There are thousands of brands with costly products. We often wonder why they are so expensive and if they are really worth all of the money people spend on them.
The bottom line for most of the brands is that their products are genuinely worth the money, and that’s the case with Fjällräven products.
In the past, we have extensively explored different aspects of the iconic Fjällräven brand. Today’s article focuses on two of the brand’s main product lines: its jackets and backpacks.
We will look at why Fjällräven backpacks and jackets are so expensive and popular, as well as if they are worth the high prices you have to pay to own them.
Let’s dive right in!
1. A History of the Fjällräven Brand
Like most iconic brands that have stood the test of time, Fjällräven has its humble beginnings as a one-product company born of a desire to solve a pain point people suffered.
Fjällräven logo on the Kånken backpack
Åke Nordin first made a wooden-framed backpack using his father’s tools and his mother’s sewing machine in his parents’ basement out of the need to make a more comfortable backpack that eliminated the problems that he felt during his backpacking trips.
Åke founded Fjällräven in 1960 in Sweden, 10 years after making the first backpack in the same basement. He launched the brand’s first on-sale product: a backpack with an aluminum frame.
Woman wearing a Fjällräven Kånken backpack
From one product, Åke grew the brand to include other outdoor items and clothing products like sleeping bags, tents, trousers, and even jackets.
To this day, some of the most celebrated Fjällräven products include the Kånken backpack, the Expedition Down Jacket, and the Greenland Jacket.
Must read: Fjällräven Kånken Real vs Fake: How to Spot It?
2. Why are Fjällräven Backpacks and Jackets So Expensive?
Several factors go into determining how high- or low-priced a product is. In most instances, the main factors include high production costs, innovative designs, high product quality, durability, high-quality materials, brand positioning, and excellent product performance.
Besides the main culprit for skyrocketing production costs – inflation – innovative technologies and processes also often lead to high product prices.
For example, Fjällräven tries as much as possible to use natural products like duck and geese down, which translates into higher product costs as customers receive superior products.
Even though the Fjällräven Kånken backpack uses a minimalist design, its price point remains high because this approach makes it physically unique and highly functional. You get a backpack that evenly distributes weight and doesn’t cause back pain even when carried for a long time.
Woman wearing a Fjällräven Kånken backpack
Fjällräven jackets and backpacks are highly durable, often standing the test of time and regular use or misuse. People all over report using their Kånken backpack to carry all sorts of things and to put it through prolonged abuse, yet it remains intact and keeps its shape.
The only negative effect of using the backpack for a long time seems to be its color fading, especially for bags that are used in hot areas where the backpack is constantly exposed to direct sunlight.
Washing the backpack too often also leads to fading. However, such fading usually only happens after several years of use.
When it comes to materials, Fjällräven uses high-quality wool, down, Eco-Shell fabric, recycled polyester, the G-1000 fabric, and the hard-wearing Vinylon F fabric.
The brand ensures its natural materials like down and wool for jackets are ethically sourced, and that it remains environment-friendly by using recycled materials, such as recycled polyester.
The Vinylon F material is important in making Kånken bags because it is lightweight, water-resistant, dirt-resistant, and windproof.
All of these aspects make Kånken backpacks easy to carry around. Some people even use them as handbags because of the sturdy carry handle attached to the backpack.
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Read also: 7 Backpacks like the Fjällräven Kånken: Our Top Picks
3. Why Are Fjällräven Products so Popular?
Two main aspects go into making outdoor clothing brands or products popular: quality and superior performance.
As long as customers enjoy the high quality of a product and it serves its purpose well, you can always expect them to become loyalists of the brand and its products. The same can be said of Fjällräven products.
Fjällräven products are made with quality in mind. The company takes every measure necessary to ensure its products remain useful for a long time.
For example, the iconic Kånken backpack can last up to six-seven years, with most customers saying they have had their Kånken for over four years and it is still in good shape.
The durability of a product isn’t just in its staying intact for the longest time possible, but also in serving its purpose for an equally long time. As long as your Kanken bag or Fjällräven jacket is in good shape, you can expect it to serve its purpose without fail.
Besides quality and excellent product performance, Fjällräven products are also popular because they have weaved their way into the hearts of Swedish nationals to the extent of becoming a cultural icon.
For example, it’s not strange to see a parent handing down a Kånken backpack to their school-going child, all because the backpack has lasted a long time and is still functional, stylish, and cool.
Additionally, the minimalist design of the Kånken backpack makes it cool and stylish instead of merely trendy or fashionable. Kånken bags are more pro-style than fad fashion.
In fact, in some places like London, it has nearly become a popular pastime activity to spot users of Kånken backpacks.
A Fjällräven Kånken Backpack – front and back
We can also attribute the popularity of Fjällräven products to highly effective marketing strategies, without which the brand wouldn’t be able to reach out to new or repeat customers in Sweden, Europe, and throughout the world.
Another key aspect that makes Fjällräven products so popular, especially the Kånken backpack, is that it is available in many colors and sizes, and many people appreciate it when a product gives them multiple choices.
Kånken bags are available in various sizes and over 50 colors, meaning you can easily find a suitable backpack based on your color preferences and needs.
Customers can choose from colors such as black, graphite, pink, purple, and different shades of blue, red, and green. Whatever color you like, there’s likely to be a Kånken bag for it!
Don’t miss: Fjällräven vs Herschel Backpacks: Which Brand is Better?
4. Are Fjällräven Jackets and Backpacks Worth the Money?
Fjällräven jackets, backpacks, and other products are worth the money in our opinion. Given their durability, comfort levels, high-quality materials, and good product performance, most of the brand’s products are worth every penny.
The service you get from the Kånken backpack, for instance, is exceptional, and you won’t feel the pinch of the cost. The backpack is also lightweight, so carrying it around is easy. Its simple, rectangular design ensures good back support as the weight is spread evenly across your body.
As for the jackets, using natural down on many of them makes them ideal for wearing during Nordic winters when you most need to keep yourself warm.
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5. Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions people often ask about Fjällräven products.
Where are Fjällräven Products Made?
Fjällräven products are mainly made in South Korea and China. Some are made in Vietnam.
You don’t have to worry about compromised quality. Gone are the days when the world believed that Asian-made products are of poor quality.
Fjällräven itself declares that all its products, regardless of where they are made, always remain true to the brand’s promise of high quality.
What’s So Special About Fjällräven?
The one major thing to note about Fjällräven that makes it a special brand is that it uses simple yet fully functional designs that result in high-performing products.
The Kånken bag is a good example here for its minimalist design yet unrivaled utility.
Is a Kånken Backpack Worth It?
If a product can serve you well for five to seven years, it’s well worth your money. People looking for simple, durable, and stylish backpacks for everyday use, such as schooling, can opt to buy the Kånken.
If you need a backpack for hiking, you might want to look beyond the Kånken to find a backpack that offers more space, especially with more interior and exterior pockets. Fjällräven has some great hiking backpacks too!
Is Fjällräven a Good Brand?
A brand that makes innovative, durable, and versatile products loved by many people is a good one, especially if it practices good business ethics in its production processes.
Fjällräven makes its products with great concern for the environment, even going to extreme lengths to source ethically produced natural materials like wool and down, spearheading conservation efforts for the Arctic Fox, and using recycled materials such as polyester.
6. Conclusion
If you have been wondering why Fjällräven products are so expensive, now you have the answer.
The European brand makes highly durable products like backpacks and jackets that withstand the test of time and regular use to last several years. They are great products worth spending money on even when taking into account the high price point.