A backpack is one’s companion from the first day of pre-school as a toddler through all the stages of growing up, and for various purposes. There is significant growth in the backpack market owing to the increased interest in adventure sports and recreational activities like camping, travel and tourism activities, and the adoption of a mobile lifestyle. The global backpack market attained a value of nearly USD 18.3 billion in 2021. The market is further estimated to grow in the year 2023-2028 at a CAGR of 6.61% to reach about USD 26.88 billion by 2027.
The development of backpacks focuses on integrating functionality, appearance, and fashion trends. Growing innovations have led to smart backpacks that include GPS, charger ports, massagers and speakers, eco-friendly materials, and improved performance like weather-resistant, cooling, and anti-theft. Some of the brands in this segment are Deuter, Everest, Goruck, JanSport, Monarc, Osprey, Patagonia, Polestar, Reebok, Samsonite, Swiss Gear, Targus, The North Face, Timbuk2, and Wildcraft.
In this article, I have covered the backpack manufacturing process in brief, while touching upon the following topics.
- Different types of backpacks
- Components of a backpack
- Materials used in backpack manufacturing
- Backpack manufacturing process flow
- Production of a backpack in mass production (CMT)
Different Types of Backpacks
The market segments of backpacks as per their types are – student/work bags, outdoor sports and recreation bags, and travel bags.
The typical features of a backpack are:
- Adequate room to carry essentials (volume of the backpack)
- Compartments and pockets to organize the items
- Water-resistant
- Lightweight
- Resistant to cuts and rips
- Padded back panel
- Padded shoulder straps
- Adjustable belts
- Mesh fabric back panel
- Additional functions – anti-theft, USB charging, etc.
Components of a backpack
The anatomy of a backpack depends on its design, type, and use of it. Depending on the backpack design, one needs to procure raw materials. They need to do production planning. The basic parts that make up backpacks are:- Padded shoulder straps
- Strap adjusters
- Front pocket
- Side bottle pocket
- Main internal compartment
- Main compartment zipper
- Top grab/ carry handle
- Ventilating mesh
- Lumbar pad
- Interior pockets
- Piping/ trim
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| Figure 4: Components of a basic backpack |
Materials used in backpack manufacture
The commonly used materials in backpacks are nylon and polyester, with nylon dominating the global market. Nylon is usually considered the most durable backpack material and is thus suitable for outdoor use. Other materials include cotton (canvas and denim), jute, hemp and leather. Brands have also launched products with 100% recycled material. Below are a few images showing backpacks made from these materials. |
| Different types of backpack designs |
Backpack manufacturing process flow
The overall process of manufacturing a backpack is similar to that of a garment. It involves material sourcing, product development and sampling, time study, line set-up, cut-make-trim, quality inspection, and packaging. The basic steps of cut-make-trim are as follows:
1. Cutting of backpack parts
On finalizing the template, the pattern is drawn on the computer to develop the marker. The template of a simple backpack is shown in Figure 11. The number of cut components for a backpack can go up to hundreds. |
| Figure 11: Template of a basic backpack |
The spread fabric is cut using either CNC cutting, knife cutting, die cutting, or laser cutting. Die cutting is more common in backpack manufacturing.
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| Figure 12: Die cutting |
The backpack panel that contains the logo/ design is sent for printing or embroidery. Here is one example of computerised embroidery machines used for the embroidery process on fabric sheets.
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| Figure 13: Computerised multi-needle multi-head machines for embroidery |
Along with the body fabric, the team also makes the lining material and other trims ready. The cut components are then fed to the sewing lines.
2. Backpack Stitching Process
Backpack manufacturing is done in assembly lines. A simple backpack can consist of up to 30 operations in a single line, while complicated designs have a higher number of operations. The lines accommodate inter-modular sections that carry out the additional procedures.The operations involved in backpack manufacturing are given in the table below.
Note: The table only covers sample operation steps. The operations would be different depending on the backpack's design.
3. Finishing process
During (inline) and after the sewing process (end of the line), the product undergoes several checks in accordance to set quality guidelines. The checker segregates defective pieces into small repairs, major repairs, and rejects. The final steps involve cutting loose threads, removing marks or stains from the material, checking for broken needles, and finally packaging it.
The quality inspector checks the backpacks for their material, measurement, workmanship, print, embroidery, trims, and accessories, etc. The quantity of the products as well as packaging are checked as they are loaded into shipment containers.
References:
- https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/backpack-market
- https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-backpack-brands-4781448
- https://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/simple-series-backpack-template
Author: Dipanwita Ray