Totto, the renowned Colombian brand that went from being a bankrupt factory to a global success, was present at the Olympics.
Colombia News
Tottothe iconic Colombian brand of backpacks, suitcases and accessories, has established itself over 37 years as a benchmark both in Colombia and internationally. With more than 600 stores in 57 countriesTotto has gained recognition for its design, durability and accessibility.
The name of the brand would be based on the tastes of its creator. Yonatan Bursztyn, founder of Totto, was a passionate fan of the American group Toto in the 1980s. He decided to adapt the name for his nascent company.
However, in the Caribbean, the word “Totto” had vulgar connotations, which represented an initial challenge for the brand. Despite this, Bursztyn decided to keep the name, which today is synonymous with quality and style.
Totto sponsors the Colombian Olympic Committee
Totto has not only been a brand of products, but also an ally of Colombian sport. For more than two decades, it has sponsored the Colombian Olympic Committee, showing its commitment to national talent.
In July 2024 he recalled 20 years of support for sport, as official sponsor of the Colombian Olympic Committee, through the delivery of a collection called “The Color of Our Earth“, made with functional designs for the various moments that occur during the Olympic Games, such as travel, awards, moments of rest and, of course, the opening.
“In addition to the unique styles that describe Colombia, highlighting its biodiversity, passion, joy, art and color, many hands helped in its creation, as a group of selected Colombian athletes also validated the clothing based on their sports experiences and comfort,” the committee said.
Yonatan Bursztyn, and his story
In 1987, Yonatan Bursztyn saw the great potential in a nearly bankrupt leather factory and decided to buy it and revive his business by using the canvas to create a line of backpacks and bags.
What started as a small, bankrupt leather manufacturing company under the name Nalsani is now a huge success.
Bursztyn travelled to Milan and became immersed in the trends that were then prevalent in the city of design. He returned to Colombia and launched his first line of suitcases, briefcases and backpacks. That same year, the first point of sale was also opened. The brand continued to grow during those early nineties, and Totto’s expansion around the world began by opening up a market in Africa, and later expanding to other continents.
Bursztyn is the fifth of five siblings. He was born in 1959 and raised in Bogotá. He studied at the Colegio Colombo Hebreo and then studied Industrial Engineering at the Universidad Javeriana. He decided to specialize in Graphic Arts in the United States and began his career in 1982 at Litotechnion, a lithography company founded by one of his brothers.
“I dreamed about my life project, I dreamed of creating something, developing something of my own,” he told Noticias Caracol.
Bursztyn had to come up with a brand that was easy to pronounce and memorable, so he explains where the name came from: “The group Totto was at its peak with the song Africa and I said: Totto, I love the group Totto, what about the Totto brand? That it was fashionable, that it was funny, that it had energy, that it wasn’t a black backpack. That it was well made, that was what got us up and running very quickly.”
Since its inception in 1987, Totto has been dedicated to creating products that combine design and functionality, aimed at a young and dynamic audience. Totto backpacks, in particular, have been an inseparable companion for students and professionals alike, becoming a symbol of style and durability.
In addition, Bursztyn has involved his children in the management of the company, ensuring the continuity of the brand and its international expansion.
