An interview with Pack Easy’s CEO on what to look for in travel luggage

Marion Klein is CEO of luggage manufacturer Pack Easy in Emmen. I met up with her in her company’s showroom, where the latest models are on display.

I see a lot of suitcases and travel bags here. I’d struggle to choose the right one just from looking at them. What should I look out for when buying a new piece of luggage?

Marion Klein: It’s true, many people often don’t know how to make a decision anymore. This applies to both online shopping and traditional retail. Buying on price alone is certainly not the best approach. Luggage is used in different modes of transportation and subject to a great deal of strain.

So I’d be better off with a robust, hard-shell case?

Not necessarily. The piece of luggage has to work for the person travelling. People who travel a lot for work have different needs to someone who goes on holiday once a year. And any piece of luggage can break. Regardless of the brand or how expensive it was. What’s more important is what happens after the purchase. Does the manufacturer provide warranty on their products? In my opinion after-sales service is a decisive factor.

«Kofferklinik» is good – they repair suitcases of all brands and I reported on them here too. What else does it come down to?

Of course, it’s important to look at the quality. You should check how robust the zippers are and whether the seams are single or double stitched. It’s also a question of how quickly you can get a replacement if you realise the day before your trip that your suitcase is broken. It’s a plus if the warehouse is in Switzerland.

Once I’ve answered these questions, do I choose the suitcase that looks nicest to me?

Not quite. Of course, the suitcase should also be visually appealing and perhaps stand out a little from the others on the baggage carousel so you can recognise it quickly. But, the inside of the suitcase is just as important as its appearance.

What do I have to bear in mind?

If you’re travelling for a while, you’ll pack the things that are very important to you. These should be easy to stow away, be organised and stay in place during the trip. For this you need a good lining and a case that’s divided into two parts. This way you can separate your fresh laundry from dirty laundry. We also offer a «bag-in-bag» system, where underwear and T-shirts, for example, are packed in separately. Personally, I make sure I’m packed in about two minutes and can unpack quickly at the hotel. That’s why I find designs like this useful. Wardrobes in hotels with high compartments are sometimes very impractical.

It sounds as if your own experience is always incorporated into the design of the suitcases.

Yes, that’s right. We also do a lot of observations, for example at airports. In a suitcase that can be used as hand luggage, we’ve inserted a USB port for the power bank on the outside so that travellers don’t have to balance the power bank on their lap while waiting for the flight. And in some countries you have to hand in the power bank before the flight. So we’ve designed the compartment in a way that allows you to easily remove it.

Details like these are essential for frequent travellers.

We work with various airlines whose employees use our suitcases themselves. Swiss Airlines, for example. These suitcases are put under a lot of strain as they’re often on the road several times a week. So the product has to deliver what it promises. Their employees actually have several sets in use so that they have an immediate replacement if something breaks. We also send out wheels with instructions so they can replace them themselves.

Are spare parts such as wheels standardised?

Not yet unfortunately. We’re working on it. That’s why we usually keep spare parts for our cases in stock for ten to fifteen years, so that we can offer customers the appropriate repairs. We try to extend the life of the luggage as far as possible and dispose of it properly, if it can no longer be repaired or used for other purposes.

Pack Easy is a Swiss company. Where are the Pack Easy cases manufactured?

Development, design and the entire sales administration take place here, while the luggage is produced in China. Leather products, such as the women’s bags in our range, are made in a small factory in Ticino. For luggage, we’ve been working with very reliable manufacturers in China. In some cases for more than 15 years. They’re all top professionals in the field of case production.

Why China?

We keep the production site in China, as all the raw materials for the luggage come from Asia. Europe isn’t ready to be a suitcase producer yet. There’s a shortage of production facilities and, above all, skilled workers who want to work in a manufacturing company.

Now I’m noticing some very typical Swiss designs.

Yes. We’ve worked with Swiss Olympic in the past and currently have a cooperation with the foundation and sports organisation «Schweizer Sporthilfe» and Swiss Equestrian. We also work for numerous other companies and manufacture branded products for them. Among other things, in the field of upcycling we’re reusing old materials in our production. One example is the new SBB range made from old departure posters at stations.

Many thanks, Marion, for the insights and the luggage tips for the travel season.

If you’re considering a Pack Easy suitcase or trolley for your next trip, these products might take your fancy:

Suitcases

Pack Easy Flow

73 l, M (50 - 90l)

103

Suitcases

CHF199.–

Pack Easy Jay

181 l, Hand luggage (up to 50 litres), L (90 - 115l)

71

Suitcases

CHF159.–

Pack Easy Gene-T

Suitcases

Pack Easy Flow

73 l, M (50 - 90l)

103

Suitcases

CHF199.–

Pack Easy Jay

181 l, Hand luggage (up to 50 litres), L (90 - 115l)

71

Suitcases

CHF159.–

Pack Easy Gene-T