About IVAR
The Backpack,
Reinvented.
Since 2006, we’ve specialized in everyday travel backpacks with a patented design for comfort, weight balance, and organization. Among retailers and customers, we’re known for our innovative design and durable construction. Not owned by a publicly traded company, IVAR is privately owned by a family committed to great design and product quality.
IVAR Model, Peter Gilbert
Photo Courtesy of IVAR Stock Images
A Better Backpack | Marin Independent Journal | July 2006
Article by Carla Bova | Photo by Frankie Frost
How IVAR Started.
Our founder, Ian Ivarson, realized all backpacks worked the same. Typical backpacks let everything fall to a disorganized mess at the bottom with the weight on your lower back. As a fix, Ian developed a tiered-divider design for weight balance, comfort, and easy access.
After college and patenting the design, Ian traveled Asia and developed relationships with unionized and quality focused factories. The first IVAR model began manufacturing in 2006. With the factory at work, Ian flew to San Diego with his samples and rented a car. On his way back to the Bay Area, he met with retailers. By the end of the trip, he had 30 pre-orders. The first production of 1,500 IVAR backpacks was gone within two months — shipped to customers. The brand has been going ever since. Its unique design has been written about in print publications, including Family Circle Magazine, The Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Marin Independent Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, and many others others.
At its distributional height, IVAR was sold in over 300 retail doors in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Japan, and the Philippines. Today, it’s primarily sold online and is still shipped worldwide. Along the way, IVAR has donated over $120,000 of in-value backpacks to youths mainly in Africa. Still owned by Ian’s family, IVAR is dedicated to quality and innovative design.
IVAR is based in San Anselmo, CA. Our warehouse is in Vacaville, CA.
Giving Back
in africa.
$120,000 in-value.
Ever since we started, we’ve donated backpacks to in-need youths with a vast majority of those in Africa. With our partners, including the Mike’s Bikes Africa Program, we’ve donated over $120,000 worth of backpacks to kids throughout Africa. Locally, we’ve supported poverty alleviation efforts and giving campaigns aimed towards youths who cannot afford essentials. We make these contributions through periodic, ongoing donations. Most of the charities we’ve donated to include:
Recipients of IVAR backpacks at The School of St. Jude.
School location is Arusha, Tanzania, East Africa.
Photograph by and courtesy of Filip Yip.
• The Mike’s Bikes Africa Program
• The Guardsmen of San Francisco
• The Breast Cancer Emergency Fund
• The Ritter Center of San Rafael
• Local Schools