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The Frakta (stylized as FRAKTA) is a reusable tote bag manufactured by IKEA.

History

In the 1960's, IKEA started selling smaller home furnishing products such as tea lights, glasses, duvet covers, etc. IKEA's creator, Ingvar Kamprad and his assistant Sten Lundén wanted a way to help customers carry smaller items home. Kamprad studied customers at the store and he wanted a bag that can be carried on their shoulder, hung from a shopping cart, and carried in the hand.

On a trip to Taiwan, Kamprad and The head of purchasing, Lars Göran Peterson (commonly known by his initials, LGP) found a suitable manufacturer to make the bag. They specified that the bag be able to hold 50 kg and large enough to carry wallpaper-rolls. Soon after, IKEA released the yellow bag which was a precursor to the FRAKTA, only be able to be used in stores. Kamprad wanted two different bags in order to differentiate which bags could be purchased, and which could not. The yellow bag is kept for store-use only, and the blue bag can be purchased and taken home.

Product

The FRAKTA is a large Polypropylene, 19-gallon, blue tote bag; it is 13 3/4 inches tall, 21 3/4 inches long and 14 1/2 inches wide. The most notable feature of the bag is the price and its versatility. The bag costs 99-cents and can be re-used indefinitely because is easily cleaned and durable. It can hold up to 55 lbs

Similar Products

IKEA also sells similar products with the same FRAKTA name such as a smaller 10-gallon bag which can also hold up to 55 lbs and a cooler bag designed for keeping food cold.

IKEA Singapore has introduced a padded version of its iconic Frakta carrier bag, called Resten, which doubles as a pillow for convenience while traveling. This multi-functional bag was launched in Singapore, a country noted for its high levels of sleep deprivation.

Balenciaga Clone

In 2017, The designer brand Balenciaga created a bag that shares a striking resemblance to the FRAKTA bag which cost $2,145 and is marketed as an extra large shopper tote. However, Balenciaga's bag has some differences, like a zipper closure which isn't on the FRAKTA bag.

IKEA's Response

An IKEA spokesperson told TODAY that IKEA was "deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag!" IKEA also made various ads responding to the designer bag. The ads told customers how to identify if it's an original FRAKTA bag and suggested customers just to get the original.

References

1. Brownlee, John (June 9, 2016). "IKEA Redesigns Its Big Blue Bag For The First Time Ever". Fast Company. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
2. Eidell, Lynsey (March 27, 2017). "IKEA's Iconic Frakta Shopping Bag Is Getting a Serious Makeover". W. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
3. ^ "The story of a beloved IKEA bag - IKEA Museum". WordPress på Azure. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
4. "FRAKTA Shopping bag, large, blue, 19 gallon". IKEA. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
5. "FRAKTA Shopping bag, medium, blue". IKEA. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
6. "FRAKTA Cooler bag, blue". IKEA. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
7. "IKEA turns classic blue shopping bag into portable pillow". dezeen.com. 2024-09-11.
8. "The $2,000 Balenciaga Ikea Bag Is Actually Awesome". GQ. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
9. "Balenciaga sells £1,705 version of IKEA's blue tote bag worth 40p". Dezeen. 2017-04-19. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
10. Cain, Áine (2017-05-11). "Balenciaga designer reveals why he famously made a $2,000 version of an Ikea bag". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
11. "IKEA Responds To Balenciaga's $2,145 Bag That Looks Exactly Like IKEA's 99-Cent Tote Bag, And It's Hilarious". Bored Panda. 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2024-02-05.

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