Away Luggage is not made in the USA.The brand is designed at its headquarters in New York City but manufactured across Asia, including China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
Away is a privately held American company founded in 2015. It is not owned by a larger luggage conglomerate like Samsonite, which owns competitors including Tumi and American Tourister.
This article covers who owns Away, where its luggage is actually manufactured, whether the quality still holds up, and its founding history.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Away Luggage?
Away, operated by parent company JRSK Inc, is a privately held American company headquartered in New York City.
Current collections are shown on Away’s official website.
Away was founded by Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, who previously worked together on the early executive team at Warby Parker.
Jen Rubio now serves as executive chair, while Jessica Schinazi serves as CEO.
The company has raised funding from investors including Accel Partners and Forerunner Ventures since its 2015 launch.
Away remains independent rather than being part of a larger luggage holding company, unlike rivals such as Tumi and American Tourister, both owned by Samsonite.
Where Is Away Luggage Made?
Away luggage is designed at the company’s New York City headquarters but manufactured across several Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Indonesia, according to the company’s own website.
Away sources components globally as part of its manufacturing process, including polycarbonate shells and wheel hardware.
The brand assembles finished suitcases through contract factories rather than company owned plants.
This puts Away in line with most direct to consumer luggage brands, which manufacture overseas to keep prices competitive while handling design and marketing domestically.
What Was Away’s 2019 Workplace Controversy?
In December 2019, The Verge published an investigation describing a toxic workplace culture at Away, built partly around a strict internal Slack policy that discouraged email and private channels.
Former employees said the environment created intimidation rather than the inclusion co-founder Steph Korey said the policy was designed to promote.
The report included harsh Slack messages from Korey to staff, along with allegations that she fired employees, including at least one woman of color, after accusing them of posting discriminatory comments in a private channel used mostly by LGBTQ and nonwhite staffers.
Korey publicly apologized, calling her behavior wrong, and initially announced she would step down as CEO.
Away’s board reversed that plan within weeks, and Korey returned as co-CEO alongside incoming Lululemon executive Stuart Haselden.
Korey eventually transitioned out of the CEO role entirely in the years that followed. Jen Rubio now serves as executive chair, while Jessica Schinazi leads the company as CEO.
Away vs Samsonite vs Rimowa: How Do They Compare?
Away built its business by selling luggage direct to consumers online, allowing it to price its polycarbonate carry-ons at roughly half the cost of comparable bags from Tumi, which is owned by Samsonite.
Samsonite itself manufactures the bulk of its lineup, including Tumi and American Tourister, in China and other parts of Asia, similar to Away’s own sourcing footprint.
Rimowa, the German heritage luggage brand now owned by LVMH, sits at a higher price tier.
Rimowa has historically retained a small amount of Made in Germany production for its aluminum Original collection, a distinction Away and most of its direct to consumer competitors cannot claim.
Where Away has differentiated itself is design and marketing rather than manufacturing origin, building a recognizable aesthetic through social media and influencer partnerships.
That approach helped the brand reach unicorn valuation status years before some of its more traditional competitors modernized their own direct to consumer offerings.
Shoppers comparing the three brands should weigh warranty terms carefully, since coverage details vary meaningfully between Away, Samsonite owned brands, and Rimowa.
When Was Away Founded?
Away was founded on November 9, 2015 by Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, who met years earlier as colleagues on the founding executive team at Warby Parker.
More on the company’s history is documented on Wikipedia.
The company raised 2.5 million dollars in seed funding shortly after launch and shipped its first carry on suitcase in February 2016.
Away built its identity around a single, well designed carry on rather than a sprawling product catalog, a strategy that helped the brand stand out in a crowded luggage market.
Away has since expanded into checked luggage, backpacks, travel accessories, and apparel.
The company now operates 17 physical stores alongside its online business, with revenue exceeding 150 million dollars.
Is Away Luggage Still Good Quality?
Away built its early reputation on premium components, including YKK zippers, widely regarded as an industry standard for durability, and Hinomoto wheels sourced from Japan.
Long time owners and reviewers generally describe the polycarbonate shells as holding up well to regular travel use.
More recent reviews flag some quality shifts. After 2023, Away switched to a different zipper supplier.
Review site NewCarryOn documented a cluster of zipper failure reports in early to mid 2026, including at least one first trip failure.
The site noted Away resolved that specific claim quickly under warranty, and that most long term owners still report no issues.
Away’s warranty terms also changed on April 14, 2026.
The original policy offered a lifetime limited warranty covering manufacturing defects with free replacement. Bags purchased after that date fall under new terms, so buyers should check the current policy before assuming lifetime coverage applies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes Away Luggage
Is Away luggage made in China?
Yes, Away’s polycarbonate carry-ons are manufactured in China, alongside production in Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Indonesia. None of Away’s luggage is made in the United States.
Who founded Away?
Away was founded by Jen Rubio and Steph Korey in 2015. Rubio now serves as the company’s executive chair, while Jessica Schinazi serves as CEO.
Did Away’s warranty change?
Yes, Away updated its warranty terms on April 14, 2026. Bags purchased before that date fall under the original lifetime limited warranty, while newer purchases are covered under the updated policy.
Is Away owned by Samsonite?
No, Away is not owned by Samsonite. It remains an independent, privately held company, unlike competitors Tumi and American Tourister, which are both owned by Samsonite.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.