This school bag from Germany is a perfect fit for Switzerland
29.9.2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Michael Restin
In primary school, many school bags are too big for the few things children carry with them. A family business from Cologne wants to do better: The Bagg from Kwio is slimmer, more elegant, and expandable.
First graders often remind me of SpongeBob: they look like a rectangle with arms and legs. The school bag looks far too big, and the children disappear behind it. On top of that, it's usually pretty empty. When running, a lonely lunchbox rattles back and forth, and the coolness factor of the dinosaur pattern drops continuously from day one. Six-year-olds want and wear what they see on others – and parents willingly shell out a lot of money for it.
Well-known brands like Ergobag and Step by Step dominate the scene in the schoolyard. I rarely encounter other concepts.
However, at a somewhat secluded booth at the Kind + Jugend fair in Cologne, I discover a model that stands out from the uniform look at first glance: It is from Kwio, is called Bagg, and stands out primarily due to its rolltop, its compact dimensions, and its dinosaur-free designs.
School Backpacks as a Family Affair
I get into a conversation with Minka Frackenpohl, who founded the family business together with her husband Thorsten. He is the product designer and CEO, and she manages the operational business as COO. We are quickly on the same wavelength because we have children of similar ages and have had comparable experiences with school equipment. Our conclusion: Less would often have been more in primary school.
This thought is reflected in the design of the Bagg, which Minka shows me in detail: At 19 centimeters, it is flatter than common models. This keeps the weight closer to the back. Its rolltop ensures variable height and, contrary to my fears, does not close in a fiddly way, but quickly and reliably.
It snaps together magnetically at the top, and the clip on the elastic band also finds its target magnetically. I can fasten the clip in two different positions, so the volume of the backpack varies between 19 and 22 liters. A jacket or a sweater also has room under the tension strap when the bag is closed.
«You should photograph it with a flash», says Minka, because the entire surface of the backpack is reflective. Unfortunately, I don't have a flash with me. But in the light of my small video light, I can see how the material reacts. This safety aspect fits nicely into the design.
Color Play and a Special Carrying System
In general, parents who value aesthetics will enjoy the Bagg. Minka and Thorsten Frackenpohl were bothered by the fact that most products are designed like toys and correspond to the rapidly changing tastes of children for only a short time. They wanted a design that works long-term. Their backpack looks colorful and cheerful without being over-the-top with wild patterns.
Details like the zippers and the embroidered logo provide a color contrast. The covers of the two insulated outer pockets for the lunchbox and water bottle can also be swapped. This offers the possibility to play a bit with the look and personalize the backpack.
«So this is your counter-design to the Kletties», I say, thinking of the many animal or sports motifs with which children decorate their school bags. «Exactly, we didn't want anything like that», confirms Minka.
In other respects, the Bagg joins the market with familiar features: It is made of recycled materials, has the usual waterproof base, and weighs 1300 grams. What is special, however, is the self-developed carrying system: It can not only be adjusted in height but also grows in width. It is designed for children between 100 and 150 centimeters in height.
Slim Solutions Are in Demand
I find all of this at least as interesting as the realization that the need for slimmer school bags is apparently also growing in Germany. I thought that across the border, where the school bag becomes a 'Ranzen', children were still dragging more around with them.
That, at least, was part of the answer my colleague Katja Fischer received upon inquiry from the brand Step by Step: «In Switzerland, it seems to be the case that kids have to take less with them.» In Germany and Austria, it is often different: «There, the little ones often carry quite a lot of content around with them.»
Katja's text and the discussion below it read like a collection of arguments for why, at least in Switzerland, less is more. Want an example? «The entire text speaks to my soul. 1 carrot, 2 crackers, 2 A4 sheets... And after 3 years, mega uncool», reads one comment.
Kwio Is Not Yet Available in Switzerland
To be fair: The common brands also offer compact and lightweight models. There are various ones starting from 19 liters in volume and 860 grams in weight. They are just boxier and designed in such a childish way that they rarely survive the third grade.
The manufacturers can cope with that because, with brands like Satch and Coocazoo, they also offer products for the next age cohort. That is, of course, good for business, and the clientele pays willingly when it comes to school.
For the Bagg from Kwio, you also have to spend 250 euros for the usual set with a gym bag, interchangeable cover, and two pencil cases. That is a lot of money and a lot of material. «Unfortunately, we cannot yet offer the pencil case filled with pens», says Minka apologetically – and I laugh because pens were included with my children's Ergobags but were superfluous. «No problem in Switzerland», I reply. Everything was provided at school. In Germany, it's different. There, parents have to get the materials themselves.
It feels like Kwio was made for local needs. Unfortunately, the brand is not yet represented in Switzerland. Unlike business within the EU, there are a few hurdles... But I have passed on Minka's contact internally and ask you what you think of the Bagg.
Bagg by Kwio
What do you think of the brand's concept?
- This backpack is very interesting for primary school.97%
- The market leaders Ergobag and Step by Step have the better concept.3%
The competition has ended.
Header image: Michael Restin
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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