Impressive recycled bags
September 8, 2006
Messenger Bag. http://www.freitag.ch/
Freitag make their unique, stylish bags by hand, from used haulage truck tarpaulins, car seat belts, bicycle inner tubes, and used airbags. The result is a strong, waterproof, and environment friendly bag (it’s re-use of materials that would otherwise be thrown away, avoiding consumpsion of new or recycled materials). Clever, innovative re-use of materials going on there, and they actually look really good.
You can design custom bags too. They have an online custom bag creator where you place the stencils on a picture of the tarp (avoiding the bits that have already been cut out). You then order your design, they cut it for you and you get your custom bag delivered.
Screenshot from http://www.freitag.ch/f-cut/start.html
If you knew how much they cost, though, you’d puke.
The custom bags are, shall we say, on the upper end of the price-scale, but I reckon it all depends on your point of view. Yes, they’re more than a few lattes in Starbucks but then again they’re absolutely individual and handmade and wil last longer than said lattes.
And overlooking just the custom bags for a second, the standard [though still unique] bags are quite good value, especially the Macintosh bags.
Jams,
I have no idea who you are or what Starbucks’ lattes have to do with any of this. I’ve never even been to Starbucks and from what I’ve heard, they make shit coffee. I wouldn’t waste my money on it and apparently the coffee I make with a cafetiere is better than anything Starbucks could make… and it’s cheaper too.
There’s no way I’d ever pay £110 for a bag – not just because I can’t afford it (in fact at this moment I literally have no money, and none coming near me any time soon), but also because I have better things to spend my money on. For example, food, clothing, shelter, etc.
You reckon it depends on one’s point of view; I reckon it depends on how much one earns.
Maybe you’re assuming that I’m one of those people who can afford stuff…
I’m assuming nothing of the sort; I don’t recall making an inference about whether or not you could afford a Freitag bag.
My observation was simple. Choosing Starbucks as a common luxury brand that a lot of people are prepared to spend their money on (and I actually agree with you, it tastes really awful) I think that these bags are the antithesis of that: original, hand-made items which (if you want to view them like this) double as a piece of art as well as a bag.
In anything, doesn’t one’s viewpoint pretty much always depend on high much one earns? Food, attire (into which Freitag falls) and shelter can all cost a lot or a little. Surely that’s a subjective point of view and, indeed, not just the preserve of so-called/branded luxuries in this world.
Why on earth would someone want a bag that doubles as piece of art, other than because it’s ‘cool’? Does ‘cool’ even matter when it comes to sustainable resources and waste reduction?
And why on earth compare a bag with coffee? At least compare like with like.
Let me get this straight: you regard these bags as the antithesis of something common like Starbucks. You’re coming across as terribly naive. It seems that you don’t actually realise that most people can’t actually afford to buy original handmade items, because they cost way too much.
The Freitag bag is just another expensive luxury, a fashion product that’s out of reach from the ‘common’ person. It’s not that lots of people aren’t prepared to spend money on them, it’s because lots of people can’t afford to spend such a large proportion of their income on what is simply a vessel for carrying things. It would be ridiculous to do so when there are many, many more, far cheaper alternatives.
Freitag bags sit up there with all the other products that scream “ooh look at me, I’m so eco-trendy” – they exist purely for making a profit from people who can afford to look cool and show off their environmentally conscious fashion products.
At least a Starbucks coffee is within the financial reach of most people; at least it’s affordable.
The good thing about Freitag bags is that they might set a trend, and help to create an increased demand for recycled clothing. And hopefully that increased demand will one day make recycled clothing more affordable. Otherwise, what’s the point?
The point of Freitag is that it is offering an alternative. In a world where the ‘common person’ is force-fed bullshit by all the big corporations like starbucks, it is important to deliver a completely different approach to clothing/food etc so that even if its just those who can afford it or those who choose to care what they consume, they still have an option. Simply complaining about the rubbish that starbucks, gap and Mcdonalds churn out isn’t going to change a thing, delivering competition is.
By the way, the only reason why clothing is now so cheap is because somebody somewhere is prepared or is forced to work for practically nothing. No matter how little i have, i do not want to support the companies that make that happen, that’s why i condone what frietag do- despite the fact that its expensive and might only attract a niche market, the people who work there also have to make a decent living and they are at the same time setting a worthy trend which will i’m sure catch on.
I’m not sure why you’re so quick to jump to Freitag’s defense. Do you work for them?
Sounds like someone’s been reading Naomi Klein and now thinks they know it all. I forgive you – I went through the same phase when I was seventeen.
Freitag may be offering an alternative but that doesn’t make them any better than Starbucks. They’re just cashing in on a market, just like every other corporation out there.
There are plenty of perfectly good quality, affordable, fair trade alternatives out there. All it takes is a quick Google search. Alternatively, you could buy materials and make your own clothes.
Do you honestly think that companies like Freitag are going to cause significant change? No change can come unless the general public changes their attitude and their way of life. How likely do you think that is? Do you think expensive products can help do that?
These bags are shit if they’re supposed to be messenger bags. No messenger would find a practical use for such a piece of shit