September 25, 2024
Founded in 2016 by a group of enthusiastic tech-heads, tomtoc is an innovative, tech-savvy, and fashionable design-driven brand dedicated to protecting your digital gear. It is committed to building products with the customer in mind, under the umbrella of high quality, functionality, protectiveness – and custom made for the perfect fit.
In the relatively short time since its launch, tomtoc has received numerous accolades and awards in NBC, Wirecutter, iMore and more for its dedication to quality, design, and customer satisfaction, further solidifying its position as a leader in the industry.
According to the founders, tomtoc admires the operating logic of Silicon Valley Internet companies and the geek spirit they pursue in work and life. “We learn from it and integrate it into our core spirit of our brand,” said Mark Liu, tomtoc co-founder and product manager. “We keep this in mind and always focus on exploring and developing surprising new ways to protect and personalize your digital gear!”
Mark was kind to sit down with us and answer a few questions as to how the company has reached a high level of success and created such a passionate following. He also shares how their interest in ultra-light gear led them to our X-Pac® fabrics. We hope you enjoy!
What would you say are the three most important pillars to tomtoc’s design philosophy?
User experience, simplicity, and durability. At tomtoc, our philosophy is all about crafting products that deliver the best possible user experience. We’re obsessed with the details because we know our customers notice them too. For us, simplicity is key—it’s about designing clean, functional, and beautiful products that make life easier without all the fuss. And of course, durability is a big deal. We build our products to last, as we want them to stick with our customers from the daily grind to holidays.
In the eight years since tomtoc was launched, the company has grown significantly and received many award-winning reviews. What has surprised you most since the launch of your business?
Honestly, what surprises me the most is that we’ve come this far! When we first started, we never really expected to reach the level of success we’re seeing today. Our journey has shown us that with a clear vision and dedicated effort, even ordinary people can achieve remarkable results. It’s been a steady process of staying focused on our goals and continuously improving, and that’s been the most rewarding part.
What would you say sets tomtoc apart from other protective carrying solutions for our precious devices?
We don’t spend much time comparing ourselves to other brands—that’s not really tomtoc style. Instead, we like to keep asking ourselves, “Can we make this even better? More protective? More portable?” Our products come to life through these internal debates, where we’re always trying to solve real user problems and make life a bit easier. We’re obsessed with finding the sweet spot between protection and portability and will remain so.
How did you get acquainted with Dimension-Polyant and its collection of X-Pac® fabrics?
A few members of our founding team are serious outdoor enthusiasts with a passion for ultralight (UL) gear. Around 2015, we first heard about Dimension-Polyant’s X-Pac® fabrics on some ultralight backpacking forums. People were buzzing about its lightweight, waterproof, and tear-resistant properties. We were instantly intrigued—after all, who wouldn’t be excited about gear that makes your pack lighter while keeping your stuff safe and dry? That’s when we knew we had to learn more and see how we could incorporate it into our designs.
Is there anything specific about the company and/or the fabric technology that made you want to include the fabric into the tomtoc line?
Sure! Our customers are looking for products that are lightweight, waterproof, and tear- resistant, which is exactly what X-Pac® fabric delivers. It perfectly fits the needs of our customers. Plus, using high-end materials like X-Pac® aligns with our commitment to offering specialized, high-quality products. It’s all about bringing that next level of durability and performance to our lineup.
Are there specific bags that you decidedly wanted to design with X-Pac® and if so, why?
Well, we’re continuously looking to incorporate X-Pac® into bags with a capacity of 20 liters or more that can handle both urban and outdoor environments. We believe that X-Pac’s durability, waterproofing, and sleek design could potentially be a great fit for these types of bags. You see, we’re excited about the possibilities and hope to explore how this material can enhance the functionality and style of our products in these scenarios.
Would you share some consumer feedback about the fabric specifically?
Absolutely! From the feedback we’ve received, many of our customers are already fans of XPac® fabric. They often praise its sleek design, lightweight feel, and performance—it’s clear they love how it looks and functions. Dimension-Polyant’s superior lamination technology outperforms less advanced adhesive systems offered by other brands and imitation X-Pac® fabrics. We’re always listening and committed to tackling any issues to make sure our products keep getting better.
Is there one product you are most proud of and if so, which one?
If had to pick one, we’d say we’re pretty proud of our tomtoc x U customization service that we launched in 2023. It’s like the ultimate “choose your own adventure” for bags! Customers can personalize from our VintPack Series to our EDC sling bag, and even the X-Pac® version of the sling. And let’s be honest, the X-Pac® fabric really takes things up a notch— it’s what makes that sling bag so sleek, durable, and ready for anything.
The real challenge, though, was bringing this level of customization to life on an industrial scale. Producing unique, personalized bags quickly and efficiently isn’t easy, but we pulled it off! Seeing our customers get creative with their designs is the best part. It’s amazing to see how much people love having a hand in creating something that’s truly their own, and we’re just as thrilled to make it happen.
What are you excited about for the future?
We’re excited about the possibility of bringing fresh ideas and energy to the bag industry, and hopefully making travel a bit more comfortable for people around the world. As for the specifics? Well, that’s kind of secret for now—you know how it goes! But stay tuned, because we’ve got some interesting things up our sleeves.
Thanks so much for taking the time to learn more about tomtoc! For more information on the brand and its full collection of protective cases and bags for digital gear, please visit: https://www.tomtoc.com.