Quite a lot, actually: you cut down on disposal costs, make your environmental footprint smaller and help to extend the life cycle of a resilient material. And you’ll earn a bit of extra cash for your coffers, too.
FREITAG gives used truck tarps a second life as tough bags and smart accessories.
Our road-hardened truck spotters are always looking out for used, one-of-a-kind truck tarps. Have you spotted a great one or even got tarps you'd like to get rid of? Then get in touch with us.
Tell us about your tarps and drop us a few lines. We’ll take it from there, quick as an express trans-European delivery truck — and turn that transit trash into one-of-a-kind gems.
TARP BUYING: THE BASICS
We buy used truck tarps from all over Europe and turn them into bags and accessories. Send us photos of your tarps and we'll happily make you an offer.
To prepare the tarps for shipment, stack them folded or rolled on EPAL pallets (120 x 80 cm) and secure them with straps or bands (no plastic wrap, please). Each pallet should be clearly labeled with your name. FREITAG covers pick-up and transport costs.
To be suitable for FREITAG products, tarps must meet the following criteria:
- no material that's too stiff or brittle
- no painted-over surfaces or adhesive films
- no anti-theft mesh (e.g., Defender)
WRITE US!
THE FREITAG RAINBOW
FREITAG bags and accessories range from bold and bright to clean and minimal. Whether solid, wildly colorful or featuring unique prints — diversity is what makes our tarp stocks and choice of one-off bag options so exciting. That's why we're always looking out for truck tarps in all kinds of colors and patterns. We don't stick to fixed criteria—we keep things flexible based on what's out there and what we need.
TARP QUALITY CHECKS
To make sure our products are safe to use, we test all our PVC tarps for unwanted substances like plasticizers and heavy metals. We do the heavy metal testing at our Zurich headquarters; external labs handle the tests for undesirable plasticizers. The tarpaulins are stored temporarily until all the test results are in and we know whether we can process them into bags and accessories or not.
TARP SUPPLY FAQ
FREITAG TARPSUPPLY - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DO I GET OUT OF IT?
WHAT DO I GET OUT OF IT?
WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME FOR MY TARPS?
WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME FOR MY TARPS?
The color, weight, appearance and so on govern how much we pay. We list our prices per kilogram of usable material.
We do a final weighing at our factory, after which we can state the definitive price. Speaking from experience, we can generally use 50% of the material weight supplied to us.
Send us an email or give us a call, and we’ll prepare an approximate quote for you.
CAN YOU SEND ME A CONFIRMATION THAT PROVES I HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH FREITAG?
CAN YOU SEND ME A CONFIRMATION THAT PROVES I HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH FREITAG?
Of course. We’d be happy to provide you with one.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING THE TARP DELIVERY?
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING THE TARP DELIVERY?
We work with a local partner to take care of transport and customs.
HOW DOES THE TARP COLLECTION AND DELIVERY PROCESS WORK?
HOW DOES THE TARP COLLECTION AND DELIVERY PROCESS WORK?
After we receive confirmation from you that the tarps are ready, we contact our local partner to put the wheels in motion for their collection. Our partner will then get in touch with you to determine the best time to pick them up. The tarps will be delivered to our factory in Zurich a few days after that.
HOW MANY TARPS DO I NEED TO HAVE AT THE MINIMUM BEFORE YOU MAKE A COLLECTION?
HOW MANY TARPS DO I NEED TO HAVE AT THE MINIMUM BEFORE YOU MAKE A COLLECTION?
Depending on how far away you are from our factory in Zurich, one or two pallets is the minimum for us to arrange transport. In our experience, a EUR-pallet (EPAL) will hold up to four or five tarps.
I’D LIKE TO GET MY PALLETS BACK AFTERWARDS. DO YOU HAVE A PALLET EXCHANGE ARRANGEMENT IN PLACE?
I’D LIKE TO GET MY PALLETS BACK AFTERWARDS. DO YOU HAVE A PALLET EXCHANGE ARRANGEMENT IN PLACE?
Yes, if those pallets are EUR-pallets (EPAL). We can arrange for the pallets to be exchanged when collecting the tarps. Just let us know if you’d like to exchange your pallets when you inform us that your tarps are ready for collection.
HOW DO I RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR MY TARPS?
HOW DO I RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR MY TARPS?
After the tarps arrive at our factory in Zurich, we disassemble them and remove the eyelets and straps. We also cut off all parts that are too fragile, brittle or otherwise unusable. We then take the parts that we can recycle into bags and weigh them by color. We’ll prepare a payment notice for the order based on the unit prices stated on the initial quote we sent you. We will transfer the amount directly to your bank account.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE PAID IN CASH. IS THAT POSSIBLE?
I WOULD LIKE TO BE PAID IN CASH. IS THAT POSSIBLE?
No. We only pay our suppliers by bank transfer.
QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ONLY BUY USED TRUCK TARPS?
QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ONLY BUY USED TRUCK TARPS?
FREITAG creates bags and accessories from used materials that spent their past life traversing the blacktop: seasoned truck tarps, discarded seatbelt straps, scuffed bicycle inner tubes and recycled airbags. The truck tarps that we get our hands on have racked up hundreds of thousands of miles on the road, which is perfect for how we want our bags to look.
After all, every piece of used truck tarp is imbued with its own unique characteristics. We’re especially drawn to matte, scratched surfaces and tarp where the PVC coating has caused frictional wear and tear.
That’s why we don’t buy any drop cloths, ad banners or tent tarps, even if the original material is identical to that of truck tarps.
HOW STRONG DOES THE TARP NEED TO BE?
HOW STRONG DOES THE TARP NEED TO BE?
We buy used truck tarps made from high-strength base fabric with a PVC coating (between 600g/m² and 900g/m²).
ARE THERE ANY TRUCK TARPS THAT YOU DON’T BUY?
ARE THERE ANY TRUCK TARPS THAT YOU DON’T BUY?
Once disassembled, we wash the tarps in industrial machines. This means we can’t use any tarps that are partially covered with decals or that have been painted over. When producing our bags, we can’t use any tarps whose PVC coating has been rubbed off down to the textile itself, nor can we accept brittle or fragile tarps that have lost their elasticity. We unfortunately can’t use tamper-proof tarps (i.e. those with a protective mesh) either. Apart from that, we process only tarpaulins that comply with current European regulations concerning chemical substances.
I HAVE TARPS WITH DIGITAL PRINTING. DO YOU BUY THESE AS WELL?
I HAVE TARPS WITH DIGITAL PRINTING. DO YOU BUY THESE AS WELL?
Yes, we have no problem with digitally printed tarps.
I HAVE TARPS WITH DESIGNS (LOGOS, ETC.) AND ONES WITHOUT. WHICH DO YOU PREFER?
I HAVE TARPS WITH DESIGNS (LOGOS, ETC.) AND ONES WITHOUT. WHICH DO YOU PREFER?
Our products encompass a range of colors and patterns. We are happy to buy tarps with surfaces covered in markings, and we’re equally interested in plain tarps. It’s all about the blend!
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
WHAT GUARANTEES DO I HAVE IN TERMS OF HOW MY TARPS ARE USED?
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
WHAT GUARANTEES DO I HAVE IN TERMS OF HOW MY TARPS ARE USED?
We use truck tarps to produce bags, and cut them so that any print designs and logos are no longer recognizable.
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH MY TARPS IF YOU CAN’T USE THEM?
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH MY TARPS IF YOU CAN’T USE THEM?
If your tarps fall short in terms of quality, we’ll dispose of and recycle them.
ALSO GOOD TO KNOW
WHO HAVE YOU WORKED WITH IN THE PAST? WHAT KIND OF REFERENCES CAN YOU OFFER?
ALSO GOOD TO KNOW
WHO HAVE YOU WORKED WITH IN THE PAST? WHAT KIND OF REFERENCES CAN YOU OFFER?
We work with the largest transport companies and manufacturers in Europe. Planzer (based in Switzerland) was one of the first companies to start supplying us with tarps – and it continues to do so on a regular basis.
CAN I TELL THE WORLD THAT I’M WORKING WITH FREITAG? AND HOW?
CAN I TELL THE WORLD THAT I’M WORKING WITH FREITAG? AND HOW?
Of course. We’re happy for you to shout it from the rooftops. And we can provide you with all the tools you need (press releases, logos, etc.). Get in touch with us and ask away!