8 Back to Front Facts to Mark #NationalBackwardsDay 2018

What is #NationalBackwardDay? Is there anything good that is backwards? Usually, when we say something is "backwards" it means it isn't that great.

This list celebrates the things that are remarkable, wonderful or even better when they are backwards to mark #NationBackwardsDay 2018 on 31 January. Share your favourite #backwardsfact on Twitter and Facebook.

#backwardsfact list: created by designer of RiutBag - secure backwards backpack - Sarah Giblin.

1. What did Leonardo da Vinci do?

Apart from paint the Mona Lisa, The last Supper, imagine the future of human flight and be an all round genius, of course.

2. Bananas

Could we be eating the world's favourite fruit, the wrong way round?

3. In the year 2000 the Nolan brothers brought out Memento.

What was the defining innovation in that film? 

4. Checking zips..

When someone else can get into your bag better than you can, has the humble backpack design missed a trick?

5. Imagine if you could never reverse..

Well, there's only one bird that can.

6. Wow, level, racecar.

All spellt exactly the same forwards as backwards. Palindromes aren't useful. But they are remarkable. Finland, we salute you for having a 19 letter one.

7. Running.

Some of us have enough trouble running forwards as frequently as we perhaps should. Can we be tempted to go the other way?

8. The Beatles innovated in every direction.

No wonder they thought that backwards, whilst weird, was ultimately somewhere they wanted to go too.

Most things done backwards are a little ridiculous. But sometimes, just sometimes, they result in a stroke of genius. That's what this day is about. 

Why do I care about #NationalBackwardsDay so much? I devote my life to making backwards things. 4 years ago I realised the humble backpack we all use every day is simple the wrong way round. The person behind you can get into your bag more easily than you. That causes theft, loss or just worry and suspicion, all of which we can do without. So I created the backwards backpack, RiutBag. In fact, my entire life is just about creating backwards backpacks. Imagine that.

So bring on the celebration of the world of ideas, chance occurrences and designs which are making the world a better place - just by doing exactly the opposite of what you'd expect.

Happy National Backwards Day! Wishing you safe travels wherever you go.

Kind regards

Sarah Giblin

Backwards backpack designer