Freitag By KEOMA

The Verdict

Tired of seeing the same fjallraven and Longchamp backpacks on everyone from uni students to cashed-up Toorak mums? We feel you. Finding a bag that’s actually unique (and not just spruiked as ‘unique’ by a brand’s marketing team) is actually kind of hard. Especially in an age where Instagram is making fashion increasingly generic and homogenized.  

Well get excited, because we just found a Swiss bag brand that’s set up shop in Fitzroy, and every single bag they make is one of a kind. Not only that, they’re upcycled from discarded truck tarpaulins, bicycle inner tubes and a bunch of other stuff you’d usually find in the local tip. Herschel this place is not.

The brand’s called Freitag, and it started in Zurich back in 1993 with graphic designers Markus and Daniel. They wanted a bag that was functional, water-repellent and robust. Inspired by the heavy traffic that rumbled past their flat, they built the first Freitag prototype using truck tarpaulins, discarded bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts. And although the brand has opened shops in 25 countries all over the world, the bags are still made the exact same way. That means, when you get one, it’s yours. No-one else will ever have a copy.

The range has grown over the years. You can now get reclaimed totes, shoulder and messenger bags, backpacks, laptop bags, handbags and travel bags (along with a burgeoning clothing line). They’re all built from hard-wearing tarp and rubber, and they come in every colour, size, shape and style. Head on down to the new super-mod, industrial-style store on Brunswick St to check out the latest range. We promise, you’ve never seen anything like these before.

Image credit: Freitag