3.5

Upcycling in Innovative, Small Businesses: Once a Boat, Now a Bag

In this step we’ll explore how inflatable boats that have been discarded can be upcycled into water-resistant and functional bags and cases. Knowing your local context and community is once again proven to be key to finding unsustainable waste flows and turning that waste into something of higher value, that will be used for many years.

The Boat to Bag story begins in Bern, Switzerland. ‘Aareböötle’ is a Swiss tradition which involves floating down the Aare river in an inflatable boat or similar craft.

It is a popular summer pastime where participants can experience the river, often starting in Thun and finishing in Bern, but there are also calmer sections. Going out on an ‘Aareböötle’ can be done on your own or with the help of professional companies that provide equipment and organize tours.

The Swiss start-up Boat2Bag, founded by Elmo Francis and Yannick Käser, tackles the plastic waste from the popular ‘Aareböötle’ tradition by creating upcycled bags. During one season, the company collected nearly three tons of discarded inflatable boats – the equivalent of about 150 crafts – from Bern’s waste site. They transform this raw material, often left behind by participants, into stylish bags and accessories to promote sustainability.

This video here takes you on a ‘Aareböötle’ and shows the popularity of this activity.

Further reading, learning and references

Boat2Bag https://boat2bag.ch/home/

Meuli, K. (2025). Sustainable Bern-based start-up: Upcycled fashion from discarded Aare boats. UniFOKUS https://www.uniaktuell.unibe.ch/2025/upcycled_fashion_from_discarded_aare_boats

© Daniel Mossberg, CEMUS, Uppsala University and Sonali Phadke, studio Alternatives and Stephanie Foote