Dopp kit

For other uses, see Kit (disambiguation).

A Dopp kit is a small toilet bag, made of leather, vinyl, or cloth, that is used for storing men's grooming tools for travel. Common items kept in a Dopp kit are deodorant, a razor, shaving cream, comb, shampoo, nail clippers, scissors, toothbrush, toothpaste, and cologne. The name derives from early 20th century leather craftsman Charles Doppelt, a German immigrant to the United States, who invented his toiletry case in 1919.^[1]

The kits became widely known during the Second World War when they were issued to GIs. Doppelt's company was purchased by Samsonite in the early 1970s.

Dopp kits were once a common gift given to adolescent males as they ascended from boyhood to adulthood.^[2]

Although the term was originally a trademark, it appears to have at least mostly become generic, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office lists the trademark as abandoned.^[3]

In the British Isles the item is known as a "sponge bag".

Notes

1. ^ Source: Catalogue from The Guildhall, Davis + Henderson, Markham, Ontario, Canada.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

External links

• Etymology from The Word Detective
• Dopp kit at World Wide Words