by ibby
FREITAG’s new Zurich repair kiosk pushes sustainable design forward by making circularity accessible, functional and stylish. Discover how the brand’s innovative repair experience strengthens product longevity and redefines modern design culture.
Leave it to FREITAG to make repair feel not just responsible, but genuinely exciting. The Zurich-based brand has unveiled a new repair kiosk right next to its Flagship Store, and while it is compact in size, its impact on circular design thinking is anything but small. Instead of treating repair as an afterthought, FREITAG continues to weave it into the core of its brand, proving that a circular economy can be functional, beautiful and culturally relevant.
A Design System Built for Second Lives
FREITAG bags have always been built from rescued truck tarps, meaning every product begins its life as a recycled object. But the brand’s circular thinking doesn’t stop at materials. The Bag Doctors repair service has become a defining part of FREITAG’s identity, reviving everything from torn tarps to worn zippers, velcro, straps and seams. In 2024 alone, nearly 10,000 bags were brought back to life, a testament to both product durability and consumer appetite for repair-first design. With the new Zurich repair kiosk, FREITAG is expanding access to this service and reinforcing a simple idea: design doesn’t end at purchase. Longevity is a design decision.
A Repair Experience with Real Character
The new kiosk operates almost like a takeaway window for repairs. You choose your “order” from a menu of services, drop it off, and in some cases pick it up the same day. Sustainability extends to the structure itself: The awning is made from a circular test tarp; The signage is repurposed from FREITAG’s Zurich Oerlikon factory; The compact 10m² footprint reinforces the idea that circularity doesn’t require excess. It’s a piece of functional urban design and a great example of how service environments can carry as much personality as products.
More Than a Bag Brand: A Full Circular Ecosystem
FREITAG’s circular services now include: A free bag exchange platform; Bag rental for travel; A design-it-yourself customization experience; A growing secondhand resale program; A take-back and recycling system supporting fully circular product loops. This is what a truly circular brand looks like: repair, reuse, redesign and responsible end-of-life planning, all operating in parallel.
Why Designers Should Care
For the design community, FREITAG’s repair kiosk is not just a place to fix bags. It’s a case study in how circularity can drive brand experience, storytelling and product loyalty. It shows that repair can function as a meaningful branded touchpoint, one that deepens the relationship between a product and its owner. It demonstrates how circular systems can be accessible and even delightful when thoughtfully designed. It proves that material reuse does more than reduce waste; it can actively shape a brand’s aesthetic identity. And perhaps most importantly, it highlights that service design is just as crucial as industrial design when building a truly circular economy. In an era of overconsumption, FREITAG is offering something better: a blueprint for design that lives longer, loops smarter and feels more human.
