Freitag Tate Modern Produce Recycled Tote Bag

Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag is teaming up with the Tate Modern to produce a reusable tote bag made from recycled exhibition banners.

The bags are expected to be highly sought after when they go on sale later this month at the Tate Modern.  Unlike other Freitag bags which sell for several hundred dollars these will sell for about $60 US (£30).

"Our objective is to appeal to a wide audience. We don't want to price people out," said Tate Modern's Helena Lawrence.

However, while the price tag may be accessible, the collection's limited number (170) ensures that the bags will retain the exclusivity of their designer label.

Freitag's innovative designs have been growing in popularity since 1993, when the company launched the first bag to be made entirely from recycled materials.

Inspired by the Zurich transport route that passed by their house, design duo Markus and Daniel Freitag created their famous messenger bag entirely from truck tarpaulins, inner tubes and seat belts. Markus Freitag hopes that their new art bags will appeal to "an open-minded urban crowd. People who like to see things from a different point of view, and explore new things".

Freitag and Tate Modern are already considering new lines incorporating the works of other artists. "We are looking at expanding the range, but obviously it will depend on the materials available," said Helena Lawrence.

Indeed, it was these practical considerations that resulted in Constable et al being used over other artists for the initial collection, which has been in development since 2005. "We didn't choose the artists as such; we just used the exhibition banners and other publicity banners we had available," Ms Lawrence said.

These exhibition banners were then coated with the tarpaulin that usually covers lorries, and fashioned into large shopping bags. The resulting designs are functional, robust and waterproof, with no two bags alike.

via the independent