Guys, an amazing new bag is about to hit the market that stands to change the way we think about luggage. It inflates when you want to use it and collapses into a tiny, easy-to-store roll when you don’t.
It’s called the ZIPPELIN, and it’s about to blow your mind.
For 24 years, the Swiss bag manufacturer FREITAG has been making robust, water-repellent bags out of used truck tarpaulins, discarded bicycle inner tubes, and car seat belts.
Their extensive catalog includes over seventy products, but there was always one item missing––a spacious, rolling travel bag.
In the signature FREITAG style, ZIPPELIN is crafted from used truck tarpaulins in Zurich.
These tarps are perfectly suited to create water-repellent, functional, one-of-a-kind bags.
But, the weight of this robust material presented a challenge when combined with the already heavy frame and wheels of traditional travel luggage. After many unsuccessful trials, the Swiss bag company had a spark of inspiration to keep ZIPPELIN light-weight without sacrificing space–they left out the frame!
FREITAG came up with this unconventional solution after being inspired by their favorite means of transportation–cycling. They integrated a standard 28-inch bicycle inner tube in place of the frame, creating an inflatable travel bag that is the perfect companion for long-trips and easy to tuck away at home. 
Each ZIPPELIN bag, much like the rest of FREITAG’s collection, is a Recycled Individual Product (RIP) and is completely original. No two ZIPPELINs are exactly the same.
You’ll literally never have to worry about mistaking someone else’s bag for your own (or vice versa) at the airport ever again.
The ZIPPELIN can be easily inflated using a standard bicycle pump. If needed, the bag can be carried over your shoulder as well–simply remove the wheels and carry it using the recycled seatbelt straps.
To gauge interest in their new product concept before using up raw materials, Markus and Daniel Freitag turned to Kickstarter for the first time ever. Backers who pledge €420 or more (about $505 USD) will receive their own ZIPPELIN bag in time for next year’s travels.
Of course, pledges of any amount are welcome, and the project will be accepting pledges until October 12th, 2017.
This is the kind of bag that will last a lifetime thanks to the sturdy materials and excellent craftsmanship used in their production.
And if you’re wondering just how much you can fit inside a ZIPPELIN bag, well, it’s A LOT.
Dimensions:
- 85 × 42 × 25 cm; rolled up 42 × 20 × 20 cm
- 33.5 x 16.5 x 10 in; rolled up 16.5 x 8 x 8 in
Volume:
- 85 liters / 5200 in
Weight:
- 3.6 kg / 8 lbs
As a traveler and a consumer, I find myself gravitating more and more toward products like the ZIPPELIN–they’re purpose-built, multifunctional, made with recycled or sustainably sourced materials, and designed to last.
Because let’s be honest here–travel isn’t exactly a low-impact hobby.
So it’s important for those of us who feel most alive when we’re on the open road to find the most sustainable ways to continue doing so. To be conscious consumers and know how our choices are impacting the planet. 
I, for one, plan to seek out and promote the brands who understand this responsibility and take it upon themselves to find ways to fuel positive change, like reusing materials in order to reduce waste and building products that will last a lifetime so they don’t wind up in landfills.
We can all do our part, however small.
Don’t forget to check out FREITAG’s Kickstarter Campaign to see all the amazing features this bag offers and learn how you can help propel this project forward.
And if you’re as excited about this inflatable travel bag as I am, be sure to share this post!
