Stylish Luggage for Travel & Decor
As I gear up for our group trip to Italy, I’m planning what to pack in my beloved SteamLine suitcase— luggage I’ve had for years. Back in 2020, I had the joy of doing an interview with SteamLine, as their luggage is not only an essential part of our travel routine, but it’s also used in our home decor as well. I’ve been eager to learn more about SteamLine’s current sustainability initiatives and their multitasking luggage, so it was with great pleasure that I interviewed SteamLine’s founder, Sara Banks, and posed they key questions I had in mind.
A linen SteamLine hatbox sits next to vintage picnic baskets, all holding various items as decorative storage.
Q&A with Sara Banks, Founder of SteamLine Luggage
Whitney: Sara! We’ve worked together for so many years and I’m such a fan of your mindset and brand. We use our SteamLine pieces even when we’re not travelling, as a way of maximising their functionality and celebrating their beauty. Is this something you envisioned for your products— for them to be used in a myriad of ways? What brings you the most joy when you see your designs in use?
Sara: I’m so glad that you are using your SteamLine even when not travelling! I have seen them used in your home and it’s exactly what I had in mind for stowing at home:) And congratulations on your gorgeous new cottage in Florida! It is dreamy in every way, I absolutely love how every room is multi functional and the colours/textures are so soothing!
The pandemic highlighted how creative our travellers were with using their Steamline cases to decorate and store items at home. Everything from toys in children’s rooms to adding color and decorative storage to a living room. Just because your trip has ended doesn’t mean your SteamLine case needs to go into hiding:) It brings me great joy to see the cases out exploring the world, but also adding conversation pieces, vintage home décor, and mobile storage at home as well.
Can you spot the SteamLine overnighter being used as storage on my desk?
Above: The Overnighter from The Explorer series, SteamLine’s first collection composed of naturally renewable and sustainably sourced rattan.
Whitney: As the climate crisis continues to impact lives across the globe, it’s imperative that we focus on sustainability. SteamLine has a refurbishment program— can you tell us more about why and what’s entailed?
Sara: 100% yes! We all need to focus on sustainability and personally have been looking for any and all ways to incorporate more sustainable materials and systems to ensure our cases can last a lifetime of travel. We launched a refurbishment program a few years ago. When it comes to repairing damage or wear-and-tear, our luggage is very similar to the construction of shoes. We are partnered with top cobblers in both the US and Europe to help customers with repairs and refurbishment, anything from replacing a wheel to lock repairs and more.
Additionally for sustainability, we launched a collection composed of naturally renewable and sustainably sourced rattan last year and have a collection of recycled synthetic leather.
West with one of our essential SteamLine bags in Palm Springs in 2018.
Pictured: a SteamLine mini on-the-go with us, August 2017
Whitney: What SteamLine piece(s) do you consider to be the most essential, versatile, and why?
Sara: We (my husband, 4 young boys and I) have been travelling the last 16 months with the 3 Spinners and 3 Carryons, so at the moment these are my most essential sizes. The carryon is perfect for many sizes of living spaces so easy to store tastefully when not travelling. And I have been trying hard to resist the temptation to put spinner wheels on this Carryon size so it still remains overall the most aesthetically pleasing for me.
Quick side note that I am sure you can appreciate: it has single-handedly the most freeing experience to travel with so relatively little and reuse everything that you have with you again and again -- or if not using it, gifting it on. It makes for a simpler life, and the forced resistance to avoid consuming new items is wonderful. Travelling slowly like this has many advantages, but stepping out of a commercial world into one of thoughtfulness and purpose is yet another highlight that I forgot how much I would value.
I also find the Overnighter case to be an under celebrated item. Not only for the quick overnights as the name suggests but also a versatile amount of home uses. We are going to be introducing this size in a completely sustainable, recycled material that I am really excited to share this autumn! It’s also a perfect size for children.
Sara Banks, Founder of SteamLine Luggage
