Today, Wednesday 15 June 2022, Vadobag celebrates its 135th anniversary. What started as a tannery has grown over the years into a leading supplier of bags and accessories for young and old. With our team of experienced employees, we keep everything under one roof; from design, production, and purchasing to sales. You get 'the complete package' at Vadobag.

Changes through the years

Today, Wednesday 15 June 2022, Vadobag celebrates its 135th anniversary. What started as a tannery has grown over the years into a leading supplier of bags and accessories for young and old. With our team of experienced employees, we keep everything under one roof; from design, production, and purchasing to sales. You get 'the complete package' at Vadobag.

1887: Progress through innovation and opportunity

On 15 June 1887, farmer Cees van Dongen started a tannery in the centre of Rijen, at a location where the company had been until a few years ago. In those days tanning was mainly a winter activity of farmers, but especially in the area around Rijen, many tanneries were started up. The presence of forest and water ensured the growth of this sector in that region: water and ground oak bark were important components of the tanning process. At that time the company mainly produced parts for shoes, and the demand - but also the competition - from the immediate vicinity of Rijen was high.

From tanner to bag maker

In 1953 the management decided to focus almost entirely on bags. At that time, more and more "artificial materials" based on oil products came on the market, such as skai, and because the management always stood for innovation, they decided to delve into this.

In the 1960s the market grew considerably, the company with the then name 'Van Dongen Van Alphen from Rijen' even made musical instrument cases for a while. Besides shopping bags, in those days there was also a strong demand for weekend bags for military service personnel, the famous pouches. There was a lot of production in North Brabant, Amsterdam and the Achterhoek, and the company made several takeovers there.

In 1968 the name 'Vadobag' was chosen. The company name 'Van Dongen Van Alphen from Rijen' was good for recognition, but proved too impractical for promotion at trade fairs and the like. Moreover, the company was already active internationally and then a short, English-sounding name is more practical. At that time, it was also decided to stop tanning leather themselves.

Vadobag as an international bag supplier

Vadobag was not only innovative in the use of materials, machines and efficiency. Moving production to Asia was also seen as an opportunity early on. In a time when there was no Internet - not even fax - a Dutchman in Hong Kong - with whom the company still works - sought contact with possible bag producers. Opportunities were seen not only on the purchasing side but also on the sales side: exports grew via Belgium, France and later other European countries.

Vadobag was a pioneer in producing under licence. Building up a bag brand is a costly activity, so it was decided to contact the owners of well-known consumer brands such as Alfred Jodocus Kwak and later Sesame Street and Disney. Vadobag grew to become the leading player in the field of licensed bags.

Although the company was strong in producing for other brands, Vadobag always believed in the importance of its own design. Since the 1970s, the company had its own designers, in those computer-less days still cutting and pasting by hand. This service also had added value for the licensees: Vadobag went further than sticking a logo on a bag, the entire collection was given the brand style. The company also led the way in this emphasis on design.

In distribution, Vadobag also looked for new possibilities. Whereas bags were traditionally mainly sold in the leather goods industry, Vadobag started offering its children's bags through toy stores. A smart move: until then, almost no bags had been sold through toy stores.

2022: More than 135 years of existence!

Innovation remains the core value and driving force within Vadobag's culture and management. Nowadays, a lot of time and energy is put into producing 'responsible' brand bags. Vadobag ensures that the bags meet the quality and requirements according to CSR standards, both in production and in marketing.

After more than 135 years, Vadobag is still an independent family business. From our office in Tilburg, we work with a professional team, and we are busy creating new and trendy collections every day. It is in our DNA to keep innovating and seize new opportunities. In 2019, we will have several bag collections under Vadobag brands, such as Kidzroom, Milky Kiss, Skooter and Prêt, and under licences such as Disney and Marvel.

Growth and development

In Q4 2022 the move to the new office at Technopol 33, in Tilburg is planned. A brand-new building where all departments, the showroom and a very spacious warehouse are located under one roof. This not only facilitates internal communication between the various departments, but also ensures even more efficient handling of the business process from A to Z. In short, a perfect basis for further international expansion.

Our aim is always to provide an extensive choice and to produce and deliver high-quality products. We not only want to satisfy new customers, but also keep our existing customers satisfied. We are proud to say that over the years, we have built a strong network and many long partnerships. Our creativity, clear communication and expertise in the industry are often mentioned by our customers as reasons to give us their trust (again).

Today, Wednesday 15 June 2022, Vadobag celebrates its 135th anniversary. What started as a tannery has grown over the years into a leading supplier of bags and accessories for young and old. With our team of experienced employees, we keep everything under one roof; from design, production, and purchasing to sales. You get 'the complete package' at Vadobag.