Interview with Mauro Bianucci [Carga Bags]

Trunk: Where are you from?
Mauro Bianucci: I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Trunk: What inspires you?
MB: Anything can inspire anyone. For me, from a massive museum exhibition, to the silliest chat with a friend, from a studied seam detail to some random natural formation...

Trunk: What is your creative background?
MB: I’m an architect!

Trunk: In what location do you do most of your creative brainstorming?
MB: Most of the good stuff happens during the morning, in my workshop. Which is very conveniently downstairs and around the corner from my home.

Trunk: What music if any do you put on when you are creating?
MB: I usually work better in silence. In the evenings there is a person in the workshop that DJs, anything from Jazz to R&B, Afrobeat and Funk...He isn't hired for it, he (and us) just enjoy it...

Trunk: Where did the concept of your current collection come from?
MB: The Sleeve Collection started with trying to find a way to have a sleeve for a computer that didn’t have any zippers, magnets or any unnecessary pieces of hardware. The look of a more ‘traditional’ envelope came as a result of the closing mechanism...

Trunk: What is your favorite detail on your designs?
MB: I like that they are pretty anonymous and ‘un-branded’ yet somehow recognizable. I also like the fact that they seem to make up a family even though the materials are different. They share a logic.

Trunk: What materials do you use and where do they come from?
MB: For the felt collection we use industrial wool felt. It is sourced from Patagonian sheep. A percentage of the wool is recycled, and there is also a percentage of recycled mixed fibers. (these percentages vary from batch to batch.)

For the Leather Collection we use vegetable tanned cow-hide leather. It is from a 150 year old tannery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is still run by the same family, I think they are on the 6th generation now. It is the last one in Buenos Aires producing these kind of hides. Also, the straps for all our bags are from the same leather.

For the ØW Collection we use a very durable and strong synthetic material, similar to Cordura / Nylon. It is a very ‘common’ material that we chose to use with the waterproofing on the outside, which is unusual to see.