Palette Bag:
Humble Beginning
Palette Bag started with a free gym bag and a quiet realization.
When founder Cindy Ou joined her local gym, she was handed a free branded duffle and instantly knew she’d never use it. It was bulky, cheap-looking, and completely uninspiring.
She went searching for something better. Online. In stores. Everywhere. But every option felt the same: oversized, monotone travel boxes that looked like everyone else’s duffle. Boring. Lacking character and personality.
Cindy has always been a contrarian. When nothing fit her lifestyle, or her style, she did the only thing that made sense. She designed her own.
Who We Are
Designed in Canada, Made with Care
Palette Bag is proudly Canadian-designed. In today’s geopolitical climate, that matters. It matters to Cindy, and she believes it matters to her customers, too.
Cindy spent over two years building the business, much of that time searching for an ethical manufacturing partner who truly shared her values. She began in Canada, hoping to manufacture locally. When that path didn’t work out, she expanded her search overseas.
In December 2023, she visited the manufacturing facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Seeing the clean, spacious, and well-ventilated workspace firsthand confirmed she had found the right partner.
The same standards apply to materials. Cindy quickly learned that not all materials are created equal—even when they share the same name. She consistently chose higher-grade, more durable options, committed to creating a bag that lasts and feels good to use, every single day.
Built for Everyday Use
Palette Bag is designed for working professionals who move seamlessly between work, the gym, meetings, and everyday life.
Cindy carries her laptop everywhere, including the gym, which is why every Palette Bag features a built-in laptop sleeve. Jump on a Zoom call anytime, anywhere. No bag swap required.
She also knows how easy it is to forget a padlock on gym days. That’s why the Palette Bag includes a discreet built-in padlock with a matching key, well, just in case.
And for those who travel often, the back pocket converts into a luggage sleeve, allowing the bag to slide securely onto a carry-on handle for effortless movement.
Beyond these features, additional details have been thoughtfully designed to support everyday use. For Cindy, this is a continuous improvement journey and one that never stops. She actively welcomes customer feedback to keep refining, improving, and building better bags with every iteration.
Brand Message:
Define Your Colour
More than anything, Cindy wants people carrying a Palette Bag to feel confident and comfortable being exactly who they are.
That’s what the brand’s slogan means to her: Define your colour. If there’s an idea worth pursuing, go for it. If the path looks a little different, that’s the point. You get to define your own colour and Palette Bag is simply here to carry the essentials along the way.