ONCE AIRBAGS, NOW BAGS
It's not just truck tarps that eventually get discarded. When you’re looking for used materials that deserve a second life, road traffic can prove to be a real treasure trove. The two latest additions to the FREITAG bag family are the best examples of what we mean.
Unfortunately all F700 ARROW and F708 FIREBIRD are sold out in the online store. If you still want to get your hands on one, try your luck in a FREITAG store near you.
Both shoppers, the small F700 ARROW and the extra-large F708 FIREBIRD, are made from discarded airbags, which were once installed in cars but fortunately remained unused. Discarded tension belts, which become soft and supple after intensive use on Europe's truck routes, serve a new purpose as handles. The first lives of the airbags and tension belts may be over. But now they have a new mission ahead of them: as robust, lightweight bags, they’re ready for their role as eye-catching, versatile everyday companions.
Airbags have to comply with strictly defined standards. Which is why they all look the same. Right? Wrong. These super-smart lifesavers come in all kinds of shapes and different pastel colors. Depending on the manufacturer, vehicle type, and where they’ve been used, they may also feature colorful seams and cryptic prints. Being crammed into steering wheels, dashboards, and other impossible places also gives them their own characteristic folds and wrinkles. Add a complete range of strikingly colored, used tension belts, and away you go: every FREITAG airbag shopper is a one-off.
We based the development of the F700 ARROW and F708 FIREBIRD on a simple but sophisticated principle: «bag follows form». Effectively, it means the airbags retain their original shape and characteristics, which minimizes waste and preserves the memory of their former purpose. The ex-airbags-now-turned bags have two identities: moderately full, they’re narrow and compact. But if they’re given a good shaking or are carrying a bigger load, they unfold their full volume and assume their characteristic, rounded shape. At FREITAG, we affectionately call it the «airbag effect».
You can carry your F700 ARROW and F708 FIREBIRD in three different ways: in your hand, on your shoulder, or as a backpack. The tension strap handle, softened by its previous life on the road, is comfortable and easy to grip – perfect for that certain high-fashion feeling, even if you only have your dirty laundry or lunch and a magazine with you. Need your hands free? No problem. The comfortable shoulder strap gives you the necessary flexibility. And before you switch to your bike, skateboard, or other eco-friendly means of transport, the additional shoulder strap turns your shoulder bag into a practical backpack. By the way: The additional outer sleeve (F708 FIREBIRD) or inner pocket (F700 ARROW) has plenty of room for indispensable everyday items.
