About Chiki
Mission
Chiki was founded with the goal of making laptop work more comfortable.
Whether it be in coffee shops, libraries, classrooms, or wherever you find yourself studying for that exam, beating that deadline or simply surfing the internet, Chiki aims to make it a better experience.
Chiki's Story
If there is a place to study or try to get work done, I can promise you I have been there. I have been in coffee shops, adjusting my seating position and realigning my posture because of the extremely uncomfortable seats. I have been in libraries, on the old wooden chairs, getting up to walk every fifteen minutes so I could continue to study for my exams. I have been on those benches, those stairs, the floor, and about a hundred other uncomfortable places studying for the CFA (I didn't pass…… I blame it on the chairs). Thankfully, all those hours spent studying on those hard chairs were not spent in vain. It was during that time the idea of Chiki was formed.
I was a senior in college writing a research paper in a coffee shop. I had been sitting on yet another uncomfortable chair, looking around for something to pad the seat. I tried my backpack, my jacket, a pile of napkins, my laptop bag-- anything to provide relief. That is when I thought of a solution. When I am doing work on my laptop, I always have my laptop bag with me. I logged into Amazon, bought some cheap foam, cut the seams on each side of my laptop bag, and put the foam inside. It was not the prettiest or most fashionable bag, but it sure made any hard seat more comfortable; even better, I wasn't distracted anymore by how uncomfortable I was and could actually focus on my studies.
After graduating from college, the idea of making laptop bags that were comfortable enough to sit on never faded, and on a trip back home to the Philippines, I came across Inabel fabric. Inabel is vibrant, detailed, and has so much character. I learned these fabrics were handwoven by indigenous people in their homes and were their primary source of income. I was captivated by the fabric and thought this would be the perfect material for a laptop bag, and knowing I could support this dying tradition in a country that means so much to me, Chiki was born.
Oh, and why Chiki? It's simple; you sit on the laptop bags with your cheeks, isn't that Chiki. :)
Foam
The flex-foam used in Chiki bags is produced by one of the top foam manufacturing companies in the Philippines. This is their highest quality foam which is designed for support, comfort and to maintain its form. Each side of the laptop bag has been inserted with a 1/2 inch of flex-foam to give excellent support to your bottom and extra protection for your laptop.
Fabric
Inabel fabric is a product of the hard work and beautiful craftsmanship of the northern tribes in the Philippines. The inabel is indigenous to the northern part of the Philippine islands, with a history going back over 2,000 years. Inabel fabric is handwoven on ancient looms from cotton yarn and is known for its durability and designed for daily rugged wear, while still maintaining its beauty. Creating a pattern can take up to two weeks, and a loom can produce about six feet of fabric a day. The process is intricate and time-consuming; however, the results are vividly beautiful. Every purchase of a Chiki bag supports the hand-weaving tradition and the weavers' livelihood.
