Businesses all over the world have been embracing ethical e-commerce. Freitag – the Swiss retailer of bags made of upcycled tarpaulins and seat belts – is, however, doing it a bit differently via their new S.W.A.P. platform, launched just last October.
What is S.W.A.P?
Inspired by the dating app Tinder, S.W.A.P. stands for “Shopping Without Any Payment”. It’s Freitag’s new proprietary platform where owners of the bags can exchange them with other owners for free.
People can sign up simply with registering a photo of the user’s bag. If another user likes the bag and wants to trade it for their own, they can swipe it to the right. If not, to the left.
It’s basically just like Tinder, only with bags that you like. Matches are helped with personalized messages to other users. Unlike Tinder, however, there is no need to download the app.
Since each bag is unique, this initiative gives fans of the brand a good opportunity to upgrade their wardrobe with a one-of-a-kind piece. Because Freitag bags aren’t usually cheap for that very reason, it’s also an excellent chance to get a new accessory instead of one you might already be bored with after several years.
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The platform is in fact dubbed an “anti-shop” because it’s not about making sales. According to Freitag’s head of international communications Elisabeth Isenegger, it’s actually about making people “think about the way they consume”.
Indeed, by making bags that can last for decades and encouraging swapping them rather than throwing them away, Freitag seems to encourage sustainable consumption amongst its customers, as well as giving them an opportunity to make informed choices. You can watch a demo of how S.W.A.P. works below and tell us what you think of it.
YouTube: FREITAG S.W.A.P. – IT’S ABOUT GIVE AND TAKE
Photo credits: All images used are owned by Freitag and were provided for press usage.
Sources: Freitag blog / Livvy Houghton, Alex Hawkins, and Holly Friend (LS:N Global) / Adele Peters (FastCompany) / Vivian Wagner (Ecommerce Times)
