Inflatable travel bag is made from discarded truck and bicycle materials

This unique luggage is made from recycled tarpaulin and bicycle inner tube.

Switzerland-based bag manufacturer Freitag has taken its latest innovation, the Zippelin, to Kickstart to raise funds towards its production. The company claim the luggage is the world’s first inflatable travel bag, using 28 inches of inner tubing for bicycle wheels in replacement for a typical frame. The bag is made from recycled truck tarpaulin, making each product completely unique and water repellent. When not in use, owners can deflate and roll up the product to keep it compact.

The lack of a stereotypical frame makes the bag lighter when inflated and packed with belongings prior to a trip away, holding up to 85 litres worth of goods. The bag has wheels, zipped compartments and grip straps much like mainstream luggage on the market. The product is one of over seventy items available on Freitag’s website, which include clothing, handbags and wallets. The Zippelin Kickstarter campaign will be live until October 12, and its creators hope to send out bags to pledgers in the following months. Freitag will give customers an access code to its online store where they can choose the colour and design of their bag once production is done. Customers who pledge for the “Blind Booking” reward will be surprised with their bags look.

There is a growing market for environmentally friendly accessories, such as the 3D printed sunglasses that are made with recyclable materials and the recyclable cyclist helmet that can even fold away. How does a product’s environmental impact affect your decision to make a purchase?