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Worse on Purpose

Eastpak

American backpack brand, stronger in European market than US.

Status: Former Great
Founded
1952
Website
eastpak.com
HQ
USA (heritage) / Europe (operations)
Manufacturing
Vietnam,Bangladesh,Cambodia,Various
Ownership type
Conglomerate subsidiary
Parent
VF Corporation
Acquired
2000

Ownership

Acquired by VF Corporation in 2000, same time as The North Face. Sister brand to JanSport, Kipling, Eagle Creek (pre-2021).

Why Former Great

Same VF playbook: denier reduction, hardware substitution, warranty narrowing.

Sister brands under VF Corporation

See all 8 sister brands

Read the full investigation

Investigation · March 23, 2026

Your Backpack Got Worse On Purpose

VF Corporation owns about 55% of the US backpack market. JanSport, The North Face, Eastpak, Kipling. Lower denier counts, generic zippers, warranties rewritten to match the cheaper construction.

Read the full investigation

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