BLACK FRIDAY: DON’T SHOP, JUST S.W.A.P.

Media release, October 23, 2024

FREITAG CLOSES ITS CHECKOUTS TO ORGANIZE SWAP EVENTS INSTEAD

For 30 years, FREITAG has stood for thinking and acting in cycles. This corporate philosophy is clearly incompatible with the over-the-top discounts offered on Black Friday. So, as part of its stand against excessive consumption, the Zurich bag manufacturer will close all its offline and online checkouts again on November 29. But 20 stores will still be opening their doors—for a large-scale bag swap opportunity.

There are tons of good reasons for not being part of the Black Friday madness. With its OTT discount hysteria, it’s a day that helps very few but harms many more, be it socially, ecologically, or economically. So, as in previous years, FREITAG is planning to stand up to it with a «no» to mass consumption and a big «yes» to a sustainable economy.

On November 29, no bags will be sold at any of the 30 FREITAG Stores from Zurich via Amsterdam and all the way to Tokyo. And on the same day, the online store will also be closed. FREITAG not only says no but also offers a genuine alternative to all that frenzied shopping: Its exchange events are an opportunity for used bags to find new owners.

DON’T SHOP. JUST SWAP. 

FREITAG bags are durable and age gracefully. So much so that they’ll serve you as loyal everyday companions for years to come and can easily be passed on or exchanged for another model as your needs and preferences change. To promote this, the Zurich-based manufacturer has offered FREITAG bag owners a digital exchange platform since 2019: S.W.A.P. (Shopping Without Any Payment). And now, on Black Friday, it’s bringing the concept to the real world.

On November 29, 20 FREITAG stores will be offering people the chance to exchange bags they no longer use for «new» old favorites. Participating stores will open their doors to swappers at 5 pm local time. If you no longer love your FREITAG product as much as you did when you got it, bring it along and look for a like-minded punter with another suitable one-off. And if «it’s a match!», the two bags switch owners. That way, you can get your hands on a new favorite one-off without spending any money.

With this initiative, FREITAG wants to show that the future lies not only in durable, resource-saving products but also in circular forms of consumption: swapping instead of buying, passing on instead of throwing away.