Skip to main content

Hudson Sutler: Putting the Cool in Cooler Bags

hudson sutler putting the cool in cooler bags montauk bag
A beat up duffel bag with a great patina and a rusted, green, gunky zipper led Grant Hewit to conjure up his company Hudson Sutler. The bag, which originally belonged to his dad during his college years, was passed down the line and ultimately wound up in Hewit’s hands.

Today, Hudson Sutler sells sophisticated duffel bags with an oversized waterproof zipper. They stole the idea from a boat cover. “I felt there was a bigger opportunity to build a brand around travel,” says Hewit.

Related Videos

His target customer is a young professional male just out of college up to men in their mid to late 30s. “These are guys looking to have experiences outside the office.”

montauk bag insideDuffel bags have been the flagship item from the beginning. The company offers commuter duffels and larger weekender duffels for two to four day trips, but they are continually developing new products. The latest came out just a few weeks ago. The Montauk Cooler Bag is made of 18-ounce canvas that’s sturdy and made for wear and tear. It has a waterproof liner (the same kind used for life rafts), a rust proof resin zipper and flip top access. It retails for $130.

“Cooler bags are certainly out there,” says Hewit, “but a lot of cooler bags are pitched more toward the fishing and hunting community. While ours can be used for that, our core demographic is a little more social.”

Right now, Hudson Sutler products are sold exclusively online, but that could change soon as they continue to beef up manufacturing to meet the constant demand. “The say we go about product development is to ask, ‘How do we build a product and brand that gives an inanimate object a soul?’” Hewit says.

Looks like they are putting plenty of soul into products that will be well-loved, just like that original duffel bag that sparked a whole new company.

Editors' Recommendations

Recycle Old Sheets and Towels for New Ones With Coyuchi for Life
coyuchi bed sheets

Usually, when we dispose of our clothes, bed sheets or towels, where they end up is an afterthought. Did you know that 10 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills every year? Coyuchi, the luxury organic and sustainable home textile manufacturer is attempting to tackle the problem through a new subscription program called Coyuchi for Life that allows consumers to purchase sheets, duvets, and towels without the worry of damaging the environment. Pay anywhere from $5 to $42 a month, depending on what subscription you get. According to the company, its Coyuchi for Life service accomplishes three things:
1. GO AFTER A MEASURABLE ISSUE WITH NO EASY ANSWERS
There is no easy way to recycle sheets and towels. Rags eventually get thrown out, and up to 80% of donations to Goodwill end up in the landfill.  'Coyuchi for Life' reclaims used sheets and towels, renews them when possible, and recycles unsalvageable textiles into new yarn.

2. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL POSITIVE BENEFITS FROM THE FARM TO YOUR BED
While redirecting and keeping materials out of landfills, Coyuchi home linens also meet the highest standards for organic cotton (GOTS-certified) and use only natural dyes and detergents for processing—keeping harsh chemicals out of groundwater, rivers, and oceans from the farm to people's homes.

Read more
Woolrich X The Hillside: Bags Built for Life on the Move
hillside bags

A collaboration between The Hill-Side, a clothing and accessories brand founded in Brookyn, and Woorich, the Original Outdoor Clothing Company, has resulted in the must-have bags for fall.

The new lineup includes a daypack, tote bag, backpack, briefcase, and weekender bag—all built tough and ready to handle your active lifestyle.

Read more
Pink Ribbon Pocket Square by Michael Bastian
lab series breast cancer awareness campaign

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and while men only account for about 1% of breast cancer diagnoses, 1-in-8 women in the US will receive the news she has invasive breast cancer. The risk of developing breast cancer may be low in men, but all men certainly run the risk of loving someone who does develop it. That’s why LAB SERIES, the men’s skincare line from Estée Lauder, has teamed up with famed designer Michael Bastian to make your skin and outfit look sexy as hell as you support the Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign.

 

Read more