The classic Swedish “Kånken” backpack hasn’t changed very much since it was first designed for schoolchildren in 1978, with one new exception: Now it comes in a version made from recycled plastic water bottles.
They decided to make the entire bag—including the lining and shoulder straps—from recycled plastic. One of the backpacks, called the Re-Kånken, uses 11 former plastic bottles; a mini version uses nine bottles.
When the bag wears out, because all of the parts are made from the same material, it can be returned to a retail store and recycled into new fabric. Fjällräven is also hoping that cities will also start recycling synthetic fabrics, so people can eventually just drop an old bag in a local recycling bin.