Hm, This Uniqlo Shoulder Bag Looks a Lot Like a $625 Porter-Yoshida Bag

Menswear fanatics can always rely on Uniqlo for hard-wearing, affordable basics. Case in point: The Uniqlo shoulder bag, a $20 semi-circle pouch that has taken the world by storm for its seemingly black hole-like interior that could store everything you need to bring with you outside and more. Was the bag reminiscent to The Row’s $2,000 Banana bag? Sure, but quiet luxury dictates brands mean nothing.

Recently, we came across a different Uniqlo shoulder bag, one that tickled our brain in a way that made us think about another rectangular shoulder bag from the Japanese brand Porter. While Porter’s large Tanker Sling Bag costs around $625 (also available in medium and small sizes), Uniqlo’s very-similar option costs a cool $30.

For the uninitiated, Porter is a sub-brand of Yoshida & Co., which has been making nylon bags since 1962 (the Tanker Briefcase has long reigned as one of our favorite briefcases for men). Yoshida & Co.’s eponymous founder had served in the military, and was inspired by the triple-layer nylon of the army’s MA-1 bomber jackets, which he saw could be repurposed into bags because of its durability and light weight. Porter Tankers have a few calling cards to make it easy to identify, namely its shiny nylon exterior and a small rectangular patch placed on the corner with the word “Porter.”

Aside from that, Uniqlo’s shoulder bag is a near-Xerox take on the Tanker, down to its design, colorway, size, and pocket placements. Yes, the hardware ain’t as nice. It might not have the same compartment setup, and it’s not nearly as indestructible as Porter’s Tanker, but it is equally water-resistant (and stylish).

Part of Porter’s appeal—besides the fact that its bags really are that good—is that they’re hard to find in the US. Sure, you’ll occasionally find a few at retailers like Todd Snyder or other independent menswear retailers, but the most common way to get its bags is through eBay or a proxy. But Uniqlo? There’s pretty much one in every corner (and mall) in America. Get one now and you won’t have to carry the burden of not owning one.