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Switzerland-based Freitag has over 24 years of experience of making recycled bags out of used truck tarps, car seat belts, or even bicycle inner tubes. After more than 70 products, the brand has created a design that surpasses all others by literally going sky high. Introducing Zippelin, aka the world’s first inflatable travel bag. Launched on Kickstarter, this ingenious bag has already won the hearts of over 600 backers who have pledged over 2.5 times the campaign’s initial goal. And it’s no wonder. Zippelin features an innovative design and tough, water-repellent materials. Its lightweight construction replaces a classic frame with the inner tubes of a bicycle, for a total weight of 8 lbs.
Compact when deflated and packed into a tight roll, the bag transforms into a spacious and extremely tough 85-liter bag by inflating it with a standard bike pump. Wheels – which the user can remove and attach easily without the need for tools – add more functionality to the design, making the travel bag easy to roll around when full. Other practical features include a double zipper for the main compartment, a smaller zippered pocket for essentials such as passport and smartphone, as well as a zip flap at the back for easy access to the interior.
Zippelin also provides three different carrying options: held by the one-handed grip, placed on the shoulder with a strap, or dragged by one of the two top grips on wheels. Each individual bag is a recycled product, with the backers receiving an access code to the brand’s online store, where they’ll be able to choose the color and design they prefer. You can still back the campaign until October 12 and get your own Zippelin for 420 euros, or around $500. That’s about 19% less than the future retail price. Photographs © Freitag.
