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Vango & Trakke create Past Tents Collection upcycling tent fabric

Vango, the UK’s leading camping and outdoor equipment specialist has teamed up with award-winning Glasgow based backpack manufacturer, Trakke, to create a bespoke range constructed from recycled heritage tent fabrics, including Vango’s iconic orange Force Ten tent.

The limited-edition collection, dubbed ‘Past Tents’, are a nod to both Vango’s camping legacy and Trakke’s commitment to sustainable bag design. With a range of five models, from a large 21L roll-top rucksack made from original Icelandic tents used by the Scouts to a striking orange ‘Force Tote Bag.’ The range also features a design inspired by Trakke’s staple ‘Canna’ rucksack, a hip pack for day-to-day activities and a small accessory pouch made from tent-bag lining. The bags are designed to transition from urban and outdoor environments with ease, and the nostalgic 1960-80s silhouettes have a functional, modern twist.

Trakke’s low waste design ethos and handmade manufacturing provides an excellent partnership with sustainably focussed Vango, who have operated a recycled tent platform for over a decade, a Spares and Repairs service and have an extensive Earth Collection made from single-use plastics. Vango also regularly donate fabrics and sleeping bag fillings to UK based charity Sheltersuit, who create sleeping bag jackets for those impacted by homelessness, and most recently donated thousands of camping meals and sleeping bags to Ukrainian refugees. All of the ‘Past Tents’ bags have been constructed using end of life tents, giving the kit another life and avoiding landfill – and celebrates both business’ mission to find sustainable solutions for the future.

Top: Zero Waste Sling, Middle Left: Force Tote Bag, Middle Right: Wester Roll Top, Bottom Left: Wee Yin Micro Backpack, Bottom Right: Canna backpack
The Past Tents Collection includes five bags plus an optional accessories pouch: Top: Zero Waste Sling, Middle Left: Force Tote Bag, Middle Right: Wester Roll Top, Bottom Left: Wee Yin Micro Backpack, Bottom Right: Canna backpack

The collaboration between the two Scottish brands celebrates a shared passion for exploring the great outdoors. The launch will reveal a 90 second film and accompanying photography portraying the nostalgia of Vango’s camping heritage and evoke the endless possibilities that await each owner of a ‘Past Tents’ bag.

Trakke’s founder Alec Farmer, said: “We designed this collection to capture the nostalgia of the camping trips we took in our youth. We created a range of sizes and styles to suit children and adults alike and added features like wide-mouth front pockets and padded laptop sleeves to make staying organised easier! The simple silhouettes mean that the bags work just as well at a campsite or a coffee shop. When making the bags, instead of cutting around the seams on the tents, we incorporated them into the bags to make each one unique, and to create a connection between the bag and their past life as tents.”

Rob Birrell, Vango’s Marketing Director, said: “Collaborating with another local business in Glasgow to create the Past Tents range has been wonderful for us to explore more ways to ‘upcycle’ end of life tents, as well as create a truly bespoke range that fuses heritage with modern day. The launch our first brand TV advert in April showcased Vango’s heritage story from 1966 to present day, re-connecting us with iconic heritage tents like the Icelandic and Force Ten Classic, which we still manufacture. The collaboration with Trakke perfectly encapsulates our sustainable ethos and our Spirit of Adventure!”

The ‘Past Tents Collection’ offers users a unique opportunity to own a piece of British Outdoor history. The collection will be available exclusively via the Trakke website from July 28 at 5pm. (https://trakke.co.uk/collections/trakke-vango-past-tents-collection)

Vango landing page: https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/content/168-vango-trakke-collection

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