CEO Janine Weiz-Bühler and cofounder Markus Freitag talk how the Swiss brand is moving upmarket without abandoning its core circularity goals in a challenging market.

PARIS — For two decades, Freitag’s installation of 19 decommissioned freight containers stacked into a rust-streaked tower in Zurich’s former industrial district has stood as a retail landmark.

The store celebrated its 20th anniversary in September, and the Swiss bag-maker is using the milestone to mark its next step with the launch of its Reference line, a range of four bags created to push its upcycling upscale with a more refined, minimalist design.

The brand, founded in 1993 by brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag, is one of the OG sustainable labels. They started by making discarded truck tarpaulins into one-of-a-kind bags before “sustainability” was even on anyone’s radar.

The Reference line, which launches Thursday, now expands on that circular materials philosophy, moving it forward as sustainability may be more well-known as a buzzword, but is currently challenged in the consumer marketplace.

“We prove that upcycling and elegance are not a contradiction,” said Freitag chief executive officer Janine Weiz-Bühler. “Used truck tarpaulins are every bit the equal of classic luxury materials when worked with the dedication and refined craftsmanship Freitag built over the past three decades.”

The company’s Zurich flagship remains the brand’s retail expression. Originally intended to be a temporary installation, the store opened in 2006 and eventually received permanent approval in 2014.

A Repair Kiosk opened beside it in 2025, turning the site from a conventional shopping destination into a hub for repair and circular services.

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