Soi55 started in 2015, during their "slow travel" through Asia. "Slow Travel" is a mindset that rejects traditional ideas of tourism and encourages you to soak in your environments and keep yourself open to new experiences.

Here is their story:

"I started Soi 55 in 2015 whilst on a 'happiness mission' in Indonesia and Thailand. My passion for travel over the last 10 years has taken me to remote beaches, bustling cities and magical markets. I followed my dreams and finally aligned my desire to keep traveling with running my own business to create the beach and travel lifestyle I have always worked so hard to be a part of. Endlessly inspired by the far-flung beaches of the tropics, the Portuguese blue skies and the excitement of the undiscovered. With the help from talented artisans around the world I find, design and create colourful, beach + travel bags and accessories. Be it the beach or the city, travel is our passion and our products will always reflect this. Many of our collections are beautifully handmade by artisans around the globe using traditional or special techniques and are uniquely designed especially for Soi 55. All of our products have a level of sustainability and are designed to last you for years to come. ”

We found Soi55 by chance when we were in London window shopping around the Coal Drops Yard complex. At one of the store, we found a very colorful tote bag and saw that it was made by recycled plastic. Afterwards, we looked up the brand and read through Soi55's website and saw her slow travel stories and immediately got in contact by email and here we are now! Soi55's website is full of slow travel and sustainable stories, please take a look!