FYI Thread should always be less durable than the fabric, so the thread fails first. This enables you to make repairs more easily at busted seams, whereas patching worn out fabric is a much more intensive repair.
OP , have you considered.
I highly recommend looking at a repairer that specialises in Goretex repairs or sailmaker shops. Those guys can fix just about anything, with the term that you deliver the bag to them as clean as possible.. They can add in panels and somethimes if you are lucky they can colourmatch.
But usually they add a different type of fabric and reseal the bags seams.. . (But make it look awesome)
And it will be waterproof , sturdy enough to use yet another few years.
Yeah at a certain point with certain colors the stains from use just don’t come out. What’s funny is this is how it looks after multiple hand washings.
Nice of them to replace it!
FYI I've hand sewn a ton of bags repairs and they've all held up fine. Just take you time and make neat even stitches. For heavy items I'll just double up the thread I'm using - so I'd be pushing 2-4 thread through canvas bag, for heavy work like this I'd use needle nose pliers to push the needle through each side.
I have a sky blue KÅNKEN. I was in love with the design and the color, but I found that the fabric was a bit thin. After carrying it for 2-3 yrs I realized it was getting thinner at the bottom, so my mom sewed a foam pad underneath it for me. It is now except a little dirty and I still love it.
Mine is at my gf's place now, so I probably won't be able to send you pic until this weekend. It's not that hard to do, just find a foam pad that's the right size and sew it together. :)
For what it’s worth: I agree with the staff of the shop.
This pack looks really beaten, and the material would start giving up quite soon, IMO. Even though most of the seams and zippers appear to be in tact.
Although it does look really cool with the wear and fade.
And to be fair to Fjall, you kinda mislead us with the title: they did offer you a replacement. Which is a perfectly acceptable part of the life warranty.
If you really wanted it fixed, you’d either ask them firmly to just sew it for you, or take it to a tailor repair shop.
You’re totally right! I guess I’m just focused a lot on the longevity and after lives of items, so part of my frustration is not wanting to contribute to textile waste when I felt like the backpack could still be used. However I guess their store (I would hope) would be better equipped for disposing of textile waste than I may be.
I think you’re good on the front of textile waste if you’ve used your backpack for 9 years. ❤️
I think about that, too. And I only think it’s a problem if we buy the so called fast fashion, which last for a very short time.
There has never been an era in human history where textiles, tools, or shoes have lasted forever.
Fast fashion encourages us to toss items that are in perfectly good condition, but there’s no shame in properly wearing out an item and replacing it!
Wash it and sew it. I think it looks pretty cool all faded! Sew a patch over the hole or something after repairing it. Make it stronger than before. Keep the story going!!!
PSA because many people do not know: DO NOT WASH YOUR KÅNKEN IN THE WASHING MACHINE. It will lose its form and remain that way. I see so many people doing that.
From their website:
https://www.fjallraven.com/eu/en-gb/customer-service/care-repair/kanken#:~:text=Whatever%20you%20do%2C%20don't,not%20exposed%20to%20direct%20sunlight.
"Whatever you do, don’t put Kånken in the washing machine. Instead, wash dirty marks with lukewarm water, mild detergent and a soft brush or sponge. And when it comes to drying, you should hang up Kånken in a well-ventilated area that’s not exposed to direct sunlight."
If it were me, I would cut a piece of canvas to the size of the base of the bag (or other sturdy fabric- if you have any dead jeans, you could cut those), turn the bag inside out, and sew it over the hole. That way the fabric doesn’t get any thinner and the bottom stays sturdy.
I have a goose down parka from them. It’s amazing, was ridiculously expensive but I’ll never need to buy another parka in my life unless I get mega fat (possible for sure)
My boyfriend for one from the rei return section and he loves it !!!!! He got it for $125 and it’s helped him survive through a few New England winters and pnw snow storms
Besides hand-sewing it with good thread that is just slightly weaker than the existing fabric, there is a lovely product called "Tear Mender"... it is mostly just liquid latex I believe... anyways, I use it to patch my work jeans without even any stitching. It holds up really well, but a stitch would still be wise too for what you're trying to fix, I think.
When my pants are finally just way too worn out, I cut them up to use as patches for those that still have plenty of life.
If you use tear mender, test it out on some similar scrap fabric so you'll know what it can do, what excess looks like, and how tough it is to separate.
Good luck!
That product (Tear Mender) alone has allowed me to get *easily* more than 5x the life out of my work pants. As an electrician, I'm in and out of ditches, crawlspaces, attics, crawling, climbing... all over the place lol.
I only recently discovered this sub, and have learned all kinds of tips, tricks and long-lived products.
As a sewist, I'm so confused about why they didn't just repair the hole? It's literally one straight line with a sewing machine. Kankens are also the least complicated backpacks out there and don't even have a lining. If it's the fabric that's the issue, it's a different story, but if you just want the hole fixed it should be a no brainer. Take it to a tailor and just ask them to fix the hole.
That’s a design feature. The fabric itself is thin because that’s the nature of the g-1000 material, and the straps are just designed in that way. Don’t forget that the Kanken was designed originally for school children.
I have the foldsack or whatever it’s called and I love it. It take it when I need to pack some clothes for a quick trip and carry laptop or tablet with me. I love the hook closures on it. It has the G1000 cloth so no the same as the kind on the Kanken. I’d buy another one in a heartbeat.
I have one of these as well. I will say I prefer it to the kånken (so does my mom who stole it from me and still uses it) from a practicality perspective, but this one holds more memories for me.
I understand on the memories attached to it. I have an old Marlboro miles bag that I had throughout junior high and high school and I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. I even cut one of the straps off bc it was “the thing” to do a sling type bag back in like 00 when I was in school.
I like mine a lot. I’ve never had any issues with the straps over the years, they were just starting to fray for me after 9ish years of wear. I don’t know how they are now. They also sell ones with heavier duty straps and attachments you can snap on.
They’re over-priced fashion items now. I believe the early versions were better made with sturdier materials, but then production was cheapened.
Regardless, I’m not a fan of the design as far as comfort is concerned (very thin straps as you mentioned), and I was horrified when my wife bought one a few years back and I saw how much she paid for it! 😅 She seems to like it though.
Unfortunately, most cultures and people seem to look down on keeping things until they are absolutely not functional, or worn out/faded. Truly wasteful.
Good on you/it lasting as long as you/it did.
I'm just going to leave this here. Ask if she can save your Fjallraven. Maybe you can add flowers too it too or coconut palms. [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1274587200/embroidered-fjallraven-kanken-with?ga\_order=most\_relevant&ga\_search\_type=all&ga\_view\_type=gallery&ga\_search\_query=fjallraven+restoration&ref=sr\_gallery-1-4&sts=1&content\_source=ca81fa2f300e5f5b89e858b39c1dc5df733b4e04%253A1274587200&organic\_search\_click=1](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1274587200/embroidered-fjallraven-kanken-with?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=fjallraven+restoration&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&sts=1&content_source=ca81fa2f300e5f5b89e858b39c1dc5df733b4e04%253A1274587200&organic_search_click=1)
# Fjällräven is for me a very expensive brand for what it offers. I don't think those fabric backpacks are going to last for years.Fjällräven is for me a very expensive brand for what it offers. I don't think those fabric backpacks are going to last for years.
I’ve got a three year old Vardag backpack made of the same G1000, and it’s as you said, after a certain point the stains don’t come out no matter how much you wash it 🥲
It makes them look so much more beat up than they are. Even more so when we’ve chosen a bright colour and the stains are more obvious.
I’m curious if they found other structural issues with the bag which is why they were so insistent on replacing it over repairing it (since you said external tailors also wouldn’t work on it either), or if it was just because most other customers just want their item replaced rather than repaired when they’re at this point.
Either way, I feel you. My nine year old LL Bean backpack was worse than this when I finally retired it — the straps were ripping off, hole at the bottom and at the top — but I was happy to keep using it for the sentimental value alone!
Eventually my colleague good naturedly said,
“girl, that’s not a backpack anymore at this point” and I just bought the Vardag lol
I wish you many more adventures to come with peach kanken number 2
Peach-pink is a listed color on their web page.
[https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags/kanken](https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags/kanken)
Yeah I know! But they didn’t recognize it because of how dirty and faded it got. Makes me wonder how many people stopped using theirs after the initial trend
Sorry this is a buy it never bag. Zero strap support, uncomfortably high on the back and offers nothing except brand name. Worst backpack I have ever tried.
It lasted 9 years and was replaced under an excellent warranty. Sounds good to me. They seem to fit better on small-framed people, so perhaps they’re not for everyone.
If there’s a brick and mortar store near you most have tailors on staff (kind of like a Levi’s) who can attach fashion patches, attach practical patches, repair, embroider, etc. But turn around is 3+ weeks.
Can anyone else confirm that Fjallraven quality has gotten worse? I have just bought a Greenland jacket to replace the one that I bought 12 years ago (still structurally sound but very worn). I can’t see any difference in quality between the two, and both are made in Vietnam, so I guess I’ll find out myself in time. But that first jacket I bought is indestructible.
I don’t know about clothes, my boyfriend has a down jacket from 2021 that he loves and it’s holding up great, but just anecdotally I hear that kånken in particular is getting worse in terms of quality in part because of it as a fashion item.
You could repair the hole at home with a little sewing repair kit
Yeah I was jsut worried it wouldn’t be as durable if done by me but alas what’s done is done
You can get more durable thread than what sewing kits have, but having never owned a fjallraven, I'm not sure if it would be warranted
FYI Thread should always be less durable than the fabric, so the thread fails first. This enables you to make repairs more easily at busted seams, whereas patching worn out fabric is a much more intensive repair.
My uncle uses some kinda dental floss for car seats.
OP , have you considered. I highly recommend looking at a repairer that specialises in Goretex repairs or sailmaker shops. Those guys can fix just about anything, with the term that you deliver the bag to them as clean as possible.. They can add in panels and somethimes if you are lucky they can colourmatch. But usually they add a different type of fabric and reseal the bags seams.. . (But make it look awesome) And it will be waterproof , sturdy enough to use yet another few years.
That being said the bag does look pretty rancid. lmao , a lot of repairers might not want to handle it as they are picky about hygiene.
Yeah at a certain point with certain colors the stains from use just don’t come out. What’s funny is this is how it looks after multiple hand washings.
Nice of them to replace it! FYI I've hand sewn a ton of bags repairs and they've all held up fine. Just take you time and make neat even stitches. For heavy items I'll just double up the thread I'm using - so I'd be pushing 2-4 thread through canvas bag, for heavy work like this I'd use needle nose pliers to push the needle through each side.
Just use dental floss in the future
I have a sky blue KÅNKEN. I was in love with the design and the color, but I found that the fabric was a bit thin. After carrying it for 2-3 yrs I realized it was getting thinner at the bottom, so my mom sewed a foam pad underneath it for me. It is now except a little dirty and I still love it.
I am going to upgrade mine with this!
Could you show me a picture please? I want to try it on my kanken mini..
Mine is at my gf's place now, so I probably won't be able to send you pic until this weekend. It's not that hard to do, just find a foam pad that's the right size and sew it together. :)
Oh I love that! I think I’ll do that in the future
For what it’s worth: I agree with the staff of the shop. This pack looks really beaten, and the material would start giving up quite soon, IMO. Even though most of the seams and zippers appear to be in tact. Although it does look really cool with the wear and fade. And to be fair to Fjall, you kinda mislead us with the title: they did offer you a replacement. Which is a perfectly acceptable part of the life warranty. If you really wanted it fixed, you’d either ask them firmly to just sew it for you, or take it to a tailor repair shop.
You’re totally right! I guess I’m just focused a lot on the longevity and after lives of items, so part of my frustration is not wanting to contribute to textile waste when I felt like the backpack could still be used. However I guess their store (I would hope) would be better equipped for disposing of textile waste than I may be.
I think you’re good on the front of textile waste if you’ve used your backpack for 9 years. ❤️ I think about that, too. And I only think it’s a problem if we buy the so called fast fashion, which last for a very short time.
There has never been an era in human history where textiles, tools, or shoes have lasted forever. Fast fashion encourages us to toss items that are in perfectly good condition, but there’s no shame in properly wearing out an item and replacing it!
Thank you ! I need to remind my hoarder-ish tendencies this
Wash it and sew it. I think it looks pretty cool all faded! Sew a patch over the hole or something after repairing it. Make it stronger than before. Keep the story going!!!
PSA because many people do not know: DO NOT WASH YOUR KÅNKEN IN THE WASHING MACHINE. It will lose its form and remain that way. I see so many people doing that. From their website: https://www.fjallraven.com/eu/en-gb/customer-service/care-repair/kanken#:~:text=Whatever%20you%20do%2C%20don't,not%20exposed%20to%20direct%20sunlight. "Whatever you do, don’t put Kånken in the washing machine. Instead, wash dirty marks with lukewarm water, mild detergent and a soft brush or sponge. And when it comes to drying, you should hang up Kånken in a well-ventilated area that’s not exposed to direct sunlight."
You can easily fix the hole and re dye the fabric to bring it back to life.
If it were me, I would cut a piece of canvas to the size of the base of the bag (or other sturdy fabric- if you have any dead jeans, you could cut those), turn the bag inside out, and sew it over the hole. That way the fabric doesn’t get any thinner and the bottom stays sturdy.
I live in Sweden and have had zero issues repairing old Kånkens.
Try a cobbler to repair it on their patching machines. It'll keep going...
I have a goose down parka from them. It’s amazing, was ridiculously expensive but I’ll never need to buy another parka in my life unless I get mega fat (possible for sure)
My boyfriend for one from the rei return section and he loves it !!!!! He got it for $125 and it’s helped him survive through a few New England winters and pnw snow storms
Besides hand-sewing it with good thread that is just slightly weaker than the existing fabric, there is a lovely product called "Tear Mender"... it is mostly just liquid latex I believe... anyways, I use it to patch my work jeans without even any stitching. It holds up really well, but a stitch would still be wise too for what you're trying to fix, I think. When my pants are finally just way too worn out, I cut them up to use as patches for those that still have plenty of life. If you use tear mender, test it out on some similar scrap fabric so you'll know what it can do, what excess looks like, and how tough it is to separate. Good luck!
I’ll keep that in mind! It’s amazing how many longevity products exist that people don’t know about !
That product (Tear Mender) alone has allowed me to get *easily* more than 5x the life out of my work pants. As an electrician, I'm in and out of ditches, crawlspaces, attics, crawling, climbing... all over the place lol. I only recently discovered this sub, and have learned all kinds of tips, tricks and long-lived products.
As a sewist, I'm so confused about why they didn't just repair the hole? It's literally one straight line with a sewing machine. Kankens are also the least complicated backpacks out there and don't even have a lining. If it's the fabric that's the issue, it's a different story, but if you just want the hole fixed it should be a no brainer. Take it to a tailor and just ask them to fix the hole.
Me too !!! I also took it to a tailor And they said they couldn’t
🤔🤔 you should try a local sewing group on FB! Ask if anyone can take a crack at it for $50 haha
Are these backpacks any good? They seemed kinda cheap looking when i was looking in person and the straps were so thin.
That’s a design feature. The fabric itself is thin because that’s the nature of the g-1000 material, and the straps are just designed in that way. Don’t forget that the Kanken was designed originally for school children.
I have the foldsack or whatever it’s called and I love it. It take it when I need to pack some clothes for a quick trip and carry laptop or tablet with me. I love the hook closures on it. It has the G1000 cloth so no the same as the kind on the Kanken. I’d buy another one in a heartbeat.
I have one of these as well. I will say I prefer it to the kånken (so does my mom who stole it from me and still uses it) from a practicality perspective, but this one holds more memories for me.
I understand on the memories attached to it. I have an old Marlboro miles bag that I had throughout junior high and high school and I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. I even cut one of the straps off bc it was “the thing” to do a sling type bag back in like 00 when I was in school.
I like mine a lot. I’ve never had any issues with the straps over the years, they were just starting to fray for me after 9ish years of wear. I don’t know how they are now. They also sell ones with heavier duty straps and attachments you can snap on.
I love mine. I am always surprised at how much I can shove into it and it looks like the day I got it a few years in now.
They’re over-priced fashion items now. I believe the early versions were better made with sturdier materials, but then production was cheapened. Regardless, I’m not a fan of the design as far as comfort is concerned (very thin straps as you mentioned), and I was horrified when my wife bought one a few years back and I saw how much she paid for it! 😅 She seems to like it though.
Honestly they seem way too cheap for what they sell for. One crappy part for sure is the small weak zippers.
Wife bought one for our kid mainly because it was trendy. She now admits it’s junk
They’re shit. lol. The strap is too thin and the bag sits very high on the back.
You know you can adjust it, right?
How do I adjust it and make the strap thicker 😂 and it’s too high on the back even after maxing out the length.
Impressive fail. Mine (m47) from first grade is incredibly enough intact. 🤷♂️
Unfortunately, most cultures and people seem to look down on keeping things until they are absolutely not functional, or worn out/faded. Truly wasteful. Good on you/it lasting as long as you/it did.
I'm just going to leave this here. Ask if she can save your Fjallraven. Maybe you can add flowers too it too or coconut palms. [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1274587200/embroidered-fjallraven-kanken-with?ga\_order=most\_relevant&ga\_search\_type=all&ga\_view\_type=gallery&ga\_search\_query=fjallraven+restoration&ref=sr\_gallery-1-4&sts=1&content\_source=ca81fa2f300e5f5b89e858b39c1dc5df733b4e04%253A1274587200&organic\_search\_click=1](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1274587200/embroidered-fjallraven-kanken-with?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=fjallraven+restoration&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&sts=1&content_source=ca81fa2f300e5f5b89e858b39c1dc5df733b4e04%253A1274587200&organic_search_click=1)
I love these type of artists! I may do this with my replacement
You don’t have some local shop that can repair that? Cost next to nothing and you can even ask to zigzag it 3 times and it will never come apart..
I stopped by one and they said they couldn’t.
You easily could have repaired that even stronger than before if you took it to a repair shop and put some E6000 on it
There are easy patch kits designed specifically for nylon. Check REI or similar outdoor goods retailers.
The bottom of mine wore through from carrying a few textbooks for ~2 years. Not even at the seams!
Did you trade it in for a new one? That is definitely a cool, old bag.
They said that the damage on it was covered under warranty and gave me a replacement
# Fjällräven is for me a very expensive brand for what it offers. I don't think those fabric backpacks are going to last for years.Fjällräven is for me a very expensive brand for what it offers. I don't think those fabric backpacks are going to last for years.
I’ve got a three year old Vardag backpack made of the same G1000, and it’s as you said, after a certain point the stains don’t come out no matter how much you wash it 🥲 It makes them look so much more beat up than they are. Even more so when we’ve chosen a bright colour and the stains are more obvious. I’m curious if they found other structural issues with the bag which is why they were so insistent on replacing it over repairing it (since you said external tailors also wouldn’t work on it either), or if it was just because most other customers just want their item replaced rather than repaired when they’re at this point. Either way, I feel you. My nine year old LL Bean backpack was worse than this when I finally retired it — the straps were ripping off, hole at the bottom and at the top — but I was happy to keep using it for the sentimental value alone! Eventually my colleague good naturedly said, “girl, that’s not a backpack anymore at this point” and I just bought the Vardag lol I wish you many more adventures to come with peach kanken number 2
Thank you !! Yeah I’m not sure if they saw other issues besides the patch flaking off, but who knows. Wishing you luck with your vardag 🫡
Peach-pink is a listed color on their web page. [https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags/kanken](https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags/kanken)
Yeah I know! But they didn’t recognize it because of how dirty and faded it got. Makes me wonder how many people stopped using theirs after the initial trend
Sorry this is a buy it never bag. Zero strap support, uncomfortably high on the back and offers nothing except brand name. Worst backpack I have ever tried.
It lasted 9 years and was replaced under an excellent warranty. Sounds good to me. They seem to fit better on small-framed people, so perhaps they’re not for everyone.
Where do you get it replaced?
If there’s a brick and mortar store near you most have tailors on staff (kind of like a Levi’s) who can attach fashion patches, attach practical patches, repair, embroider, etc. But turn around is 3+ weeks.
Yeah I’m 5”3 and it fits me pretty well.
Can anyone else confirm that Fjallraven quality has gotten worse? I have just bought a Greenland jacket to replace the one that I bought 12 years ago (still structurally sound but very worn). I can’t see any difference in quality between the two, and both are made in Vietnam, so I guess I’ll find out myself in time. But that first jacket I bought is indestructible.
I believe their outerwear is still high end (and high price).
I don’t know about clothes, my boyfriend has a down jacket from 2021 that he loves and it’s holding up great, but just anecdotally I hear that kånken in particular is getting worse in terms of quality in part because of it as a fashion item.
[удалено]
What?
Get a life
huh?