Original Kavatza

Our rolling boxes and pouches were born when a spark of inspiration solved a practical problem.

Like most recreational smokers, my husband Christos and me Nicole used to roll our long cigarettes on a tabletop. When rolling, however, bits and pieces would get scattered about, falling on the table or carpet. This material would invariably get swept up and thrown away – an annoying waste. The other problem was that we’d often have to search high and low to find all our paraphernalia. The papers and lighter usually turned up quickly enough, but we’d often forget where we’d hidden the most important ingredient.

At some point, we’d had enough hide-and-seek, and were also tired of dealing with tobacco scrap battlefields aftermath of a rolling session. Something needed to change. Our solution? We could make a box with space for our rolling equipment, including a special extra compartment to catch stray crumbs. We made our very first boxes in the old bookbinder’s workshop of our friend George from Crete. We named our creation the Original Kavatza, “Kavatza” being the Greek word for a private, handy hiding place.

The box was a eureka moment: rolling was now a pleasure! Even away from home, we couldn’t do without our box. But one day, when I found myself dancing at a music festival with the beloved box wedged under my arm, I had to admit it was a bit cumbersome. Luckily, we were visited by a second stroke of inspiration: we could design a pouch! Using pieces of old leather garments from the mother of my best friend, I went to my sewing machine and stitched together the first prototypes. And so the Original Kavatza Pouch was born, soon followed by the Original Kavatza Tobacco Pouch for tobacco smokers.

Since our early days of hand-making the Kavatzas, we’ve expanded our production process. More and more smokers just can’t do without our boxes and pouches. And not just because they’re incredibly practical – as you use them, they develop their own special character, becoming trusted companions over time. In that spirit, enjoint your Original Kavatza.