The two founders of GOT BAG have been closely connected to the ocean since childhood and wanted to take active steps to ensure that less plastic enters the oceans. Symbolically, a backpack is a natural fit, as it represents the fact that we must all shoulder the great task of preserving water quality for the future of flora and fauna together.

In fact, the idea came about rather by chance. However, it made sense to the two of them above all because, ideally, a backpack is a particularly durable, robust, and easy-care product. In the meantime, the employees and GOT BAG customers are not only convinced by the original idea, but also by the functional backpacks with their minimalist, timeless design. The ROLLTOP has established itself as the ideal all-rounder.

We want to help rid the oceans of plastic waste. That is why we collect plastic in all shapes and forms in our clean-up program instead of just the easily recyclable parts – such as PET bottles. We have set up our own clean-up program in Indonesia, where fishers, collectors, and partner organizations actively collect plastic from the sea and the environment. This includes mangrove regions as well as coastal areas, such as delta regions with their rivers and coastal waters. By collecting plastic on land and in fishing villages, we prevent it from entering the ocean in the first place and can expand into increasingly larger areas with our collection points starting from the coast. 

By giving local people a direct opportunity for recycling and creating basic structures for waste management, we take preventive action against improperly disposed plastic waste threatening the ocean in the long term. This creates concrete added value: beaches become cleaner, waste becomes a valuable resource, and the environmental awareness of everyone involved changes for the better. Not least because of this, we are in close exchange with the local authorities, who support our work and search together with us for long-term solutions for waste reduction and disposal.

Above all, however, our work shows a way in which companies can manufacture high-quality products using recycled material and thereby contribute to improving our environmental situation. It is a beginning that will hopefully contribute to political and social change and encourage many consumers to get involved. To achieve this shift in thinking, we need many actors such as politicians, legislators, NGOs, and many people who are aware of the challenge and join us in taking the necessary steps.

We are convinced that sustainable development and an innovative, strong economy are mutually dependent. We use our reach as a platform to find fellow campaigners for our mission. Although our approach naturally cannot eliminate the gigantic amounts of plastic waste that are already on the seabed, and every clean-up project seems tiny in relation to the millions of tons that enter the sea every year, every plastic cup and every plastic bottle collected represents an opportunity for us to preserve marine life and habitats. 

Research on the topic of marine plastic and Ocean Impact Plastic is only just beginning – and in parallel, our work and the technical progress of production are constantly advancing. The development of our clean-up program is also based on scientific findings such as those of oceanologist Erik Van Sebille, who documents the movements of marine plastic over a long period of time. Among other things, he points out that it moves near the coast, circulates from beach to beach and from mangrove to mangrove and equally threatens the sea in these different stages: http://erik.vansebille.com.

We consider general statements on the profitability of recycled plastic to be difficult, as both science and organizations active in this field are still at the very beginning with their findings and are constantly developing themselves and their work. In our case, of course, a lot also depends on local conditions and fluctuating influencing factors such as weather, season and the social situation. Based on experience, we would agree to the extent that it would likely pose a challenge for large productions that require consistently uniform quality to supply the value chain purely with marine plastic.

When processing Ocean Impact Plastic, we therefore factor in fluctuating yarn quality and thus a higher failure rate. We deliberately avoid using additives such as new plastics or chemical additives to change the mechanical qualities of the recycled plastic. Instead, we clean the plastic particularly thoroughly, pre-sort it and continuously optimize process parameters so that the quality of the yarn remains as constant as possible. Nevertheless, we cannot, of course, completely prevent the textile for our products from differing slightly and having small defects in the material structure.

Our GOT BAG headquarters is located in Mainz, in southwestern Germany. In mid-2020, we established an additional location to enter the North American market. Our office there is in Portland, Oregon, with two branch offices in Denver, Colorado, and Toronto, Ontario.

Even though we do not (yet) have our own stores, the products can be viewed and purchased at one of our official retail partners. For exact locations, head here to the Store Locator

A life cycle assessment can be used to record the environmental impact of a product, e.g. all greenhouse gases emitted from raw material extraction to disposal. It not only serves as transparent information for consumers, but also forms the basis for measures to strategically minimize a company's environmental impact. We wanted to know what impact the new ROLLTOP 2.0 in black has and how it would compare if we produced it entirely without recycled content, i.e. exclusively with new plastics. To this end, we worked with ConClimate GmbH on such an assessment in accordance with ISO 14044. Due to the savings at the material level, the overall balance for our ROLLTOP 2.0 is significantly lower by about 22% than for the fictitious backpack without recycled content. More information on the results can be found here in our blog.

All our current collaborations can be found here . There, we also explain why we decided to work with these partners and in what form we cooperate. 

In Indonesia, more than three million tons of plastic waste are generated annually.¹ Around a third of this eventually ends up in the ocean. With up to 1.29 million tons of ocean plastic added annually, it is thus the country where the most plastic enters the sea worldwide after China.² Taking action here can lead to clearly visible positive changes. 

In Indonesia, we have also found partners who can process plastic into pellets in a technologically sophisticated process. We were also able to identify organizations here that produce other new items from all types of plastic that we cannot yet use to produce our products or use them for heat recovery.

¹ cf.: Hotz, Robert Lee: Which countries create the most ocean trash 2015. Published in The Wall Street Journal. Available online at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/which-countries-create-the-most-ocean-trash-1423767676 [Accessed on 22.02.2022].

² cf.: Jambeck et al.:Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean 2015. Published in Science Magazine. Available online at: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1260352 [Accessed on 22.02.2022].

We are constantly working on certifications to reinforce our sustainable practices and our commitment to the environment. These certifications serve as external confirmation of our efforts and show that we take our commitments seriously and want to continuously improve.

1. B Corp™ Certification
   
   As a B Corp™, we are part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards for social and environmental impact. The B Corp movement strives to change our economic system so that it has a positive impact on all stakeholders – employees, communities, customers and our planet. You can view our score here .
   
   
2. PETA-Approved Vegan

Our products are certified as PETA-Approved Vegan. We are committed to not using any animals or animal products as components in the manufacturing and processing of our products.

Our clean-up program is located on the Indonesian island of Java in Demak, Jepara and Bantul. The region of the clean-up program is situated at the mouths of several rivers, which, in addition to the plastic that winds and rain carry from the land into the sea, transport large amounts of plastic waste from inland into the ocean. The plastic waste recovered there tends to be less contaminated and decomposed.

According to our definition, Ocean Impact Plastic is plastic waste that has been improperly disposed of due to a lack of waste management systems and is therefore either already floating in the sea or is still in coastal nature and thus carries the risk of entering the oceans. We collect this plastic before it further threatens nature and especially the oceans and destroys important habitats. Since all plastic is collected manually and depends, among other things, on tides and currents in the region of the clean-up program, the composition of the Ocean Impact Plastic fluctuates.

Ocean Impact Plastic thus consists of plastic directly from the sea, including mangrove regions, as well as from coastal areas and villages. We collect the latter mainly in the delta region of the local rivers and coastal waters. Since most local people do not have access to a functioning waste management system, they can also drop off their plastic waste directly at our collection points.

In 2018, we were the first backpack manufacturer worldwide to start actively collecting and processing plastic from the ocean with our clean-up program in Indonesia. As a result of our clean-up experience on the ground and current surveys, we see an equally powerful lever against plastic in the ocean in preventing improperly disposed plastic waste from the outset. 

By providing local people with a direct opportunity to recycle and creating basic structures for waste management, we are taking preventive action to ensure that improperly disposed plastic waste does not threaten the ocean in the long term. In this way, we create concrete added value: beaches become cleaner, waste becomes a valuable resource and the environmental awareness of everyone involved changes for the better. Not least because of this, we are in close contact with the local authorities, who support our work and search for long-term solutions for waste reduction and disposal together with us. 

The total amount of Ocean Impact Plastic we have collected so far is tracked via a live tracker on our website. Together with the Berlin-based start-up “Cleanhub,” we document the performance of the clean-up program in Indonesia to make the amount of plastic collected and its composition transparent and to be able to disclose its exact origin in the near future. Through this collaboration, third-party companies can also offset their plastic consumption and thus indirectly participate in the clean-up activity. So far, we have been able to collect and recycle over 1,000 tons of Ocean Impact Plastic.

PET (e.g. plastic bottles): 10 –15% - usable for the yarn of our products

PP (e.g. packaging film): just under 5%

HDPE (e.g. plastic bags): significantly less than 5% – but difficult to identify

LDPE/LLDPE (e.g. plastic bags): 15 –20% 

Mixed: about 55% (film and plastic bag scraps, various polyethylene variants, polycarbonates, polystyrenes, polypropylene and containers without labeling as well as 20% composite materials alone – for example sachets for shampoo or ketchup – which are particularly difficult to recycle due to the aluminum coating) 

Buckets and pipes: about 5% (presumably PVC, but here too without labeling)

At the core of our corporate philosophy is a holistic approach to the plastic problem: we direct all types of plastic collected by our collection points to individual recycling solutions. That is why, from the beginning, we have looked for innovative ways to recycle not only valuable PET but also all other materials. In Indonesia, we were able to realize our vision because we quickly found partners who can process plastic into pellets using a technologically sophisticated process. We were also able to identify buyers who use all types of plastic that cannot be used for the production of our own products to create new items or for energy recovery.

We pass on materials made of PP, HDPE, LDPE, PS, and PVC to local companies that recycle them mechanically. They process them into so-called secondary raw materials before they can be used in other, new products.

A large part of the so-called residual materials consists of composite materials, which are particularly difficult to recycle due to coatings and adhesives. For this reason, we have so far used them as fuel to generate energy – as an alternative to burning fossil fuels.

To produce the yarn for our products, we recycle PET plastics, which make up around 10–15% of the collected Ocean Impact Plastic. In the meantime, we have also been able to find buyers for the other types of plastic who use them for new products or for heat generation. However, this is a particular challenge, especially for composite materials—mixtures containing coatings or adhesives. According to our current state of knowledge, these so-called “residual materials” can only be stored or used for heat and energy generation—where they serve as an alternative to fossil fuels.

To this end, we cooperate with the Berlin-based start-up Cleanhub and pass on the residual materials of our Ocean Impact Plastic to Indocement, a subsidiary of the German Heidelberg Cement AG. In this way, residues of foil and plastic bags, sachets for shampoo or ketchup, and other composite materials that cannot currently be processed into other products, for example due to their aluminum coating, are sent for energy recovery. Cleanhub, in turn, sells certificates to third-party companies, which use them to finance thermal recycling with Indocement and compensate for their plastic consumption. In return, Cleanhub supports us by precisely documenting the amount of plastic recovered, thus presenting our clean-up performance transparently.

Our partner organization and foundation GOT BAG Indonesia coordinates all our plastic collection activities in Indonesia. In their own local warehouse, plastic waste is sorted, processed and compressed. All recyclable plastic types are sent to GOT BAG Indonesia's recycling partners in the region. Furthermore, the foundation coordinates educational projects and educates schools about the impact of plastic waste on nature. We are in daily contact with the six permanent employees of GOT BAG Indonesia. Our clean-up managers are also on site several times a year to personally exchange ideas with our Indonesian team and plan further projects.

Symbolically, our products stand for clean oceans and a responsible use of plastic. Therefore, we not only collect the Ocean Impact Plastic that is recycled for the production of travel and everyday companions, but also feed the plastics that cannot be used for this purpose into the most suitable recycling solutions possible. Together with our customers, we thus ensure that they do not end up in the ocean (again).

With the goal of a circular economy, our backpacks are mostly made from recycled materials and have a particularly robust finish. We follow a timeless, minimalist design language. In addition to our two-year warranty, we offer you a spare parts service. We also take back GOT BAGs and replace them if functionality is no longer guaranteed. In some cases, we are already testing a sewing service and expect to be able to offer a welding service in the near future. In this way, we want to guarantee every GOT BAG the longest possible life.

We want to create increased awareness – both with our clean-up program and the work with local authorities in Indonesia, but also by encouraging reflection and wanting to create change together. Create an Impact.

Yes, our products are officially certified as PETA-Approved Vegan. We are committed to not using any animals or animal products as components in the manufacture and processing of our products.

In addition to the fabric made from Ocean Impact Plastic, we primarily use recycled plastics for the production of our bags and backpacks. For some padding elements, we have not yet been able to find alternatives made from recycled materials that meet our quality and ecological standards. We currently still source these brand new, but are looking for alternatives made from recycled plastic together with local partners. In addition to the parts we manufacture from Ocean Impact Plastic, we currently primarily use the following components for our bags and backpacks:

Mesh fabric – rPET & PET (Recycled polyester & polyester)

Padding (depending on the model) – PE (Polyethylene), EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) or PU (Polyurethane)

Straps – rPET (Recycled polyester)

We produce the entire yarn for our GOT BAGs from Ocean Impact Plastic. The proportion of the total product varies depending on the model. This is due to the other 'ingredients' such as buckles, zippers, straps, and foam for padding. These parts weigh a relatively large amount depending on the design. You can find their exact weight proportion of the product in this table or on the corresponding product page in the shop.

For these parts, we choose recycled polyester (rPET) where possible, but we are working on also producing these 'ingredients' from Ocean Impact Plastic or having them produced. Since our specialty is primarily the production of the yarn, we are looking for partners and working on this.

In our clean-up program, we do not differentiate between different types of plastic. Our holistic concept includes the collection of all types of plastic, whether recyclable or not. With Ocean Impact Plastic, we have a term that expresses our complex collection concept. We have had this term protected as a trademark in Europe to prevent misuse. Do you belong to a company that would like to cooperate in the collection or recycling of Ocean Impact Plastic? Feel free to send us an inquiry to hello@got-bag.com.

Yes, this is unfortunately possible. Especially with light-colored products, it can happen that dark or color-intensive clothing (e.g. new jeans, dark leather jackets or other textiles with low color fastness) transfer color pigments onto the material of your product. This then manifests as discoloration or abrasion on the surface of the product.

Why does this happen?
Dyes that give textiles their colors consist of tiny chemical molecules. These molecules are designed to bind to the fibers of the clothing. However, these bonds vary in strength depending on the type of dye. Indigo dyes (denim), for example, have low color fastness. It is also possible that excess (unbound color molecules) have not been completely washed out. Therefore, there is a higher risk of color transfer with new and unwashed garments.

If such clothing comes into contact with your GOT BAG product for some time, these dye molecules can rub off from your clothing onto your bag. Factors such as friction and moisture (e.g. from sweat or rain) or high heat can cause the dye particles to release more easily and quickly from the clothing.

Such discoloration is not a material defect or a quality flaw in your product. This is a characteristic of the staining garment.
We therefore recommend being careful when in contact with new textiles, especially with light-colored bags.

If such discoloration should nevertheless occur, try to carefully remove the stains with a damp cloth and mild soapy water. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact our Customer Happiness Team.

Since all of our products are made from recycled materials, there may be slight variations in structure and color from time to time. This is not evidence of a lack of quality, but simply the result of using recycled Ocean Impact Plastic for production. Nevertheless, it is of course our aim to manufacture a flawless product and we are working hard to rectify minor defects in the material structure. Unevenness can be corrected at home with a damp microfiber cloth.

All GOT BAGs consist of a fabric made from extremely robust 600D recycled polyester yarn from 100% Ocean Impact Plastic. All fabrics are waterproof-coated with PU or TPU on the inside and are additionally finished with a PU coating or a DWR impregnation (Durable Water Repellency) on the outside to make them water- and dirt-repellent. All materials used are PVC- and PFC-free. We process our fabric into products using two different techniques:

1. We manufacture all ROLLTOPS and WEEKENDER to measure from a TPU- and PU-coated material with high-frequency welding. This welding process creates seams that are waterproof and have the same tear resistance as the fabric. Thus, the entire product is super robust and all seams are waterproof. The water column of the fabric is over 20,000 mm. The contents are thus protected from rain and other weather conditions – provided that the opening is tightly rolled up and closed. Our ROLLTOP 2.0 and ROLLTOP LITE 2.0 have been laboratory-tested and are IP54-certified: Protected against dust and splashing water from all directions. Click here for the certificate. 
2. All other products such as DAYPACKs and HIP BAGs are sewn with special sewing machines. The material is PU-coated on the back and equipped with a DWR (Durable Water Repellency) on the front. The water column is at least 1,500 mm. Thanks to a DWR treatment, our products in this line are permanently water-repellent. Rain is kept out by the PU coating, but would enter the interior through the seams in heavy weather. However, light rain, short showers, or splashing water usually cannot harm the interior of the products. 

To avoid putting too much strain on the coating of the products, the backpacks must not be cleaned in the washing machine. Instead, it is best to simply wipe or rub them down with warm water and neutral soap, a soft sponge, or a microfiber cloth.

All textiles should be washed and cleaned according to the care instructions found inside the product. Products that have not been cleaned accordingly are excluded from the two-year warranty. 

The ROLLTOP backpack, which made our brand famous, is produced in China. We made this decision due to the country's expertise in textile manufacturing and China's geographical proximity to the collection and cleaning activities in Indonesia. Furthermore, producers located there have the specific know-how to equip textile products with a coating or impregnation that is PFC- and PVC-free, which makes our products water- and weatherproof. Production is located in Quanzhou, in Fujian province. In the meantime, we also produce other products in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.

Since yarn prices fluctuate significantly and depend on the quantity purchased, we can only provide very rough estimates here. We also do not use virgin yarn and therefore have few comparable values available. However, we estimate the price to be approximately double to triple that of regular polyester yarn of the same thickness. It is important to emphasize here that conventional PET yarns are a highly competitive mass market, whereas yarns made from elaborately recycled material remain a niche market, which is why the price differences are still so significant.

Furthermore, we must always factor in fluctuating yarn quality and a higher failure rate. We deliberately refrain from using additives such as virgin plastics or chemical additives that alter the mechanical properties of the recycled plastic.

The PET portion of the Ocean Impact Plastic collected for our products is processed and handled by companies certified according to the Global Recycle Standard (GRS). The GRS is a voluntary, international product standard that confirms that all recycled materials comply with the specifications of the non-profit organization Textile Exchange and that all production steps meet their strict social and environmental requirements.

The people working for GOT BAG in Indonesia are paid based on the amount of plastic waste collected. To ensure their safety at work, we provide on-site training and work clothing. We are currently working on assigning ID numbers to not only work with them in the long term but also to be able to offer additional compensation, such as insurance and school fees. 

When selecting our partners in our supply chain, we look for corresponding certifications and standards such as BSCI, SMETA, GRS, Oeko-Tex, Fair Wear, Bluesign, ISO or TÜV.

All our suppliers commit to complying with our Code of Conduct. In this, we ensure that none of our partners child labor, forced labor or discrimination 

To ensure compliance with our standards, we employ a staff member in China who regularly visits our suppliers on site. We also regularly travel to our clean-up locations ourselves to visit them. Here you can read our Code of Conduct.

We keep the carbon footprint of our transport as low as possible: We transport the pellets made from Ocean Impact Plastic from Indonesia to China by ship for further processing. There, we still rely on truck transport, but we are looking into more environmentally friendly alternatives. The transport of the finished goods from China to Germany and the USA is by ship. 

In doing so, we prioritize ship and rail connections that are the lowest in emissions in relation to the load volume. However, this takes a relatively long time. And as international logistics has been characterized by extreme conditions since the start of the pandemic, we are often unable to meet delivery times. In order not to be sold out for months, we have therefore transported some products to Europe or the USA by truck or air freight. Their share has always been less than five percent of our procurement volume and most recently less than one percent. Through process improvement, we plan to completely dispense with this again soon. We also rely on courier services for product samples that we need on site in Germany during product development – we try to reduce this need to a minimum through digital processes.

We offer a two-year warranty on every GOT BAG order. A 5-year warranty applies to the RE:SHELL Cabin.

We guarantee that your GOT BAG can be used for two years without its functionality being impaired. If you notice a defect during this time, you can claim your warranty, provided it is a valid warranty case. Please submit a warranty claim request to have your case reviewed.

Everyone who has purchased a GOT BAG in our online store within the last two years. If you did not purchase your product in our online store, please contact your point of sale directly.

Please register in the claims portal. Our Customer Happiness Team will check whether there is a warranty claim and will then get back to you with all further steps.

We deliver to all specified countries with DHL Go Green or national postal companies. Please understand that we are currently unable to deliver to countries that are not listed. For shipping to you, we charge a shipping fee that covers all costs within the EU. Depending on the country and order value, we also offer free shipping.

Here you will find an overview of our shipping costs as well as info on free shipping to all countries we deliver to.

We ship our products worldwide carbon-neutrally with DHL GoGreen in reusable and recyclable packaging made from recycled materials (except Austria and Switzerland). We also handle returns climate-neutrally thanks to our partner 8Returns. This means: We offset all transport-related CO2 emissions generated during shipping through carbon credits. This also applies to returns. These credits support climate protection projects around the world. For more information on this and DHL GoGreen, please click here.

You can easily register your return using your order number directly via our returns portal . The purchase amount, minus the return fee, will be refunded to you as soon as the return has been received. The return period ends 14 days after receipt of the goods.
If you have redeemed a GIFT CARD for an order, the purchase amount will also be refunded by reactivating your GIFT CARD.
A payout of a GIFT CARD is not possible.

If you have purchased a bundle (e.g. MOON BAG SMALL and MOON BAG LARGE as a set) and would like to return one or more BAGs from it, please note the following regulations:

Partial return of a bundle: If you return only part of a bundle, the bundle discount granted for the BAG you keep will no longer apply and you must pay the difference to the original individual price. This ensures that our bundle offers are used fairly and misuse is avoided.

Complete return of a bundle: If you return the entire bundle, you will of course receive the full bundle price plus the original shipping costs back.

The return fee is a small amount starting from €3.99, which helps us cover the costs incurred in processing your return. You can easily return your ordered items domestically and from other European countries; the return fee will be automatically deducted from the refund amount. The amount of the fee varies depending on the country:

Return fee Germany and Austria: 3.99 EUR

Return fee Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and France (islands excluded): 3.99 EUR

Return fee Italy (except Livigno), Switzerland and Ireland: 4.99 EUR

Return fee Rest of Europe (islands excluded): 4.99 EUR

As soon as you have placed your order in our shop, it will be automatically transmitted to our shipping partners. However, if you let us know directly via hello@got-bag.com that you would like to cancel your order, we will do our best to still process or cancel your order.

If you would like to change your shipping or billing address afterwards, please send us a message at hello@got-bag.com. We will then change the address for you.

You are welcome to have your order sent to a Packstation. Only for the WEEKENDER and RE:SHELL CABIN  is the packaging slightly too large for this. To avoid delays, we would therefore ask you to only order these products to a private address. In individual cases, it can of course also happen with our product shipments that the corresponding compartment is not free and they are returned to us. Of course, we will then send your ordered goods to you again.

As soon as we have handed over your order to our shipping partners, you will receive an email with the tracking data for your order. This usually takes about 2 – 3 business days from the moment of order confirmation. More detailed information on shipping times and availability can be found on the respective product page in our online shop.

You can choose your payment method individually when making a purchase in our shop. When paying by invoice via KLARNA, please make sure to use the account details on your KLARNA invoice. You will receive this separately after your purchase.