Canvas ages well, which is why XD Design built this Impact AWARE backpack from 16 oz recycled canvas rather than technical fabric. The shell combines 60 percent recycled cotton with 40 percent recycled polyester, the lining is 150D recycled polyester, and the bag keeps a clean squared silhouette that suits a commute as easily as a weekend.

Inside sits a padded 14 inch laptop pocket, with a spacious front pocket and a back pocket for everything that would otherwise end up loose. The claim behind the Impact range is measurable rather than vague: each bag saves 2506.2 litres of water, and 2 percent of the proceeds of every Impact product sold goes to Water.org. That gives you a sustainability story you can put in writing next to the gift.

It suits companies that hire in cohorts and want a welcome kit new starters will actually carry. Consultancies and software teams use it as a laptop bag for people working across client sites, and it is a credible conference gift for speakers or workshop participants who arrive with a notebook and leave with a bag. CSR and sustainability teams tend to select it for internal campaigns.

Canvas takes embroidery particularly well, and a stitched logo on the front panel gives a finish that survives years of use. MerchRepublic manages branding, quantity planning and delivery across the EU, and can advise on how the water saving figure may be communicated in your own materials.