Patagonia has launched its newest line of Black Hole Duffels months ahead of schedule. Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard wrote about the company’s decision in a NYT essay: “People ask me how [Patagonia] has managed to stick around so long … I tell them it’s been our unrelenting focus on quality, which includes making things that last and that cause the least amount of harm to our planet.”
Black Hole Duffels are an example of this with the latest release. These bags have been dragged, carried, packed, used and abused all over the world. The Black Hole Duffels have been built with durability, functionality, repairability and quality in mind since Patagonia started making them in 2004.
While the latest iteration has new design and material features, the price, size/volume options, carry options, stow pocket, interior mesh pocket and exterior daisy chains haven’t changed.
The most significant change to the Black Hole Duffels is a shift from virgin to 100 percent recycled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a laminate applied to the material. TPU is a crucial part of what makes the Black Hole Duffel durable and weather-resistant.
For every 1,000 yards of TPU produced, 75 pounds go to waste because of the manufacturing process. In what it calls an “industry first,” Patagonia purchases this TPU waste directly from the factories and recycles it into all the new Black Hole Duffels. The use of recycled TPU gives the bags a matte finish look.
Additionally, all new Black Hole Duffels are designed with greater repairability in mind. Patagonia’s Reno repair center is stocked with Black Hole replacement components such as the base, side panels and top panel.
Instead of custom patching, a repair tech will replace a damaged panel with a new one, resulting in a higher-quality repair. Fun fact: the replacement panels might not be color-matching.
To view the new Black Hole Duffels, use these links:
For more information, go to https://www.patagonia.com/home/
Photo Credit – Colin Wiseman
