FREITAG produces first circular rucksack

FREITAG has started production of the first circular rucksack. It consists of a single material down to its buckles and thus can be recycled completely. According to a press release, the first 1,500 copies of the Mono[PA6] are expected to be on the market in spring 2024 with a takeback process.

The press release states that FREITAG decided that polyamide 6 (PA6) would be the most suitable material for this after an intensive material and market analysis. As there was no PA6 material on the market, the company developed one together with a Taiwanese textile partner. After two years of testing, they have now created a material with the inner lining, watertight membrane, and outer fabric consisting entirely of PA6.

FREITAG’s Circular Technologist Anna Blattert commented: “We weren’t interested in making simple carrier bags so much as functional, durable and, above all, water-repellent FREITAG products made of a single material. We didn’t expect that a reduction in the number of materials would increase the complexity of the project – especially as regards sourcing – so drastically.”

Once FREITAG’s repair and bag exchange service have been exhausted, PA6 will return to the open material cycle through the company’s takeback scheme and can be mechanically recycled into reusable raw polyamide 6. KATZ Aarau, Switzerland’s plastic technology platform, has confirmed that this is possible. ce/mm