FREITAG is a brand that creates unique, one-of-a-kind bags and goods by reusing used truck tarps. It has been addressing environmental issues and maintaining a large fan base since before terms like SDGs and sustainability became widespread.
We spoke with Yusuke Wakino, Business Development Manager at FREITAG lab.Japan, about the history and initiatives of FREITAG.
"The brand was founded in 1993 in Zurich, Switzerland. It was started by brothers—Markus Freitag and Daniel Freitag.
"FREITAG translates literally from German to 'Friday.' The brand name embodies the positive vibe and excitement associated with Friday, akin to Japan's 'Hanakin ('Flower Friday') or America's 'TGIF.'"
"Before discussing how the brothers started making bags, it's important to mention Switzerland. Although it's known for tourism, Switzerland also has a highly advanced recycling system.
"Segregation is highly developed, and waste is treated as a resource. Against this backdrop, the Freitag brothers grew up seeing discarded items as potential materials rather than waste, often picking up scrap metal on collection days to play with. This mindset stayed with them.
"During a family trip to India in their high school years, they were inspired by people creating various items from discarded tires and garbage. This was during the 1990s when messenger bags were becoming popular in California.
"As adults, the brothers became a graphic designer and a commercial designer/visual merchandiser. The city of Zurich is compact, with an extensive transportation network where bikes can be loaded onto trams and trains, enabling easy movement by bicycle. The brothers commuted daily by bike.
"At that time, messenger bags weren't sold in Zurich, so the brothers decided to make their own. They focused on the PVC truck tarps.
"They acquired tarps that had served their purpose from truck companies, used seat belts from scrapped cars as shoulder straps, and crafted the bag's edges from inner tubes of bike tires. This was the beginning of the messenger bag.
"What was initially made for personal use soon attracted attention, leading to the creation of the brand."
Everything is One-of-a-Kind. Iconic Items from FREITAG
We picked out some iconic items from FREITAG's diverse lineup to introduce."The 'DEXTER' is a staple item in Japan. It features a foldable main body, allowing for a two-step capacity expansion as needed."
"Next is the 'HAWAII FIVE-O,' a small-sized item popular in sales. Despite its simple design, it has a vertically attached Velcro under the flap, allowing for capacity adjustment by lifting the flap slightly."
"Finally, introducing the larger tote bag 'F52 MIAMI VICE,' which comes with a unique story. It is the same size as the paper bags from Switzerland's largest supermarket, Migros. In 1996, Migros produced a copy of FREITAG’s messenger bag called 'Donna Stark' in China and sold large quantities of PVC messenger bags (likely not in a sustainable manner).
"This created a buzz in Switzerland because it posed a significant threat to the then-small company, FREITAG. After discussions, Migros agreed to stop selling the copycat bags. Subsequently, the Freitag brothers created and sold a bag the same size as the regular paper shopping bags sold by Migros next to their registers. They named this bag F52 MIAMI VICE."
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