Fjallraven (Re) Kanken Backpack | How to spot a FAKE


Confessions of a Bagaholic

After Anello, my eyes are on my new Re-Kanken backpack. I have been carrying it since the day I purchased it at SM Megamall department store earlier this month. I chose the color Dark Olive (#633) because it matches with most of my clothes. Also, dark colors are a lot easier to maintain than lighter ones.  

I bought this Re-Kanken because we are flying to Boracay. Bringing a backpack/rucksack when travelling with family is a must because I want both my hands free. Not that I don't have any other backpacks, it's just that Kanken is known to have large and spacious compartment. Instead of carrying books, I am repurposing this new backpack to carry all our travel essentials and a whole lot more. Kanken is definitely mommy-approved. Oh, enough about justifying my purchase ; p 

It's a bit expensive compared to Jansport. Thankfully, I have generated enough points on my BDO credit card. I was able to convert those points into SODEXHO Premium Pass gift certificates. I added about Php 800+ in cash instead of paying the full amount of Php 4,965. 

Kanken | Backpack that Straightened Out a Whole Generation

The original Kanken backpack was introduced in August 1978 when statistics showed that up to 80 percent of the Swedish population at some point suffered from back pain and that these problems were appearing in increasingly younger age groups. Experts believe that if the load from school books was re-distributed from one shoulder (*shoulder bag was very popular) to both shoulders, the risk of back pain would be greatly reduced.

Its founder, Ake Nordin, sketched an affordable, functional backpack with plenty of space for school children's books and binders. The design has not really changed throughout the years.

Fjallraven - Swedish for Arctic fox

Introducing Re-Kanken | Eco-friendly Bag

Re-Kanken is Fjallraven Kanken recycled! I am a proud mama because this special edition Kanken is made entirely from polyester recycled from plastic bottles- 11 of them to be exact!

Re-Kanken Style No. 23548 Dark Olive (633) Php 4,965
Re-Kanken Backpack | Product Description

  • Outer material is made from 100% Polyester
  • Volume: 16 L
  • Size 380 x 270 x 130 mm (14.9 x 10.6 x 5.1 inches)
  • Weight: 395 g (0.8 pound)
  • One large, zippered main compartment with large opening
  • Two side pockets
  • A zippered pocket in the front
  • Handle at the top
  • Narrow shoulder straps
  • Seat pad in the inside pocket 

Without Nature | We're Nothing

Re-Kanken was dyed with SpinDye technology that radically reduces the amount of water, energy and chemicals used. It has the same genius design as the original, but now reinvented from a recycling/recyclable perspective that saves natural resources. I am so happy to play an active role in saving our Earth. 

Meet The Kanken Family
  1. Kanken- the original since 1978 (16 litre)
  2. Kanken Mini- small version of the classic Kanken (7 litre)
  3. Kanken Kids- a Kids only version of Kanken. It includes a chest strap to keep shoulder straps in place on small children (7 litre)
  4. Kanken Laptop- it has a separate padded laptop compartment and padded shoulder straps; available in 13"/ 13 L, 15"/18 L, and 17"/20L
  5. Re-Kanken- a special edition Kanken made from SpinDye, recycled polyester (16 and 7 litre)
  6. Kanken No.2- Kanken backpack in durable G-1000 HeavyDuty with handles and details in leather (16 litre)
Accessories
  • Photo insert- holds a medium SLR camera, extra lens, memory cards, filter etc. Padded front for protection
  • Chest Strap short/long- can be added to the Kanken backpacks. Small whistle in the middle
  • Shoulder Pads-extra padding for Kanken and Kanken Mini's shoulder straps.

How to Spot a Fake Re-Kanken



First off, a Kanken bag looks stiff upon purchase. It came with a tag that indicated the type (Style No., Color and a bar code) of Kanken. Inside the zippered front pocket, I found a "Kanken since 1978" pamphlet.

Kanken Logo


Unlike the classic Kanken which has a reflectorized logo, Re-Kanken has an embroidered logo.

Kanken Snaps | Buttons 


In all 3 buttons (top handle and both straps), the Arctic fox logo is positioned facing left with its snout in downward position. All buttons are of the same size. 


The letters W A S A *6* are at the back of the button where the Arctic fox appears.

Zipper Pull



If something is stuck in your Kanken zip avoid yanking it free. Use a little bit of oil or a clear lip balm to loosen the zip. Then gently try opening and closing it. 


There's an Arctic fox on one side and a Fjallraven appearing on the other side of the zipper pull tab. YKK and H are printed on each side of the zipper slider. No visible markings at the bottom of the  zipper slider.

Kanken | Owner Details


Remember that Kanken bags are used by school children that's why there's a label stitched in front of the inner pocket where you can write the owner's name, address and contact. Oh, there's also a flag of Sweden stitched to the label in line with the word Contact.

Kanken | Seat Pad


A seat pad is stored in the inside back pocket. It prevents the contents of the backpack to press against your back. It also doubles as a seat cushion when you want to rest on the floor or anywhere else. 

Kanken Care | Labels

There are 4 labels/tags stitched inside a Re-Kanken.

1. The first tag includes:


  • A laundry/care symbol. Symbols shown in the photo from left to right- Do not wash , Do not bleach, Do not tumble dry, Do not iron and Do not dry clean. 

Care for Kanken

So, how do you take care and clean your Kanken? Wash dirty marks with lukewarm water, mild detergent and a soft brush or sponge. When it comes to drying, hang up Kanken in a well-ventilated area that's not exposed to direct sunlight (a bathroom maybe?). Whatever you do, do not put Kanken in the washing machine. 

NOTE: It is recommended to soak your Kanken in lukewarm water before you start using it or gently rub the surface with a soft brush to avoid color transfer to your clothes. I didn't do either because I was not aware of it. I use it everyday and I didn't notice any color transfer so... yey!




2. The second tag indicated that the backpack is made from 100% Polyester in various languages.


3. The third tag indicated the product details like brand, style number, Re-Kanken, 100% Polyester, size of the bag and the color in Chinese characters. 



4. The 4th tag indicated the 4 addresses of FjallRaven companies in Asia- China, Japan Korea and Taiwan. 



There's a stamp at the back of the 4th tag as seen in the photo above and a small tag with a P.O: letter and number stuck to it. 

Kanken | Stitches


A peek inside the inner pocket reveals the stitching of the straps to the bag. There is no lining so you can see all the stitches inside of the bag. 



There's no loose stitches. The photo above is taken from the lower left portion of the bag. There's a matching one at the lower right portion of the bag too. Both have mirrored letter "Z" stitched on it.

Re-Kanken | Bottom 


Re-Kanken's bottom is stitched in the middle.

Kanken | Strap & Buckle




It took me three consecutive days to write this entry. I find time to write early in the morning or late at night. I hope this entry can help you spot a fake Kanken from the real ones! As I suggest in my other How to Spot a Fake entries, always buy from the local distributor or from a reputable seller . 

These tips are the result of my research online, compiled and posted to help buyers not to get fooled by unscrupulous seller.

I hope you learned a thing or two. Please visit and share:

How to spot a fake Anello
How to spot a fake Longchamp Le Pliage Backpack

How to spot a FAKE COACH | How to spot a FAKE FENDI

Longchamp bags are from France but some bags are already made in China.To see and compare an original from a fake, visit my other post.

I hopthis entry can help a lot of bag lovers out there! If you find this helpful, please share my post to your friends!





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