Here at Rickshaw, we make the softest pen cases on the planet, and we're bringing our supersoft touch to the EDC gear pouch game.

Our pouches are a little different from all the others. We think that every piece of gear deserves its own dedicated plush slot — no stacking, no touching, no scratching. We respect and admire the "patina" that tools acquire from actual use, but we acknowledge that many of the items in our carry collections are expensive and precious. If you want your gear to retain the pristine, factory-fresh finish that so many makers pridefully and painstakingly create, that's our goal. We think your protective case should do the essential job of protecting your gear. You won't achieve a maximum loadout with our pouches, but your essential besties will be safe and secure.

EDC gear pouches are all the rage right now. I recently went looking for a pen-friendly gear pouch, and I didn't find anything that suited my particular needs. I saw lots of cool Instagram pouch loadouts — chock-full of exotic EDC paraphernalia — and I love gear-scrolling as much as anyone. But, when it came to my own daily ritual of analog note taking, I wanted something to keep my personal assortment of essential EDC tools safe, secure and at-the-ready. It had to be big enough for a few full-sized writing instruments, yet small enough to fit in my jeans pocket. I like nice stuff, and I like to keep my stuff in pristine, factory-fresh condition as much as possible. When I learned that many people accept minor scratches — "snail trails" as they’re sometimes called — caused by tools grinding against each other while stowed inside their gear organizers — I knew I needed a different kind of gear pouch. Patina from actual use is one thing, but wear and tear while stowed inside a protective case is not my jam. I researched an assortment of existing pouches, noted what I liked and didn't like about them, then wrote myself a simple design checklist:

• A plush slot for each tool.
• No stacking. No touching. No scratching.
• Pen-friendly.
• Pocketable.
• Just my essentials.

After weeks of prototyping, numerous samples, innumerable tweaks, and several aha! moments — I finally have a design that suits me, and hopefully some of you. I present the "GP1", plush-lined, pen-friendly EDC organizer pouch — and its companion, the "GP1-Mini". Along the way, I decided a smaller pouch with the same features would make a nice storage companion for my growing collection of pocket knives, tools and trinkets, and a nice alternative for those who like mini-pouches. The GP1-Mini has two configurations: four slots for the pocket knife collector, or five slots for an assortment of tools. In addition to the plush-lined main compartment, the GP1 also features an outside zipper pocket and an open-top slip pocket with a plastic insert for such things as business cards, receipts, photos, stickers, postage stamps, bandaids, emergency money, etc. There's a patch of loop velcro for morale patches and ranger eyes, and a paracord loop for attaching a carabiner, lanyard or your favorite bead "bling".

We are pleased to debut the GP1 and GP1-Mini in Challenge brand EPX waterproof sailcloth (other fabrics to follow). EPX is made from 100-percent recycled polyester derived from recycled beverage bottles — which is a good thing as we try to rein in our plastic consumption. We offer all of the EPX stock colors, and we print additional colors and designs ourselves, using our in-house dye-sublimation equipment.

Final note... Let's dispense with all of the pre-launch hype, FOMO anxiety, missed-drop disappointment and "sold out" product listings. Since all of our products are made by hand and made-to-order in our own shop, by our own small production team, right here in San Francisco, California, USA, you can relax and enjoy. While we may release some of our own limited editions and special collaborations, we always offer a wide variety of everyday fabric options. If and when you want one of our pouches, we will happily make one for you. We're here to design and make great products for you. Thanks for your support.