HOW IS A UNIQUE FREITAG BAG CREATED?
The FREITAG FACTORY in downtown Zurich, Switzerland, used to be a shed belonging to Maag Zahnräder AG (gear systems weighing several tons for ocean-going ships and similar applications). Today a crew of nearly 80 work here, in 2800 square metres of space, in production, logistics and administration in and over the warehouse. FREITAG is proud to be one of the last industrial companies still in production in the city centre. Here's how a used truck tarpaulin turns into a new FREITAG bag.
First, we have to find fine used truck tarpaulins, for which we negotiate with haulage companies Europe-wide. Normally used tarpaulins are costly to dispose of but, for FREITAG, they are an important raw material. As soon as truck tarpaulins are replaced anywhere, we buy up the old ones. The more cheerful the colours, the better.
Then the bulky truck tarps must be divided into wearable pieces. It's dirty, heavy, hard work for FREITAG.
Then we wash the pieces in our XXXL washing machines. The humming is hypnotic.
Washed and combed (brushed flat), the tarpaulins are hand-cut around transparent templates using a cutter knife. Our designers use transparent templates because they have to decide which cutting looks best on the future bag. The individual cut-outs are put together, sometimes rearranged, and clipped together. Now they are ready to be made up into a FREITAG bag.
The individual fronts, sides, backs and bottoms are arranged, sometimes rearranged and clipped together. They are now ready to become a bag.
The joined pieces are sent out to sewing workshops selected by FREITAG in Switzerland, France, Portugal and Tunisia. These machinists specialize in seaming our heavy-duty materials.
Finally the made-up product returns to us. We check it, take a photograph (because every one is different) and pack it. Then out it goes into the wide world.
