tate Bags is on the rise to becoming a household name with Scot and his wife Jacq Tatelman at the helm. Their story began about eight years ago when they started their non-profit summer camp, Camp Power. Being New York natives, Scot and Jacq observed children in Brooklyn daily carrying their belongings in tattered trash bags or supermarket shopping bags. That didn't sit right with the couple, so they decided to address those challenges, and in addition, help these children to thrive in their communities. Thus, the company State Bags was created. The Tatelmans wanted to create a brand that could give back, advocate for people in need, help the oppressed, and bring awareness to social issues.
With each backpack purchased, they give one backpack to a U.S. child in need. Scot describes State as a for-profit company with a non-profit pedigree. Meaning, although the backpacks are for purchase by consumers, it is the giving, the advocacy, and community work that is the heart of their company. State Bags has completed projects and partnered with major names and brands. They have also hosted events with celebrities like Big Sean, Angie Martinez, and Beyoncé. They will be doing their fourth bag drop with Twitter, NYC this year. Another event was with the White House and other celebrities last summer, in which was a partnership where 30,000 bags were donated across the U.S. Working with such huge names in the entertainment industry and influential corporations has helped to shed some light on the needs of children.
Besides working with huge names in the industry, State has also been impactful within the communities while raising awareness. They are heavily involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. They've met with communities, educators, leaders, and heard their stories about the ongoing cycle of fearfulness and heartbreak that the black community have faced, due to senseless violence by members of the police force. Scot tried to find a way to take a stance as a brand, and give a voice to so many that needed to be heard. State has also assisted with the LGBTQ community by addressing the powers and dangers of language. They interviewed many high-level people and had open discussions about offensive words that are often so widely used. It brought awareness and made people realize that they are being hateful and hurtful in speech. State has facilitated several awareness events. In the #whatdowetellthekids initiative, they discussed the "R" word, which is used as a derogatory term towards children and adults with disabilities. In this initiative, they made a video where people told their stories about their negative experiences in society.
In terms of designs for their fashionable backpack collection, their designer Lauren works closely with Jacq making sure all the products fit their aesthetic, as well as Lauren's vision. Scot stated that Lauren and Jacq are incredibly talented and they make a great team by building amazing physical products. He also added that Liz at New York City has been a huge brand supporter for a long time and they have also built a
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By: KC Loesener