My Kånken Essentials

Forty years after the original Kånken first adorned Swedish school children’s backs, comes a collection of accessories created for all kinds of Kånken lovers. It was 1978 when Fjällräven decided to offer a rectangular two-strap alternative to the common over-the-shoulder school bags of the time. Available in just a few colours initially, the goal was to prevent back problems developing at an early age. Today Kånken comes in 54 colours, six sizes and three material versions. It’s no longer just for Swedish school kids either. In fact, Kånken has become more than just a colourful backpack.

Behind (or in front, depending on your perspective) every Kånken backpack is an individual, a person with a character and style all of their own. Kånken is quite unique in the way it allows people to express their personality, while at the same time making them feel part of a whole – something bigger than the individual.

Fjällräven’s new Kånken Essentials pay homage to this individuality and creativity. This series of accessories with a Kånken aesthetic includes a Mini Cooler, Toiletry Bag, Photo Insert and Travel Wallet. Each ‘Essential’ fits perfectly inside a Kånken and will feature the Kånken logo. And yes, they’ll come in a range of Kånken colours.


“Kånken is so much more than a backpack. It’s your first day at school, your weekend getaway, a picnic with your friends, your festival companion. To make all these different stories even richer we created Kånken Essentials. We freed Kånken from only being a backpack and let it change shape to meet the different needs we see around the world,” says Fredrik Hyltén-Cavallius, Fjällräven’s Senior Hardware Designer.

All Kånken Essentials maintain the same classic, time- less DNA of the original backpack and they’re tailor-made to create endless possibilities for the millions of Kånken individuals out there.