The Hinza bag

Helping you to carry all you need for a day working away from home – bag reviews by busy home workers.

The Hinza bag

The Hinza bag is a Swedish design classic, first produced in the 1950s. It’s not meant to be a laptop bag, but I’m reviewing it here because it has so many possible uses both in and out of the home office.

Design *****
The bags are an open boxy shape that can be stacked when empty. They can just be washed out if they get dirty. They come in 10 bright colours in recyclable polyethylene, and 5 colours in ‘Green Plastic’ made from sugar cane.

Capacity *****
Mine is the large size, 44 cm long and 17 cm wide, so my MacBook in its protective cover fits in easily, as do cardboard files that get dogeared in other bags. There’s plenty of room for a bottle of water, packed lunch, phone, and any other bits and pieces you need.

Well-made? *****
Looks and feels well-made. It’s a smooth, shiny plastic and the handles are securely attached with nickel-plated brass rivets.

Does your stuff feel secure? ***
The bag is wide open at the top so it’s better for use during the summer months and in places you’re confident there are no security risks. But the Hinza bag has many other uses for a busy home worker – see Best for below.

The Hinza bag in use Easy to carry *****
The handles are smooth and don’t dig in. The fact that the Hinza bag can be carried close to the body means less strain on back and shoulders.

Price ****
£25 for a large bag like mine in Green Plastic, and £20 in recyclable polyethylene. This compares favourably with the price of a basket, for example, and is good value for something so sturdy and well-made that will last for ages and has so many potential uses.

Small Hinza bags are £20 and £16 respectively.

Overall score 4.5 out of 5 *****

Best for
Popping out for a meeting or a coworking session during summer. Or a colourful way to store files and/or products in your home office, to keep your child’s toys neat, to stack in your boot if you’re calling at the supermarket, pack for a spontaneous picnic when the sun comes out. Oh, and the small size fits in a bike basket.