Two women, Ruffsack founders Mich and Gianne, standing together in front of a large wooden door, with handwritten labels pointing to them as Mich, on the left, and Gianne, on the right. The woman on the left wears a dark teal sleeveless dress, while the woman on the right wears a white strapless dress. Both are holding a colorful bouquet.

How Ruffsack Started

My sister and I have always been incredibly close. We're sisters, best friends, and do almost everything together—whether it's traveling, shopping, brainstorming new ideas, or simply spending time with our dogs. While she runs her own textile manufacturing company, I work as a software engineer, but we've always shared the same love for creating things together.

In 2021, while driving our dogs, Luna and Coco, to the vet, we found ourselves juggling our own bags along with another one filled with all of their essentials. Like most dog parents, we looked at each other and thought, why isn't there a bag our dogs can actually wear themselves?

We searched for a dog backpack that was both functional and stylish but couldn't find one we truly loved. So we decided to create our own. The very next day, my sister handcrafted the very first barkpack from scratch with nothing more than an idea—and that's how Ruffsack began.

Two dogs, a black French Bulldog and tan Pug, wearing colorful Dale Ruffsack backpacks against a light blue background, shown in a side-by-side collage. A white arrow points to the tan Pug's backpack, with the name 'Luna' written above it.
Two smiling women, Ruffsack founders Mich and Gianne, stand behind a booth at an outdoor event, holding colorful Ruffsack backpacks. A large display board on the left shows a Schnauzer wearing a blue backpack with the brand name Ruffsack.

That idea came at an important time. During the pandemic, my sister's textile manufacturing business had slowed down, and her small but incredibly talented team of sewers had lost work. What started as a solution for our own dogs quickly became an opportunity to keep skilled craftsmanship alive and support the people behind every stitch.

Today, every barkpack is still handmade by experienced sewers and carefully inspected before it leaves our workshop. Every piece is thoughtfully crafted with care and built to last.

In 2024, I moved to the United States and brought Ruffsack with me. Starting from scratch, we introduced barkpacks to dog lovers one conversation at a time through local markets, pet events, and community gatherings. Little by little, Ruffsack found its place in the U.S., just as it had back home.

Although we're now on opposite sides of the world, we still build Ruffsack together every day. My sister continues to lead production in the Philippines, while I focus on growing the brand in the United States. The distance may have changed, but our teamwork hasn't.

Two dogs, a black French Bulldog and tan Pug, wearing colorful Ruffsack backpacks against a white background, shown in a side-by-side collage. An orange arrow points to the French Bulldog's backpack, with the name 'Coco' written above it.
A two-panel collage showing two women, Ruffsack founders Mich and Gianne, traveling. The left panel shows them smiling and laughing inside an airplane, and the right panel shows them standing outdoors in front of a volcanic mountain landscape.

Today, Ruffsack remains a family business built by two sisters and best friends, handcrafted with care, and loved by thousands of dogs and their humans around the world. What started with Luna and Coco has grown into something we're incredibly proud of, and we're so grateful to have you as part of our journey.

Gianne Confesor-Eiben Co-founder

Whether you're heading to the park, the beach, or your next big adventure, we're honored to be a small part of the memories you make with your pup. 🐾

Thank you for being part of our journey!