During my first visit to Germany in 2009, while visiting Berlin, everywhere I turned I saw people carrying these really cool, unique looking messenger bags. Those bags, I quickly found out, are by FREITAG. Clearly, this is no fashion or style blog. There are plenty of folks out there passionately blogging about clothing and accessories. However, I do love sharing things I think are special. FREITAG is one of those things.
So what makes FREITAG bags so special, you ask? The Swiss-based company started in 1993 making messenger bags from truck tarps. Every bag is a recycled product. The bags are made from hardy tarps that have been retired and often there are additional touches of plastic tubing for finishing edges and the straps are made from seat belts. Because the tarps are, essentially unique, so is every bag. On FREITAG’s website you can shop for a specific bag. You are going to get that specific bag — not one that looks like it or has similar colors but that specific bag.
Since the success of their first bags over twenty years ago, the FREITAG founders, brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag, and their team have developed additional products. In addition to bags, wallets, phone cases, and the like (their Fundamentals line) there are also bags that look less like tarps and more like high end bags and luggage (this is their Reference line).
Admittedly, these bags are not inexpensive. But these are solid, dependable bags — and wallets, phone cases, laptop cases, and so on — that can be used daily without seeing any kind of noticeable wear or tear because of what they are made from. Thanks to my generous husband, I have got two FREITAG bags: a hand bag and a small cross-body messenger bag.
Recently, the company even developed recyclable clothing called F-ABRIC. That’s right: the clothing is 100% biodegradable. They achieve this goal by using fabrics specially developed by FREITAG and, in the case of pants, by using removable buttons. Without a doubt, FREITAG will continue to innovate and be effortlessly cool.
