Our Story
Bear Necessities was started by the husband-wife team of Husain and Summaiya in November 2014.
The Co-Founders
Their inspiration came from Husain’s maternal uncle, Maamu Balloo, who was the first in the family to take up leather crafting and had a small karkhana (workshop) in his hometown of Sahiwal where he would make cases and bags for hunting rifles and cartridges – his first love, plus a small selection of messenger and crossbody bags for friends and family (Bear Necessities messenger bag Balloo is an ode to him and a copy of the bag he gifted Summaiya on her first visit to Sahiwal after her wedding). Given Pakistan’s huge leather industry and rich tradition of crafting, Husain and Summaiya saw this as an opportunity for a homegrown leather brand which would one day become a global success.
Maamu Balloo and his trusted Wheelie roaming the streets of Sahiwal
Fond of travelling and now bit by the entrepreneurial bug, the couple would take notes and discuss the different leather bags they would see people all over the world carrying. A lot of these bags were worn in, some of them having aged timelessly, and you got a sense of the shared adventure and bond between the owner and the bag. They studied the different types of leather, how it ages and how it affects the form and functionality of a bag.
Thus, Bear Necessities was started with a love for travel, adventure, and a desire to make amazingly functional and durable leather products locally. There was a steep learning curve in the beginning, but through perseverance, openness with their customers, a desire to learn, and staying true to their mission of providing durable leather classics, a strong brand with loyal patrons not just in Pakistan but internationally too (lovingly referred to as the BN family), was forged.
Our karigar (craftsmen) team
When you buy from Bear Necessities, you’re not just buying any leather bag or wallet, you’re buying a companion for life and an after-sales service to match. We can’t wait to be a part of your adventures.