What the Ruck Is Up With Reading?
Reading entrepreneur is achieving global success in Commuter hub
As the commuting capital of England, Reading has better connections than Sir Alan Sugar. With its ancient abbey grounds: home to and founded by King Henry the First; relaxing riverside and history of femme fatales – Kate Winslet and Liz Hurley originate from the town, whilst early feminist Jane Austen went to school at the Abbey School – it holds an interesting history.
More recently, Reading based entrepreneur Sarah Giblin has been putting the commuter town on the global map, by the introduction of her revolutionary RIUTBag. An acronym for Revolution In User Thinking, Reading based designer and entrepreneur Sarah Giblin said “I noticed in the commuter crush one day that there’s a problem with the conventional rucksack: the person behind you can access your belongings better than you. That’s an unnerving design problem in our densely populated cities."
As the fourth famous B to come from Reading’s entrepreneurs, after buscuits, bulbs and beer, Giblin’s Bag design is gender neutral. As such, it is not geared towards male or female stereotypes; rather an equal high quality product for modern commuters.
From the positioning of zips to the rear of the rucksack against the wearer’s back, thereby preventing access unless it's removed; to discrete pockets for travel tickets sewn into the shoulder-straps, the RiutBag’s primary message is one of safety and security.
The RiutBag combines form and functionality. Designed to appear professional yet not ostentatious; it is equally ideal for the daily commute or for taking as a day-bag on holidays. It has the all-important 15" laptop carrying capacity, as well as compartments for an A4 notepad and separate pouch for smaller personal belongings.
Constructed to be fully waterproof and hard-wearing, built from Kevlar and foam-lined Cordura, the RiutBag is also ideal for those having to walk or cycle as part of their daily commute or holidaying experience.
With the festive season dawning, people across the globe have been taking the opportunity to access this affordable and secure gift. Funded using the crowd-sharing platform Kickstarter, the opportunity to purchase the bag via Kickstarter for £45 (including UK P&P) ends on 26 November 2014.
Reading’s list of influential women is extensive and Giblin is proud to be considered as a contributor to its thriving entrepreneurial scene. She said, “I live opposite the Huntley & Palmer factory - who famously made biscuits for Scott's race to the South Pole. Having lived in Manchester, and returned to Reading; I'm inspired by industry, creating consumer products and reaching the masses as they did.”
At a glance details:
Live Kickstarter page link: http://kck.st/1tvaf06
Funding goal surpassed: £29,700
Current (at time of writing): £45,592
Designer: Sarah Giblin
Product: Smart, safe rucksack for commuters
Cost: From £45 including UK P&P
Campaign ends: 26 November 2014
Editor's Note: Issued by Brand Refinery (www.brandrefinery.co.uk) . For more information please contact Samantha Marie-Cadman, E-mail: Samantha@brandrefinery.co.uk or phone 01886 833446.
About Riut: Based in commuter hub Reading, Riut stands for Revolution in user thinking. 1000 commuters answered Riut's rucksack surveys earlier this year which helped inform the design and style of RiutBag.
