A Quick Nerdy Note on Dawn-Green 🎨

Just something we think is worth sharing. Our Dawn-Green colourway turned out to be a little… special. The goal was a light, washed green-grey inspired by metal tools, wooden boxes, and cotton duffel bags from the 1940s–60s. A colour with low saturation, calm and timeless – as it appears before sunrise or after sunset, when colours feel softer and less intense. That’s where the name Dawn-Green refers to.

Now comes the fascinating part: because this colour has very little saturation, it reacts strongly to its environment. In warm sunlight and nature, the backpack appears as intended – a soft, washed green. When the sun disappears, fog rolls in, or you’re under cold LED light, it can shift toward a light bluish tone. Same backpack. Same fabric. Different light, different surrounding colours à different perception.

We talked extensively with colour specialists and experienced fashion designers about this. Their recommendation was clear: explain the physics. Colours don’t exist in isolation – they are shaped by light and context. That’s what makes Dawn-Green so special and alive.

This effect also shows how challenging colour development can be. During development, you work with very small fabric swatches – which don’t always tell the full story on a big product. Large brands sometimes reduce uncertainty by ordering small prototype runs in real colours – but in Asia, even the smallest special runs start at 300 m of fabric, with heavy surcharges and 3–6 months of extra lead time. As a young brand, that wasn’t an option – and honestly, we’re very happy where we landed.

Everyone who has seen Dawn-Green in real life so far has loved it. Combined with the beige webbing – which looks surprisingly realistic like real classic cotton straps – it creates a fresh, modern look that blends urban lifestyle, true vintage vibe, and mountain readiness beautifully.

If Dawn-Green raises questions – or pulls you in – just drop a message. We’ll be happy to help you.

moo@nola.swiss