At THRIVE Festival 2020 we’re highlighting some of the incredible Irish brands exhibiting with us and being part of our THRIVE Marketplace. Find out more about some of these Irish businesses and their stories throughout our blog series, Support Irish at THRIVE.

Fiona Parfey started SunDrift with a mission. Her mission is to deliver top-class sustainable backpacks designed to fit female curves.

As an avid globe-trotter, Fiona was frustrated with the range of (or lack of!) backpacks on the market for girls. During a 5 month solo trip, as she was island-hopping through the crystal clear waters of the Philippines, Fiona found herself pondering a question “Why are backpacks all so dull and boring and masculine?”

A few weeks later, she was sat in a female dorm in Sri Lanka listening to others venting on the exact same issue. As she continued her travels through Nepal and Kenya and spoke to more female travellers, Fiona realised she definitely wasn’t alone. And so she decided to solve the problem!

Fiona began designing a backpack that would fit the female body comfortably, that was lightweight and durable, that would stand the test of time with high quality, and that (arguably most importantly) looked damn good! Her little idea had began to sprout arms and legs, and for the first time on a backpacking adventure she was excited to get home to start something new.

Like most travel enthusiasts, Fiona loves and cares about nature and our planet. So she wanted to make sure the packs were made from recycled material and as sustainable as possible. So, with several (hundred) rounds of design and sourcing, SunDrift was born – a backpacking brand that represents the bold, brave and beautiful adventure you are on.

To find out more about Fiona and SunDrift, visit their website www.sundriftstore.com and follow them on Instagram @sundrift.store