Recently, a new trend has quietly taken over the streets of major cities in China, and people are wondering why. More and more sporty young people have been spotted carrying “urea bags”, woven bags originally designed to carry fertiliser as rucksacks. However, upon closer inspection, these are not genuine fertiliser bags. The bags say, “going outdoors, ping me in a couple of days,” and are worn as a fashion and lifestyle statement. Some on social media wonder if this is the latest post-modern creation from brands such as Balenciaga, after its viral “Peking Duck” crisps bag. But these urea bags are, in fact, the product of French sportswear brand Decathlon.
These bright yellow woven bags are being given away for free at select Decathlon shops, but in limited quantities. Unlike most fashion brands, which take inspiration from bin liners or woven bags and then “fashionise” them in size, materials, or design, the Decathlon urea bags are as close as you can get to real agricultural packaging, the only difference being the slogan messaging.
Eagle-eyed netizens quickly discovered the true origin of these bags. They are a collaboration between Decathlon and Rednote’s Go Wild Festival for outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, for hikers, campers and other outdoor lovers, urea and other fertiliser bags have long been a secret weapon due to their practical size and robustness.
Now, for the “couple of days” of the Go Wild Festival, Rednote continues to build its community of users and brands around shared interests, leveraging its recent rebrand. For Decathlon, it is a great viral moment to earn recognition not only in outdoor wear but also in post-modern fashion.
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