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Head Off on a Trip Straight After Work! Aww's Daily Boston Bag Shines Everywhere From Travel to Everyday Life

2026.08.12

The Daily Boston Bag, offered by travel item brand "Aww," is a versatile duffel bag that shines everywhere from daily commutes and business trips to weekend getaways. Crafted from synthetic leather blended with cactus raw materials, it combines lightweight comfort, water resistance, and generous storage capacity. How was this eco-friendly bag—designed for ultimate user-friendliness—created?

We spoke with Aww founder Megumi Ishida about the clever innovations behind balancing high functionality with eco-consciousness.

PROFILE

Megumi Ishida

Founder of travel item brand Aww / CEO of Moved Co., Ltd.

After graduating from Kyoto University's Faculty of Law and working at trading companies and IT firms, she founded Moved in 2018. Driven by the desire for people to discover new places, meet new people, and experience their own infinite possibilities through travel, she launched the travel brand Aww in 2020. The brand offers a wide range of travel goods centered around suitcases and manages a travel community.

From Travel to Everyday Use: The Birth of the Daily Boston Bag

Aww originally launched as a brand centered around suitcases. Featuring rounded silhouettes and unisex designs, it has advocated a free lifestyle concept of "living as if traveling." Among its lineup, the larger Weekend Boston Bag—designed for 2-to-3-night trips—gained immense popularity.

Weekend Boston Bag (30L) Beige - 34,650 yen (tax included)

"We received feedback from customers asking for a slightly smaller version that could be used for everyday activities or overnight trips, as well as travel, which led us to create the Daily Boston Bag," says Ishida.

Daily Boston Bag (25L) Beige - 31,900 yen (tax included)

Development began just as remote work and workations were taking off across society. Consequently, the bag was designed with dedicated pockets for laptops and A4 files, enabling users to head straight on a trip right after work. By stripping away the clunky look typical of travel bags, it was engineered as a seamless extension of everyday wear.

Neatly stores laptops and A4 files, handling diverse settings from daily commutes to business trips

Lightweight Comfort for Travel and Daily Life: Cactus Leather as the Key

With sustainability as a core brand policy, Aww never compromises on eco-friendly material selection. However, large-scale environmental issues can sometimes feel complex and detached from daily life for consumers.

"If you start with difficult topics like environmental impact, some people might tune out. But when people hear 'it's made from cactus,' it feels approachable and relatable, making it easy for them to take their first step into sustainability," Ishida explains.

Cactus requires minimal water and pesticides, thriving in harsh environments with a low ecological footprint. Combined with a genuine leather-like texture and incredible lightness, it was chosen as the ideal material for Aww's ideal "easy-to-use daily bag." While they initially sourced exclusively from Mexico, they currently use Chinese cactus to minimize carbon emissions associated with transport to Japan.

Combines the lightness, flexibility, and water resistance of cactus leather with an elegant look that rivals genuine leather

One-Third the Weight of Genuine Leather: Blending Functionality and Design

For a bag carried constantly during both travel and everyday routines, Aww prioritized lightness above all else. Cactus leather offers a high-end look comparable to real leather while weighing roughly one-third as much. It also features stylish colorways, including seasonal limited-edition shades like blue.

"Even if a product is sustainable, people won't use it for long if it isn't cute or functional. It offers a premium feel close to real leather at about one-third the weight. Travel involves a lot of movement, and heavy luggage is a major source of stress, so minimizing that burden was our top priority," says Ishida.

A refined design that offers a luxurious feel while remaining exceptionally lightweight

A smooth, luxurious touch that feels supple and comfortable in your hands

Furthermore, it features the durability and water resistance inherent to cactus leather. As a water-repellent and moisture-resistant material, it easily withstands light rain or splashes, and dirt wipes clean effortlessly. In travel situations where you move frequently and sometimes have to place your bag directly on the floor, this practicality—allowing you to use it without worrying about weather or dirt—is a major asset.

Smart Storage Design That Keeps Even the Unorganized Neat

In addition to its beautiful aesthetic, unique features are built into the bag's interior design. These detailed specifications strongly reflect Ishida's personal experiences.

"Since I'm prone to messiness and not great at staying organized, I wanted to create a bag that even people like me could use neatly. It opens wide like a suitcase, making it easy to pack and unpack while leaving it open in a hotel room."

It opens wide like a suitcase, making it easy to retrieve items and stay organized

Inside, an upper mesh pocket is intentionally attached upside down. This clever feature ensures that when you unzip just the top half without fully opening the bag, the zipper stays at the top, allowing quick access to small items.

Designed so the zipper stays at the top when half-opened, allowing easy access to small items without fully opening the bag

On the exterior, a sleeve fits over the handle of a suitcase, eliminating the hassle of the bag slipping off. Its stability when resting atop luggage is the result of multiple updates driven by customer feedback, including widening the sleeve and adding bottom studs.

Bottom studs provide stability while protecting the base from dirt and wear

Expanding Beyond the Realm of Travel Bags

This thoughtful functionality has generated demand in unexpected scenarios as well.

"What surprised us was how many people use it for golf. It easily fits bulky items like shoes, and since stylish, sophisticated bags that aren't overly sporty are rare, it appealed to people who enjoy golf alongside fashion."

Whether for daily commutes, business trips, or weekend golf outings, the Daily Boston Bag is expanding beyond travel to become an essential piece supporting everyday movement.

Aww also offers cactus leather bags in other sizes. Alongside the larger "Weekend Boston Bag," the lineup features a "Shoulder Mini Bag" that can be worn crossbody as a secondary bag, offering versatility based on your needs and luggage volume.

Cap: (From left) Weekend Boston Bag (30L) Beige 34,650 yen (tax included), Shoulder Mini Bag (2.7L) White 20,900 yen (tax included)

Contributing to the Environment While Enjoying Travel

Aww is building a framework where purchasing products directly translates into environmental action. For its recycled fishing net nylon items, a portion of sales is donated to conservation efforts on Amami Oshima. Developing cactus leather bags is another step toward preserving beautiful travel destinations for the future.

By seamlessly balancing high practicality with environmental conservation through sustainable materials, Aww continues to champion a lifestyle of "living like you're traveling" while pursuing functionality that makes daily movement effortless.

Text by Maho Ueda (altair inc.)