Earlier this year the crew at Mission Workshop cycled through bamboo forests in China’s Yangtze River Delta and ended in bustling Shanghai, where they set up their goods at fixed-gear boutique Factory Five amid the city’s frenzied network of super highways and high-rise apartment buildings. While this the farthest east that Mission Workshop has toured, it’s not the first time they’ve set up shop abroad. In their four-year history they’ve opened pop-up shops in Tokyo, Berlin, London and New York City. Through their workshops, Mission makes a case for the bag as more than an accessory for cyclists, as important to the journey as the bike itself.

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Like their signature messenger bags and backpacks, their flagship store and adjoining workshop in San Francisco’s Mission district is well-constructed and made with locally-sourced materials – like wood panels and a repurposed truck container. The pipeline bars for hanging shirts and the exposed sheet metal above shelves and panels gives the space an industrial feel that’s reflected in the aluminum notches and buckles which hold together their bags. A favorite among urban commuters, their roll-top messenger bags balance toughness and style, with a choice between weatherproof specialty fabric and waxed canvas. It takes just that level of craftsmanship to withstand the pull of steep up- and down-hill bike commutes across the Bay City’s urban hills, not to mention the wind and the rain. Learn more about Mission and their mission here.