See How Bags are Given a Second Life by the Filson Restoration Department

Normally, a fraying hole in the fabric or a broken zipper would be enough to relegate a bag to the landfill, but Seattle-based bag maker Filson believes that this is only a life half lived. For this reason, the brand set up the Filson Restoration Department (FRD) in 2014 to prolong the longevity in the well-loved Filson bags that previous customers bring in. Here, FRD manager Chris Hanson provides a behind-the-scenes look at the process that the second-hand bags undergo, where imperfections and signs of wear and tear are not only not disguised, but instead are celebrated as markers of the stories through which each bag has lived. Enjoy the video above, and be sure to pick up a copy of HYPEBEAST Magazine: Issue 11 for an account of our own visit to the Filson headquarters.