DIOSA Design Inc began with a random conversation between a mother and daughter on an ordinary morning in St. John’s, Newfoundland, back in 2017. Kim Hickman, the mom, popped by the bedroom of her 25-year-old daughter, Katie Thompson, to find Katie trying to figure which backpack she’d be using that day. The young woman’s dismay over the shortcomings of her choices – this one’s too small, this one’s too feminine – spurred a brainstorming session about what ‘the perfect backpack for women’ might look like. Spin the clock ahead a week later, and the duo were entertaining 30 women in their living room all of whom had accepted Kim’s invite to drink wine whilst participating in the first ever “backpack yak”. Eight prototypes and a new company later and “The Maya” was born, a stylish, vegan-leather backpack that features a USB port, an easy-to-access, protective laptop compartment, and an ergonomic structure designed in consultation with an occupational therapist.

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DIOSA DESIGN

Today, the mother-daughter, eCommerce company offers a modest range of smartly designed, functional carry products that are sustainable and ethically sourced. DIOSA directs a portion of its profit to “1% for the women”, a social movement aimed at empowering women and girls, and is a member of 1% for the Planet and a recent BCorp-certification recipient.

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This past fall, the company added “The Boob Bag” to their product line. Handcrafted by artisans in an ethical factory located in Leon, Mexico, the vegetable tanned leather carryall can be worn multiple ways including across the chest. Its name stems in part from its positioning on the body but also in honour of another important cause. DIOSA is donating a portion of Boob Bag sales to breast cancer research and awareness.