmillican.com. Thanks.

Unruly Times

2011-08-10T15:56:00.014+01:00

As you will be well aware over the last few days riots have occurred in many of our major cities up and down the country. Living in North London, I have seen the devastating effects that these riots have had on our local communities

The scenes were quite unbelievable as I'm sure many of you have seen from the news. My heart goes out to those who have been affected directly by the consequences of this wanton vandalism.

Picture courtesy of Someday

Photo courtesy of Marc Gascoigne

Photo courtesy of Graeme George

Photo courtesy of Olivia Harris

It was therefore heartwarming to see yesterday that many people from the local communities were meeting with their brushes to help clear up the debris, a reminder that the majority of people are caring and responsible - a thought that we should keep with us during these troubling times.

Load Carrier for Labour

2011-08-04T12:53:00.003+01:00

Firstly, big thanks to the guys at Carryology for bringing this to my attention.

Secondly, congrats to Vikram Dinubhai Panchal (principle designer) for coming up with the concept of the Load Carrier for Labour and winning the prestigious Core77 Design Award.

Photo courtesy of Carryology

The Load Carrier for Labour project is an impressive innovation designed to improve the working conditions of labourers and workers at destinations in the developing world, such as construction sites, factories, ports, and railway stations etc.

It's fantastic to see innovative design working towards supporting a higher standard of living for those who really need it.

Photo courtesy of Carryology

The design is aimed to cater for three methods of lifting and shifting heavy loads by the worker, such as above the head, at the back and to push or pull the load.

The materials used are cane, plastic and metal; designed to be made by local craftsman throughout India. It weighs around 2kg in total and is estimated that the 300 rupee cost is approximately £4.10.

Photo courtesy of Carryology

Vikram is currently in the process of looking for sponsorships, marketing or a manufacturer to take his design to the next phase - I'm sure it's only a matter of time...

Change

2011-08-04T10:53:00.002+01:00

Change is good, right?

Perhaps the goal and reason to change is required first, before change is effective. Needless to say a certain amount of reflection or intervention needs to happen for one to choose change.

This is why doing nothing is a choice and it gets you to the goal of nothing (David Hieatt).

I think there are also times when change is not required - times when not doing anything is the right thing to do. Sundays for example.

The danger of course with doing nothing is that you can be accused of being lazy and not taking the time to look at what is around you and assess what's working and what isn't.

I realise that I'm sounding a little philosophical this morning, but I am going somewhere with this post - stick with me.

We are planning to launch our new updated website mid August. Super exciting for all at Millican.

There was nothing particularly wrong with our existing website but we've just felt for a while now that there are a few improvements to make both to the front end (the bit you guys see) and back end (the boring bit where we process the orders).

I have a few sneaky screen shots from the new website for you all to enjoy.

Homepage

Our bags

As always we will be making a few last minute adjustments so any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Big thanks to Mark, Chris, Matt, Liz and everyone involved in the build.

Birthday Celebrations

2011-08-01T11:48:00.011+01:00

A few too many pints on Saturday night left me with a rather hazy head in the morning. Nothing like a relaxing trundle on the bike along the Thames to freshen me up.

One of the best cycling routes is Richmond to Hampton Court, especially good as it's flat all the way. On the way out we stopped by at a sandy beach for a picnic, then proceeding upstream past Eel Pie Island to Teddington Lock, beyond which the river's tidal section ends and the countryside begins.

Photo courtesy of Martin H. Watson and Alice Laird

Continuing for a mile or so we then crossed the river at Kingston Bridge and picked up the path on the other bank and cruised on to Hampton Court Palace. After 7.5 miles of cycling we had earned our tea and cake which we enjoyed on the lawns of Hampton Court whilst absorbing a bit of culture before returning to Richmond.

Richmond, Thames Path

There are no shortage of pubs on route, however I was only half a pint away from a two-wheeled dive into the Thames.

Magic Talent

2011-07-28T16:47:00.009+01:00

The summer months are busy times for all at Millican. The average weekday typically involves us rushing around answering telephone calls and replying to emails. So it often comes as a welcomed break when we get to pack up the van and attend an event.

Last week we visited the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace just outside Oxford. Luckily for all that attended the weather was great and a big thanks to everyone that visited our stand. These events are an excellent way for us to get out and about and spread the Millican word.

At these events we always meet such interesting people such as a young chap named Lachlan Smith a.k.a Lockey. Remember the name.

Lachlan Smith

Lockey is a magician and to say he's got skills is a bit of an understatement. After he had made the whole product range disappear from in front of our eyes (well he's good but not that good!) he purchased a Mark.

Dynamo watch out!

Dynamo freaks out Pharrell via You tube

A well deserved break

2011-07-26T11:30:00.026+01:00

For many students up and down the country their holidays began this week. The idea of six weeks backpacking across Europe seems a distant memory - not that I'm jealous in any way...

The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind for all at Millican and we've hardly had time to come up for air. Those of you who have experience of running small businesses will realise the difficulty in taking time off. It can often seem an easier option not to take a break rather than take one.

This is not an ideal situation to be in and probably a sign that you need a break.

So on Thursday Jorrit and Nicky are taking a long overdue break first to Cordoba, with the amazing Mezquita and then off to Frigilliana - a small hilltop village in Andalucia, Spain. Halving the Millican team and leaving it in the capable hands of myself and Sandra. What's the worst that can happen?

I'm never too far away from the National Geographic website, and all this holiday talk has got me thinking about an ideal trip for myself. Which no doubt I'll probably need after a week of holding the fort at Millican HQ.

National Geographic Traveller have kindly hand picked the 10 best summer trips of 2011 for us to dream over. So here's the low-down:

1. Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario, Canada.

The 2,500 square mile natural playground includes 8,699 miles of shoreline, 17 historic towns and villages and countless waterfalls and lakes bordered by the granite peaks of Algonquin Park to the east and the 30,00 islands of Georgian Bay Islands National Park to the west.

2. Patagonia, Argentina.

A big favourite for me. Follow the winter to the Southern Andes to experience the world's highest mountain range outside of Asia.

3. San Juan Islands, Washington

It's all about the weather, whales and water. Hike the Lime Kiln Point State Park on the west side of San Juan for shore based Orca whale watching or join a Sea Quest kayak tour for a porpoise-level view.

4. Minneapolis, Minnesota

June to August see the celebration of arts, music and cultural festivals. Also a trip to see the Minnesota Twins baseball team at target Field is a must.

Photo courtesy of Michael Truelove

5. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Pure Alaska on the rocks. Glaciers cover 27% of this 3.2 million-acre marine wilderness world heritage site, home to hump back whales, harbour porpoises, moose, black and brown bears, mountain goats, and mountain peaks topping 15,000 feet.

6. Cardiff, Wales

Celebrate the August bank holiday weekend (27th-29th) at the Cardiff Harbour Festival featuring tall ships, free activities and the Breitling Wingwalkers aerobatic formation team. From Mermaid Quay you can take the Aquabus or water taxi up the River Taff.

7. Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden

Nearly 25,000 islands - only 1000 of them inhabited make up Stockholm's maritime 'garden on the rocks'. The vast archipelago stretches more than 62 miles from north to south over emerald waters best explored via kayak, canoe, sailing boat, or classic white ferry.

8. Azores, Portugal

Around a 1000 miles west of continental Portugal - makes it a pleasantly remote location. The nine major islands are home to green volcanic mountains, mineral hot springs, hydrangea-covered hills, rambling vineyards, white-washed seaside towns, cobblestone lanes, and traditional Flemish and Moorish windmills.

9. Roatan, Honduras

A diver's dream. Located about 30 miles north of the Honduran mainland, the shallow water, reef eco-system is teeming with tropical marine life, easily accessible to snorkellers (that's me) and divers. Spend the morning fishing on the saltwater flats or kayaking through the mangrove canals, then float back to your cabana's private deck for some afternoon hammock time.

Photo courtesy of Ivan Pisarenko

10. Istria, Croatia

The Medulin Riviera, located near Istria's southern tip, offers 49 miles of coastline, plus hilltop medieval villages and ancient ruins to explore. Just south of the Medulin is rugged Cape Kamenjak, an edge of the world nature reserve featuring sheer 70 foot cliffs, hidden coves, and flat outcroppings perfect for sunbathing.

So which one is it going to be?

Small steps

2011-07-20T11:44:00.024+01:00

We’re off to the CLA fair this weekend at Blenheim Palace. Another weekend of scorching weather ahead perhaps? That may be slightly optimistic, but anything will be better than the weather we had last weekend in the Lakes.

As many of you might know, we run a promotion on all our bags during the shows. Quite simply, if you buy a bag you have the choice of an Andy or Simon water bottle.

Simon and Andy

‘Great’, is the reaction we get from most of you. And great it is - you get a free water bottle and with it a chance to contribute in a minuscule way to a healthier planet.

Now before you switch off, let me hit you with a few facts.

The UK uses over 5 million tonnes of plastic each year. The amount that ends up in landfill according to Green Bottle (check them out, it's a neat concept), could fill the Albert Hall 50 times over.

Most plastic is not biodegradable and is made from oil – a depleting, expensive resource. The increase in the price of oil has ultimately increased the price of plastic bottles. Plastic bottles are mostly made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and require an estimated 500 years to decompose and account for 130,000 tonnes of landfill waste in the UK each year. If the cap is left on, the disposed plastic bottle takes up a large volume of space in the landfill and is difficult to crush.

Photo courtesy of Diane Cook and Len Jenshel

OK, I know you have a fair idea of this already, but a little reminder certainly makes you think twice about your plastic bottle consumption.

Simon and Andy are produced using 100% food grade stainless steel. The top is 100% BPA (Bisphenol A) free polypropylene. Our waterproof rain covers (Dave and Matt), shoe bags (Harry and Jim) and dust cover (Adam) are all made using 100% recycled polyester, using PET drinks bottle plastic.

Simon in production

So why not fill up your Andy or Simon with some water or juice at home, instead of buying the plastic equivalent?

We’re certainly not doing anything new here at Millican and we don’t claim to be. You may feel that consuming a few less plastic bottles won't make much of a difference.

Maybe the following quote from Betty Reese will provide a little inspiration:

‘If you think you're too small to be effective, you've never been in bed with a mosquito’.

At Millican, we're just like a mosquito - small and determined to make a difference. By making conscious choices about what we create, who we work with and how we work. And by inspiring others to do the same.

If your unsure of the process that goes into recycled plastic bottles the following short film from Recyclenow provides a nice visual overview.

Plastic Bottles - how they are recycled from RecycleNow on Vimeo.

Bread making

2011-07-14T14:43:00.004+01:00

All we seem to have spoken about over the last couple of weeks is Bread and Butter. Well here is another post about bread but without the butter, well almost.

Give me bread and jam and I'm a happy man, and a poetical genius...

In my opinion it doesn't get any better than biting into freshly baked bread still warm from the oven with butter melting into it.

Bread making has been going on for centuries but that doesn't mean everyone can bake it well. There is of course an art to making bread, but why would anyone make bread from scratch?

A loaf can be bought from your local grocery for a pound or so, or you can simply take a mix add some water and chuck it in the bread machine and Bob's your uncle.

Photo courtesy of Tartine Bread

The same philosophy can be applied to producing bags. We could choose to collect a few photos of gladstone bags take them to the factory and ask them to produce x amount. Stick the Millican badge on and have hundreds of Harry's. But of course we don't.

Good breads like good bags are more than that. It's surprising how many fundamental business lessons can be derived from a loaf of bread (just ask David Hieatt).

Photo courtesy of Tartine Bread

There is nothing like making a loaf of bread from scratch. Unlike quick bread, a bread made with yeast is so much more satisfying. Yes, it takes time, but it's well worth it.

What better way to relieve some stress from a hard day at work through kneading and moulding the dough with your bare hands. And of course the suspense in waiting to see if the dough will rise. Above all else it's all about the aroma, there's nothing better than the smell from the oven of freshly baked bread.

I am keen to master the art of bread making, this short video brought to my attention by Hearblack from Tartine Bread has only inspired me more.

Tartine Bread from Vimeo

It's great to see people do what they love with great enthusiasm. I wish Chad all the success with Tartine and look forward to some great recipes from the book.

Back to the Shed

2011-07-11T16:11:00.017+01:00

Last week was one of those experiences that will be hard to forget. On the trip back myself and Jorrit both agreed that it would be difficult to pick out one particular favourite moment as we had so many.

But as with any situation in which you are unfamiliar there often comes a level of nervous energy stroke excitement. The night before the Bread and Butter show we really didn't know how Europe was going to take to Millican...

Well, nothing like a few beers at the opening ceremony to ease the nerves.

Grand Opening at Bread and Butter

Great night.

To say the least we were completely overwhelmed from the response of the Bread Butter crowd. It was brilliant for us to be able to share the Millican story with so many. We were fortunate enough to meet some fantastic like-minded people who are keen to spread the Millican philosophy with us.

If you have a spare three minutes, this short film highlights the Supershow perfectly.

The Bread and Butter Supershow from Vimeo

I can't speak highly enough of my Bread and Butter experience, for me it was a fantastic event and run with the utmost efficiency. But then I wouldn't expect anything less from the Germans...

As ever a few pics from the iPhone to share, hope you enjoy.

Bed - back of the van

OK, so it's not always as glamorous as it seems.

Swag Bag

2011-07-08T10:12:00.002+01:00

We're at Bread and Butter Berlin right now, but only a few weeks ago, I was reminded of one of my long held dreams - to set off on the dusty roads of Australia, on my motorbike, with my swag and many unplanned months ahead of me.

Ok that's not really possible right now with Millican growing so quickly, but its good to have those dreams and hang onto them - for some day.

So when we met two visitors to the stand at The Royal Highland who were preparing for a year's trip to Oz, my dream sprung back to life and I remembered to check out the ultimate ozzie travel pack - The Swag.

Photo courtesy of The Aussie Shop

The humble swag has been a part of Australian life and folklore for more than a century. Invented out of necessity by early explorers, it has been a home away from home for generations of outback travellers ever since.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, workers who were travelling in the Australian bush walked long distances, if they couldn't hitch a ride. Itinerant workers who travelled from farm to farm shearing sheep, or doing other casual work, were nicknamed swagmen, because they carried all their possessions in a rolled blanket , or 'swag'.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

In the early 1800s, the term swag was used by British thieves to describe stolen goods. We still have a comic image of a burglar with a black mask over his eyes carrying a large sack marked "SWAG".

One definition given in 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is "any booty you have lately obtained,.... To carry the swag is to be the bearer of the stolen goods to a place of safety."

James Hardy Vaux, a convict in Australia, used the term in his memoirs published in 1819 so by the 1830s, the term had changed from meaning stolen goods to the possessions carried by a bushman. And the person carrying the swag became known as a swagman.

Swagmen were often victims of circumstance who found themselves homeless and in need of casual work. Others chose that way of life for the freedom and adventure.

Bushwear designer R.M. Williams is said to have spent some years as a swagman travelling across the Nullarbor Plain, picking up bushcraft and survival skills from local aboriginal tribes such as cutting mulga, tracking kangaroos and finding water.

The romanticized figure of a swagman was referred to in the famous Australian poem "Waltzing Matilda" by Banjo Paterson, Australian poet and writer, who told the story of a swagman who stole sheep from the local squatter.

Generally "swaggers" had a swag (bedroll), a tucker bag ( for carrying food) and some cooking implements which may have included a billy can (tea pot or stewing pot). They often carried flour for making damper (campfire bread) and sometimes some meat for a stew (if they were lucky).

Nowadays, the swag usually refers just to the bedroll, but bikers, horse riders, "overlanders" and travellers still use their swags, often rolled with their clothes, toiletries and other essentials inside.

The original swags were usually made of canvas, with woollen blankets included during the cooler periods. Now modern swags are often made using waterproof materials like polyester, just visit Mr.Swagman for an idea of the ozzie options.

I guess the closest we have to a mini-swag in the Millican range is Jonathan the Roll-Wash, a scaled down version of the real thing for sure. But I love the idea of a swag, where all your carrying needs for shelter, warmth, clothing and cleaning are all taken care of with just one bag.

That's me by the way and faithful Jonathan

So watch this space, if you hear I've gone off to Oz for a while, consider it a stint of market research - at least that's what I'll call it.

Guten Tag!

2011-07-05T20:46:00.017+01:00

We have arrived in Berlin safe and sound. All be it a rather wet Berlin but never the less looking as great as ever.

As some of you may or may not know we are attending Bread and Butter this week – an internationally renowned fashion tradeshow for selected brands. That’s right we'll be mixing it up with the big boys. Doing our utmost to get out there and spread the Millican philosophy.

We have a small stand in the LOCK arena which stands for Labels of Common Kin. We'll be joining the likes of Nigel Cabourn, Levis Vintage, Filson, Woolrich and Red Wing amongst others. Oh yes, we’ll be in good company.

The bi-annual event attracts over 80,000 visitors so fingers crossed there will be some like-minded retailers who are interested in working with us. Buyers from around the world will be seeing the likes of Dave, Adam, Mark and the rest of our products for the first time, so it will be super exciting to get their feedback.

You may have noticed a few tweets and updates on facebook and twitter already, but here are a few snaps from the iPhone from the last couple of days…

Wish us luck!

Pack Like a Pro

2011-07-01T11:46:00.003+01:00

As I go through the check-list for Bread and Butter in Berlin next week it occurred to me that I have rather a lot to pack. There is certainly a skill to packing, and it's one that I have not yet mastered. Whereas this guy has got it down to a T.

Loving the technique, true professional.

Brought to my attention by Bag Blog from Matt Grandin via Pack Light

Plant based anyone?

2011-06-29T10:57:00.002+01:00

We have mentioned many times before how Millican Dalton was somewhat ahead of his time, a forward thinker you might say. Leaving the rat race for a more sustainable way of living was not quite the norm back in the early 1900's, however that did not faze him.

He was also a strict vegetarian who lived off the land and rather interestingly he was not a fan of competition.

At least he would have enjoyed 50% of the following blog post...

You may have noticed that the previous blog post (bags and men made from iron) featured an image of ultra endurance athlete Rich Roll. Rich is a man of many hats - but most importantly he is a plant based ultra endurance athlete. By that I mean that his diet is compiled completely of plant based nutrition.

Rich Roll

Earlier this year Rich completed the EPIC 5 Challenge: 5 Ironman-distance triathlons on 5 Hawaiian islands in less than a week. He has been a top finisher at the Ultraman World Championships, a 3 day, 320 mile double-Ironman distance triathlon. That makes me feel out of breath typing it...

Although Rich's athletic achievements are remarkable, the story of his journey to healthier living is even more inspiring. On his 40th birthday, at 50 pounds overweight and out of shape, Rich took a self-inventory and wasn't satisfied. His milestone birthday triggered him to overhaul his diet and transform his mind and body.

Not bad for a 44 year old...

In 2006, not long after his 40th he became a dedicated vegan, put on his running shoes, grabbed his bike and jumped into a swimming pool. Not all at the same time...

Two years later and closer to 50 pounds lighter, he surprised the triathlon camp, ultra communities by not only becoming the first vegan to complete the event, but by finishing in the top 10 males, despite never having even previously competed in a single ironman distance event.

So what's it all about, was Millican Dalton doing right back then and we're doing it wrong?

The American Dietetic Association report that vegan and vegetarian diets can significantly reduce one's risk of contracting heart disease, colon and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions. Cow's milk contains ideal amount of fat and protein for young calves, but far too much for humans. And eggs are higher than any other food, making them a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease.

There are arguments for and against as always, but for me I still don't like the idea of going without my Weetabix in the morning...

Whether you are looking to make changes in your life or you just enjoy a good story, you will be inspired by Rich's journey to change.

P.S. If you have the time there is a great interview from Mind Body Green with Rich Roll.

Bags and Men Made of Iron

2011-06-26T09:14:00.002+01:00

What happens when you type into Google 'which person needs a bag most?'

OK, so at this point your probably thinking that I have too much time on my hands or I need to get out more. And on both counts you’re probably right.

However, this is the very activity that fills me with useless knowledge about bags and carrying needs. On this occasion my thirst for useless knowledge was satisfied... who would have thought that bags are so important to iron-man distance athletes.

Rich Roll - Endurance athlete

Most iron-man races have a bag system for each transition. You load up a T1 bag with 'swim to bike' stuff and load up a T2 bag with 'bike to run' stuff. There is a 'special needs' bag that you can put anything you want in at the midpoint of the bike and run stage.

Understandably so, it turns out that on race day a 'special needs' bag comes in handy for a competitor. It also turns out that there is much deliberation and debate as to what one should carry in their 'special needs' bag.

Personally this makes an interesting topic as I have always loved the idea of completing an iron-man, but then having looked at the dynamics of the race I have taken the safer option of the sofa...

Photo courtesy of Paul Saulius Flikr

The 'special needs' bag can be an invaluable tool to see you well on your way to your target time and even better it. Having the correct nutrition and enough fluid is a fundamental requirement in completing an iron-man. Special needs bags offer an opportunity to restock on vital nutrition and also allow you to race without the weight of extra bottles, gels, bars and salts you will need on the day. I can't recall seeing too many Iron-man champions with a panniers bag strapped to their bike.

But as the saying goes 'different strokes for different folks', everyone is different. Some choose not to use the 'special needs' bag for nutrition and opt for extra tires, inner tubes and CO2 canisters and some opt out of the special needs bag altogether - I'm struggling to see the logic behind this one. As an arm chair iron-man I probably know what's best.

Pattern of Swimmers, photo courtesy of Wayne Levin

Triathlete Europe offer an interesting insight into what two iron-man distance athletes carry in their special needs bag.

Veteran iron man distance athlete Belinda Granger has completed 36 iron-man races and has been a winner of 14, it's fair to say that she may know a thing or two about 'special needs' bags. What she carries: bottle of Carbo-Pro and two PowerGels, four caffeinated PowerGels and five salt tablets.

Offering a different take is David Thompson, a rookie iron-distance athlete who debuted with a third-place finish at the 2010 Rev3 Full at Cedar Point. David suggests that you should try to limit what you carry with you and plan on picking up your 'special needs' bag if you can’t get what you need at the aid stations. What he carries: One high-calorie blueberry muffin, one Snickers (king size), one McDouble (frozen overnight) cut in half, two gels with extra sodium and caffeine.

I like the idea of a Snickers and a blueberry muffin...

Modern Day Millican?

2011-06-22T15:00:00.001+01:00

"If Millican Dalton lived today, would he be allowed to live in his cave on Castle Crag?"

That's a question I'm often asked by customers and curious visitors to the stand when they learn about the life of simplicity chosen by our namesake.

My answer has always been "I'd like to think so" but now I'm not so sure.

A modern day Millican, otherwise known as "Driftwood Dave" is putting the challenge to the test.

For the last 25 years, he's been leading a simple existence in a stone built hideaway in Embelle Wood in the Exmoor National Park.

When he's not earning some pennies working as a gardener, he spends his days collecting litter to recycle from the beach, salvaging wood worn smooth by the waves or boiling his kettle on his home made stove for another pot of tea.

His tree shaded site on the edge of Embelle Wood Beach is a good hour's walk from the nearest road, well off the beaten track. Few people know Dave lives there, until now that is. Having discovered his hideaway, Exmoore National Park are now trying to make sure he makes no claim to the land, as it has been part of the National Park since 1974.

Let's hope they can all come to an agreement, so Driftwood Dave can continue to live a peaceful life with nature, harming no one, and the National Park can see him as a treasure, just like our very own "Self Styled Professor of Adventure".

This film from Matthew Entwistle, author of Millcan Dalton's biography (and the name behind Matthew the Daypack) takes you into Millican's famous cave and shows just the importance of local legends - those who've chosen another path to follow their passions and dreams.

Royal Highland 2011

2011-06-20T14:07:00.001+01:00

As we were driving over the border to Scotland en route to our first Royal Highland Show in 2009, a couple of weeks after launching Millican, Nicky said "I certainly hope someone wants to buy some of our bags"

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, as she passes our stand, 2009.

Two years on, and luckily some people have wanted to buy our bags, not only in Scotland but throughout the world online.

So we find ourselves packing up the stand gear and stock in the trusty trailer for the Royal Highland Show 2011. Thanks to the amazing organisers Mags and Anne-Marie, we've bagged a larger stand in a new location, number 623 on the teeming Avenue 13 opposite the Blacksmiths Forge. We're excited.

The Royal Highland Show is one of the largest agricultural shows in Europe now. On every visit, I marvel at the incredible collection of prize cattle, sheep, horses and other livestock as well as the craftspeople who display their skills.

It'll be great to see some of our old pals; Andrew The Balvenie whisky Brand Ambassador, who'll be bringing some delicious malts to sample on our stand; Angela Davidson and her husband Sandy, a real character we had the pleasure to meet at Burghley (who kept us entertained with his cracking one-liners). And of course, Gili with her own tweed and clothing designs at Gilinix.

Spot Andy (the waterbottle this time in good company)

And we'll have new friends to introduce ourselves - Adam the Suitcase, Keith the Writer's Bag, Ryan the Dome pack (son of Dave the Rucksack), Rob the Traveller and Ian the Camera Case. They'll all be making their first appearance to the nation. Every time we launch a new bag, it feels like letting one of our kids out into the big wide world.

Difference is, this time we know there are folk out there who really get what Millican is all about, love the bags and are truly loyal "millicanites".

So let the show begin!

Bodged Job

2011-06-18T18:57:00.002+01:00

Always on the look out for new ideas and other carry needs, Nicky ventured to Gardeners World Live at the NEC this week with her Mum, Jenny.

The sun shone (in between the rain showers) as they ventured round the show gardens, stalls and veg plots in abundance. Nicky was on the phone to me when she suddenly cut me off - she'd just walked into the middle of a film set with none other than organic hero, Monty Don, wandering round the miniature replica of his very own Jewel Garden. A star-struck moment.

Next she bumped into a modern day Millican - a real life Bodger, who works out of his local wood on the Bolton Abbey Estate. His woodland shed and workplace have been recreated by Garden Designer Chris Myers, who won Gold and Best in Show Facade Garden for "The Bodgery"

I didn't have a clue what a Bodger was, but it turns out they used to work in woodland in the 19th and early 20th century. They used pole lathes to turn wooden chair legs, spindles and rungs for chair makers in towns.

The Bodger never made a finished chair himself and over time any uncompleted job became known as a "Bodged job".

Just looking at the unfinished jobs in and around our house, I guess that must qualify me at least as a part-time Bodger ...

Jute Bags

2011-06-15T12:41:00.040+01:00

Has the time come when using a polythene bag to carry your shopping is almost like wearing fur? Maybe not quite there yet...

The rise in popularity for reusable bags is certainly a welcome one.

A large quantity of reusable shopping bags are crafted from Jute (a shiny vegetable fibre produced from plants). Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibres and is second only to cotton in quantity produced.

There is also talk of some European countries banning polythene bags altogether which can only be good news for the environment and economies such as Bangladesh. Jute goods manufacturers in Bangladesh export around 1,000,000 shopping bags a month and is proving a major source to the countries income.

Photo courtesy of Dr Michael Delstein

We're all hoping the demand for natural, biodegradable bags will continue to increase as more and more retail chains around the world replace polythene bags with bio-friendly natural fibre bags. Here at Millican we do our best to make conscious environmental decisions when manufacturing our canvas bags.

Photo courtesy of R Zaman

At current the Bangladeshi government is pro-actively formulating a National Jute Policy which will include a duty-free export-processing zone for jute good manufacturers and offering flexible loans to small businesses to encourage growth in the jute sector. This will ultimately allow the country to obtain larger orders of bags that are currently being rejected due to the inability to provide importers with large quantities of bags.

There is no doubt that the reusable shopping bag has become somewhat of a fashion statement, but that aside everyone should have a practical functional shopper or tote bag to satisfy their carrying needs.

At Millican we love the idea of everything having a second use - the idea of a reusable shopping bag is close to our heart. I recently came across an interesting article on the Vahisht Broadcasting website titled the Reusable Bag. Interestingly they had some specific views on what a reusable bag should entail:

1. Easily folded flat, both for storage at the checkout counter and for refolding for the return journey.

2. Relatively inexpensive to produce, so the supermarket and grocery stores would use it in greater amount not worrying about their cost control.

3. Made of durable, sustainable materials that give the bag structure but also keep it lightweight.

4. Easy to carry, possibly in different configurations (traditional handles, over the shoulder, etc).

5. Has an appropriate strategy for end-of-life disposal when it is finally properly disposed of after a lifetime of good use.

6. Not only durable and long lasting, but also attractive, comfortable and classy.

This has certainly given us food for thought for future Millican products - highly functional and reusable. A couple of brands who understand how to make a shopping bag from jute is Apolis Activist and Wisteria.

Apolis Activist Market Bag

Wisteria Large Jute Tote Bag

So what we'd really like to know is, what's your perfect shopper?

Adam The Suitcase

2011-06-11T10:42:00.002+01:00

When Millican was a mere twinkle in our eye, Nicky and I fell upon my idea of heaven - a shop in the heart of The Cotswolds crammed to the gills with vintage and "campaign furniture".

Inspiration wasn't the word .What ingenuity those travellers had, fuelled by the desire to travel the globe and still have all their home comforts.Why else would the expert carpenters of the day have created such things as wardrobes in a crate, a folding rocking chair, a carry your own wash bowl (with places for all your toiletries, shaver, soap and brushes).

There was a place for everything, and as Nicky's Gran used to say, everything had its place. Each item was highly functional, fit for the job in hand, but equally beautiful, aesthetically pleasing. As the travellers of the day would have required every item to fulfil their needs without spoiling their "little piece of England", wherever they ventured.

We've taken that to heart and each Millican bag is not only styled on a classic design that has proven itself over time, it is also highly functional, with a place for everything and, even if I do say so myself, very pleasing to the eye.

I love bags, and I especially love vintage suitcases. The sort that have clearly been used a lot - whether for train journeys up and down the country, or further afield on the ocean liners of the time. Just the weathered labels still stuck on the suitcase give a glimpse of the adventures the owner must have had. It's the stories behind each one that I find so engaging and intriguing. My mind starts to create romantic stories of bygone days and the people behind them.

Sometimes we find more evidence when we discover the contents inside some of the vintage suitcases we buy from auctions - a school cap with the name of a boy alongside an army beret with the same name. Already an understanding of the boy and then the man behind the case begins to appear. Fascinating...

So it will be no surprise that we have finally designed (and will soon launch), Millican's own version of a suitcase.

Introducing Adam the Suitcase.

Made using the same sustainable materials as all the other bags in the range, inspired by vintage suitcases, with all the functionality needed for a journey, and as this era dictates, still fits within hand luggage regulations.

We named Adam after Adam. A design genius with a Cumbrian heart, who we're fortunate enough to work with when designing our new products. He's at Pitti Uomo this week with his own brand of Herdwyck tweed bags, Cherchbi - hopefully another very successful show for him!

Adam will be joining all our other friends in August, and he'll make a sneak peak appearance online from July, to give you a chance to pre-order one.

Keith the Writer's Bag, Rob the Traveller and Ian the Camera Case won't be far behind him. More on that to follow.

P.S. Though Adam won't be available for Father's Day, Peter, Jonathan, Mark, Stephen, Les and Matt are all ready and waiting to make your Dad's day. Check them out here.

Liz in the Gobi

2011-06-06T16:22:00.001+01:00

The contrast couldn't have been more stark, Keswick on a balmy June day or the Gobi Desert where Liz has spent the last few weeks with her fiance Chris battling against the wind and whatever else the desert threw at them.

We were packing for a relatively sedate (and very welcome) camping weekend with our pals from Somerset, while Liz and Chris were recovering in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. Worlds apart.

But after watching the video Liz sent through, the reality was brought to life of just how challenging the most recent leg of their NZ back to The Lakes, England cycle adventure had been.

Simply entitled Liz in the Gobi, the first section is a film strip of shots of Liz, her trusty bike and the tent they call home (spot the Millican gas bottle cover if you can).

Remote, barren, stunning, overwhelming....just a few words that sprang to mind when watching her battle across one of the least populated areas in the world. The second half is a film of Liz, talking to the camera, telling it as it is.

Last time we saw Liz it was in a Lakeland hotel, by a roaring fire, discussing the latest tweaks needed for our website (Liz has been our web designer ever since the launch of Millican, and she helped us from afar as she cycled through Thailand and China). Now here she is, tanned, weary and wind-battered.

It's all for a great cause. Of course this is an amazing experience that Chris and Liz will no doubt cherish for a long time to come. But they're also pedalling half way round the world to raise much needed funds for Child's Dream, a charity created to support underpriviledged children in the Mekong Sub -Region.

Child's Dream focusses on educational infrastructure (nurseries, schools, vocational training centres and colleges), as well as health care programmes such as the Children Medical Fund. The charity also provide stationery to over 55,000 children all over the region.

Check it out and let us know what you think. And if you fancy donating to support Our Brave Pals, even better...

Tou-che Duffle Film

2011-06-01T12:20:00.004+01:00

No doubt that Tou-che certainly make a beautiful duffle bag. Handmade in Devon, with 12oz waterproofed canvas with solid brass fittings and real leather. The result is a considered product that will no doubt improve with age.

This short film which has been taken from the website gives an insight into the bag itself and shows it off in a creative format. The visuals are really nice and a great choice of song from the Fleet Foxes.

www.tou-che.com

Bellroy Take out Wallet

2011-06-01T10:30:00.006+01:00

Bellroy, known for their neat little videos which highlight the superiority's of their products have come up trumps once again with the ‘take out wallet’.

The take out is an innovative design which features a full size portfolio with a smaller detachable wallet inside. Crafted from ultra-soft vegetable tanned sheep hide, the zippered wallet holds cards, cash, coins, and whatever else you want to fit in there. But it gets even better; when you feel like travelling lighter, the middle section pops out, folds in half, and fits in your jeans pocket.

Check the video out and see for yourselves...

Bellroy Take Out Wallet from Bellroy on Vimeo.

Available through the Bellroy online store

Rap Down Under

2011-05-31T15:10:00.001+01:00

Here at Millican, we love Stories. Especially ones told under a starlit sky, round a fire with your mates and a few beers.

Storytelling is a real art, an ancient practice found in nearly every culture around the world, passing down the history, wisdom and guidance from the generations before us to the generations of the future.

The great man himself, Millican Dalton, was a reknowned Storyteller, captivating his walking and climbing groups with tales of wild adventures and "hairbreath escapes" as he liked to describe them. They'd all huddle round his campfire, home made bread cooking in the embers, the eternal pot of coffee brewing over the open flames and the smoke from Millican's woodbines mingling with that of the campfire.

So Nicky's ears pricked up when she caught a piece on Radio 4 about Storytelling "Down Under" - with a twist.

Way back in the early 90s, Nicky and I spent a year working and travelling overland in Oz. For us it's a country of adventure, ancient history and natural beauty. Not to mention the fact that "Songlines" by Bruce Chatwin is in our top ten reads. Dotted around our house, you'll find memories of our trip, from the didgeridoo leaning in the corner of our lounge (I must start learning how to play it), to the aboriginal art in the hallway. So you'll understand why the red land is so close to our hearts.

For years the Australian Aboriginal community has struggled to be heard. Storytelling for Aborigines is a spoken art, and it has been this way for 1,000s of years. An art that remains within their own communities, one which the younger members often find difficult to identify with, even though the stories remain crucial to their lives today.

Now, young Australian Aborigines are reconnecting with their history, and the real keystones of the Aboriginal Culture, by rapping their Dreamtime Stories.

Speaking to the rappers who now use their own Aboriginal language as well as English, Radio 4 interviewer Mark Rickards found that the traditions of Dreamtime Storytelling have been reinvigorated by rap music. Although the style originates from the USA, Aboriginal youth have adapted it to suit their own needs.
The same Dreamtime Stories told for millenia, now expressed through a different art form to represent the often unheard voices of the Aboriginal people.

Mark visited an Aboriginal radio station which is helping to bring indigenous rap to a wider audience. One short song taped during a school visit with the help of some well known rappers way back in 2002, took Australia and beyond by storm. "The Wilcannia Mob" are a group of boys who were aged 8-12 at the time, recorded "Down River" - a story of their time as a bunch of kids, swimming and fishing.

Since then, the scene has grown in strength, with artists including Tjimba & the Yung Warriors, Indigenous Intrudaz, Konect-a-Dot, Pott Street, and Tha Deadly Boys, singing in English or local dialects.

From where I'm standing, this is what real Storytelling is all about - keeping the stories alive, whether that's round a campfire, at a festival or in a club.

The story itself is what truly matters - how it is told is up to us.

Master-Piece Spring/Summer 2011 Look Book

2011-05-26T16:00:00.008+01:00

Japanese bag maker Master-Piece have released a rather nice seasonal look book featuring their latest Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Founded in Osaka by Taichi Fujimatsu, they have always stayed true to their goal of making urban styled bags that are durable, functional, and ultimately unisex.

Using interesting materials and colours in order to merge design with functionality, Master Piece pride themselves on the Japanese production processes of its in-house factories based in Toyoka, Japan.The look book features some really nice imagery with a mixture of product, portrait and landscape shots.

If you have the time I highly recommend you take a few minutes out and pop over to the Master Piece catalogue page which features a flash presentation of all the shots.

I have picked a few favourites out for you to enjoy …

Brought to my attention by 189.com

www.master-piece.co.jp

Beauty through Bamboo

2011-05-25T15:38:00.007+01:00

Just came across this via the Hypebeast blog and felt it was worth sharing.

John Cho Moore was sick of disposable products in the industrial design world, so he took it upon himself to make products that look great, are sustainable, and can be used for a very long time. Follow John through his unique manufacturing process to see how he uses bamboo and canvas to create a stunning product. Enjoy!

Beauty Through Bamboo from Turnstyle Video

Home of Millican - The Cave

Why We Need to Celebrate Craftsman

Machines for Storytelling

Gute Zeiten in Berlin

Guest Post: Teach a Man to Fish

A Resolution or Two

It's Nearly Here

Berties Country Store

Christmas Tree Weekend

Rain Rain Go Away

Competition Time

Teach a Man to Fish

Murdock Barbers

Going to the Cycle-In

Nest Thermostat

Power of Making

We're Obsessed

The Marathon Man

The Oxbridge Expedition

Crumpled, not stirred

Ode to Steve

Scorchio!

LFW - Menswear Day

Next Development?

Material Choices

Bushido

Introducing Adam

What Time Is It Again?

Contain Yourself

New Holland

Oh, and any excuse to show this photo. Tommy Hifiger installations at Bread and Butter, Berlin

Joe Nigel Coleman

The Boys Are Back In Town

Bank Holiday Fun

You Gotta Love Explorers

Cave Living

Making a difference

2nd Use

Unruly Times

Load Carrier for Labour

Change

Birthday Celebrations

Magic Talent

A well deserved break

Small steps

Bread making

Back to the Shed

Swag Bag

Guten Tag!

Pack Like a Pro

Plant based anyone?

Bags and Men Made of Iron

Modern Day Millican?

Royal Highland 2011

Bodged Job

Jute Bags

Adam The Suitcase

Liz in the Gobi

Tou-che Duffle Film

Bellroy Take out Wallet

Rap Down Under

Master-Piece Spring/Summer 2011 Look Book

Beauty through Bamboo

Oh, and any excuse to show this photo.

Tommy Hifiger installations at Bread and Butter, Berlin