PromZ Vak 4 · 2025 · English edition

2026

PromZ product premiére: Xmas gifts

THÉ EXHIBITION

21 & 22 Januari, breepark Breda

promzpremiere.com

By Peter van Gestel

The popular underseater:

Small in size, big on convenience

A bag is just a bag — or so you’d think. But anyone who pays attention at the airport knows better. The battle for space in the overhead bins has never been fiercer. Luckily, there's the underseater — a clever cabin-size bag designed to fit neatly under your airplane seat. And at SL Bags, they’ve realized: this isn’t a hype — it’s a gamechanger.

Joris Jansen van den Berg, with vacation on his mind and a coffee within reach, speaks enthusiastically about how it all came to be. “Peter — my colleague — was on a flight and said, ‘We need to do something with this.’ We were already seeing it in retail, but in the promotional, Christmas, and appreciation gift markets, it was barely present.”

So they got to work. The result? Two models. The luxury Active Underseater under the Vasad brand, with three compartments including a laptop sleeve. And the RB Underseater, a simpler yet fully recycled version from RecycleBags. “The second one is easier to print on and also more budget-friendly. Perfect for promo,” says Joris.

When it comes to sustainabilit y, he gets serious: “RecycleBags means 100% recycled — from the outer material to the lining and woven strap. That’s not marketing talk, it’s the real deal.” The Active Underseater has fewer recycling options due to its premium materials, but it lasts for years. That’s sustainability too.”

At the exhibition floor, the concept caused a sensation. “At PSI, colleagues stood there with their mouths open. And now it’s already being copied — that says it all.” And if you think it stops there — think again. The underseaters are part of a complete cabin-size line, including a compact 4-wheel ABS trolley, vacuum-style spacesavers and a fillable neck pillow you can stuff with socks or underwear as extra cabin baggage. “We’re now presenting it in a shop-in-shop display at several selected Christmas gift showrooms. One meter twenty-five wide, sleekly styled, everything together.

Clients get it immediately.” The strength? Ease of use and relevance. “Whether you’re heading to a trade show or a short overnight stay — pack your things, slide the bag under the seat, and done. No hassle with paying extra for checked baggage.” This article’s writer knows from experience: I once brought one of those cheap hard-shell cases from Action. I was immediately sent back. That’s not happening again.

In the Christmas gift market, the same idea now applies: no drawer-fillers, but a gift with function. “You don’t throw away a good bag,” says Jansen. “And if it’s also stylish and sustainable? Then it’s no longer just a gift — it’s a compliment. And what we also see as a compliment? That the bag is already being copied all over the place.”