Have you ever heard of a Dopp Kit?
A Dopp Kit is something that almost all of us own, but the term is pretty uncommon within British vernacular. In the US, the term is used by many as a trademark noun, much like one might use the word Biro for a pen, Jeep for a 4 x 4, Thermos for a flask or Hoover for a vacuum cleaner. So what is a Dopp Kit (we hear you yell)? Well, it is actually a washbag or toiletry bag. Depending on where you are from and where you are shopping, Dopp kits have plenty of synonyms; sponge bag, ditty bag, shaving kit, toiletry bag, sponge bag or wet pack.
The Dopp Kit coins its name after the leather craftsman, Charles Doppett, whose company first designed the leather case in 1919. Suitably elegant and more importantly, practical, by the outbreak of the Second World War, they were a military issue piece of kit for the US Army. Prior to Doppett’s design, they were known as toilet bags, but that phrase in itself was deemed off-putting and too graphic for most.
Over the years, the Dopp brand has been purchased by various companies, primarily in a bid to have ownership rights to the name. In the early 1970s it passed into the hands of Samsonite, before being purchased by Buxton at the end of the decade. Today, whilst the label remains in existence, the descriptive term Dopp Kit is used by brands across the globe.
The size of your Dopp-kit might dictate how many toiletries you can carry when on a trip away or a visit to the gym. Think about what you put in it and we also recommend stashing away a small sealable clear bag for when you go through the undignified process of having to empty out your liquids when passing through security at the airport. Whatever you do, don’t opt for the plastic bag only, there is nothing more depressing!
Here at Tusting, we produce our own versions of the Dopp Kit, designed and worked to be as masculine and stylish as they are practical. Horizon comes in a choice of canvas and leather, or our classic, all leather options and comprises a main compartment, carry handles, inner zip pocket and useful outer slip pocket. Use it for travel or the gym, or let it transcend its more traditional confines and use it as a handy pouch for keeping things organised when out on the road. We have customers who use theirs as a pencil case or to keep plugs, cables and all those other fiddly bits together.
Our Harrogate Washbag is our smallest Dopp-kit iteration and is available in a choice of three leather. This one is perfect for the minimalist, light traveler who brings only the essentials.
The canny may also observe that this makes a great all-purpose pouch also, slipping effortlessy into any bag, but also so easily carried in the hand. The wipeable, water-resistant lining keeps things super-practical on the inside too.
Whilst you might not be heading out on the road or to the gym at the moment, starting to plan and getting organised for your next adventure is always a positive step forward, especially right now.
Discover our range of wash bags.
