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FLAP
Timbuk2 is working with Pop!Tech and The Portable Light Project to create a solar powered LED light that’s disguised as a messenger bag.
The project is called Flexible Light and Power (FLAP). We’re part of this project because we understand mobility and we’re rooted in the nomadic culture of bike messengers and urban people on the go. Timbuk2 bags are built for function and duration. If our bags don’t hug you, hold your gear and stay on your back until you collapse, then we haven’t done our job. So we feel we’re naturally suited to the challenge of creating a modular, durable, affordable, and highly effective product. And we love that the FLAP Project is pushing us to re-think what we do best.
The theme "America Reimagined" says it all. Do we want to stick to what works or do we want to ask for more? Can a classic be improved? What need can we fill? Can we inject more value into our work? From product to community, we’re pushing and pulling to get to a more flexible powerful place. FLAP is a damn good place to start.
Why Do It?
Because portable light is a HUGE issue in much of the developing world and we think we have a partial solution. We work hard to pack our bags full of value at price points customers can afford; we understand the power of savings. Access to portable light means savings for families who would otherwise pace for rechargable light sources – kerosene, charcoal, electricity, etc. Savings from portable light mean more room for education, medicine, and business efforts. Portable light can quite literally unlock people, allow them to move freely and create opportunity. Timbuk2 thrives in motion and so do people; we deserve be hands-free everywhere, all the time.
What’s Next
There are no rules. We’ve taken our indestructible classic messenger and made it easy to destroy. You can rip the flap on and off the bag to your heart’s content. The flap is attached by velcro and contains all the business; the solar panel, the LED light, and a mini USB port for charging popular gadgets like cell phones. So people can use the portable light and USB port with our without the bag. It’s their choice. We expect that kind of flexibility from each other. Why not expect it from a classic?
Timbuk2 was born in a San Francisco garage and bred on the backs of messengers in the city streets. And it still manufactures custom bags in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District. For 20 years, Timbuk2 has been building bags and accessories for urban adventures with a simple philosophy – create good-looking, tough-as-Hell bags you can truly make your own. Timbuk2 bags stay on your back, hugging you for a lifetime. Timbuk2.com
Pop!Tech is a unique innovation network – a global community of cutting-edge leaders, thinkers, and doers from different disciplines, who come together to explore the social impact of new technologies, the forces of change shaping our future, and new approaches to solving the world’s most significant challenges. PopTech is dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world changing people, projects and ideas. We do this by creating transformational experiences that showcase the ideas, trends, challenges and opportunities that are shaping the future and by fostering breakthrough, multidisciplinary collaborations that help individuals, companies and organizations work together to change the world. PopTech.org
The Portable Light Project enables the world’s poorest people to create and own solar textiles, providing clean energy and light to improve education, health care and economic development. We believe that design for clean energy must be simple, scalable and adaptable. We work closely with partner communities to create new delivery and production models for clean energy that strengthen the local innovation and craft traditions of diverse cultures worldwide. PortableLight.org
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August 13, 2009 @ 6:02pm
Portable Light on Your FLAP(read)
August 18, 2009 @ 3:59pm
FLAP: Maker Faire Action(read)
October 21, 2009 @ 10:29am
FLAPs arrive at PopTech(read)
October 22, 2009 @ 8:40am
FLAP: Daraja Academy in Kenya(read)
October 22, 2009 @ 9:51am
FLAP: 4 Watt Panel Sales(read)
October 23, 2009 @ 5:38am
FLAP: 4 Watt in Action(read)
October 23, 2009 @ 8:38am
FLAP: How Would You Use a FLAP(read)
October 23, 2009 @ 1:46pm
FLAP: Power For Your Mobile(read)
October 24, 2009 @ 8:01pm
FLAP: PopTech Conference Bags(read)
FLAP project at FastCompany.com
FLAP project at Afrigadget.com
FLAP project at PopTech.org