The difference is mainly in the look and feel.

Our first fabric (Black and Sand variants) is made of 91% recycled PET and has a rather natural, canvas-like look. It feels thinner.

In the Sleek Black variant, the fabric is made of 100% recycled PET and has a smooth look. It feels a little thicker and rubbery.

The Sleek Black is a little easier to clean due to its smooth texture and water rolls off more easily - on the other hand, it is more prone to superficial scratches and dents or cuts, which remain visible in the long term on such smooth fabrics.

As far as protecting the contents of the bags from moisture is concerned, there is no difference between the two versions, as both fabrics are waterproof. It is always important to remember that after prolonged exposure to heavy rain, moisture can seep through the seams and zips of backpacks. Therefore, we recommend using the Rain & Luggage Cover in such cases.

Quick answer:
No, does not stain easily, however, dark stains are more visible than on black version. Good to clean. Fine for everyday use. Attach rain cover when exposed to heavy rain, dirt, oil or dust.

Detailed answer:
Our fabric has a natural, linen-like look and feel, but does not stain as easily as a natural material. It is made from a synthetic fibre derived from recycled PET bottles and is treated with a water repellency coating. Therefore, it deals well with normal dust and dirt and is fairly easy to clean.

It is definitely not a dirt magnet, but naturally most stains will be more visible on the sand colour version than on the black version, so you might have to clean it a bit more often.

When you are up to something adventurous, exposed to heavy rain, dust, mud, or when oily stains may pose a threat, we recommend using our Rain & Luggage Cover. It offers additional protection for your backpack and saves yourself from having to clean it afterwards. However, this is not necessary for normal, everyday use.

While passing through airports and security checks, be mindful of oily conveyor belts and other equipment, since these may stain the fabric easily. If your bag gets dirty, consider the following cleaning instructions.

Quick answer:
Hand wash only. If necessary use gentle soap and brush. Dry well.

Detailed answer:
Surface stains and dust can be brushed off easily without having to apply water or cleaning products.

We advise not to put your bag in the washing machine as this could affect the longevity of the zippers, buckles, seams, coatings, etc.

Instead, hand wash it using a sponge or (tooth) brush and a gentle soap, if necessary. For persistent stains we recommend using “Nikwax Tent & Gear Solarwash” cleaner. Remove the modular parts and clean and dry them separately. To reduce drying time, hang the backpack torso upside down in a well ventilated area and open all zippers.

After several washes we recommend applying “Nikwax Tent & Gear Solarproof” spray to renew the fabric’s water repellency coating.

Purchase:

The Travel Backpack Original, Day Pack Original, Day Pack Mini, Sling, and Sling Mini are available for purchase at:

• Loveco Körtestr. 14, 10967 Berlin-Kreuzberg
• Loveco Eisenacher Str. 36/37, 10781 Berlin-Schöneberg
• Loveco Sonntagstr. 29, 10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain

We recommend you contact Loveco before going there to make sure they are in stock at the branch you want to visit.

Rental:

You can rent our bags and accessories at Kleiderei stores across Germany, which could be a good way to test them out before you decide whether to purchase one. Please note that Kleiderei is a membership service with a monthly fee. You can find more info at Kleiderei. 

You are also welcome to visit Kleiderei branches to view our products before buying them on our website.

We recommend contacting the individual branch to check availability of your desired item.

• Kleiderei Berlin: Oranienstr. 44, 10969 Berlin
• Kleiderei Köln: Venloer Str. 459, 50825 Köln
• Kleiderei Stuttgart: Rotebühlstr. 90, 10178 Stuttgart
• Kleiderei Freiburg: Klarastr. 80, 79106 Freiburg

You are also welcome to order WAYKS products via our website and return them in new condition within 14 days for a full refund if they do not suit your needs. Just keep in mind that you would need to pay the return postage, but you would save yourself the trip to a store.

We offer a 14 days change-of-mind returns policy in exchange for a full refund as stated in our Right of Withdrawal information. Please note that all returned products need to be in new, unused condition. We hope you understand that as a small start-up we can’t provide you with return labels, so you will need to cover the cost for the return postage.

If you want to return your product, please email us at hello@wayks.com and we will promptly send you instructions to process your return and refund as quickly as possible.

Please do not send your return parcel to Berlin, but instead to our fulfillment center’s address: LEFAS Fashion GmbH, c/o Ontaro GmbH, Hüttenstr. 100, 50170 Kerpen, Germany

Quick answer:
Waterproof fabric. Fine for normal rain. Attach rain cover if bag is used in extended periods of heavy rain.

Detailed answer:
WAYKS bags deal very well with light and normal rain. On the inside of the fabric a water-based PU-coating is applied, which makes the material impermeable. The outside has a PFC-free water repellency treatment, which lets water roll off the fabric.

On our backpacks, the back pocket zippers have a water-resistant PU coating, to protect sensitive items such as phones, wallets, passports, etc.

After extended exposure to heavy rain, moisture can eventually seep through the backpack’s seams and zippers. Therefore, we recommend using the Rain & Luggage Cover in such conditions.

On the WayksOne, the laptop compartment fits a MacbookPro 16”.

It measures 39cm (15.3”) in height. It is 27cm (10.6”) wide on the WayksOne Original and 26cm (10.2”) wide on the WayksOne Compact.

The opening of the side access zipper is 34.5cm (13.6”) long. Slightly longer laptops can still be accessed easily if you tilt them, but very long laptops will not fit through the side opening. However, any laptop is still easily accessible via the top zipper or clamshell opening.

On the Day Pack Mini, the laptop compartment fits a MacbookPro 13”. It measures 32 cm (12.5”) in height and is 23 cm (9”) wide.

We designed it to fit into the overhead locker (Cube attached and the top rolled down). In this configuration it measures 60cm in height, which falls within official restrictions of some airlines, but may be slightly too long for others.

Our backpacks have been on countless flights with different people on different airlines on different continents. So far we have never experienced any issues, since it vertically fits it into the overhead locker in this configuration. So you are not taking more than your fair space.

Should a flight attendant ever see an issue, you may still zip off the Cube, as many airlines allow for a second, smaller bag to be taken on board. If you fill the backpack all the way to the top, it will be too long for most airlines’ restrictions. Many may still let you on board with it (so far, we have been fine) but it would be safer to check it in.

You can find detailed measurements on the Travel Backpack page. We suggest using our Rain & Luggage Cover to keep your bag well protected during luggage handling.

The statutory warranty rights of Germany apply to purchases from our website. Simply speaking, this means that we cover manufacturing and material faults, which are claimed within two years from the date of purchase.

If you have a warranty claim, please email your order number as well as a description and photos of the fault to hello@wayks.com. If we ask you to send the item to us, return postage for eligible warranty claims is covered by us. After inspecting the issue we may either repair the product, exchange it for an item in the same or better condition, or agree with you on another solution to solve the issue.

We have high expectations on our products’ lifetime. Your bag is designed to last much longer than two years. We put a strong emphasis on premium quality and durability both in our material selection and manufacturing process. Naturally, your bag’s lifetime also depends on how well you treat it. Damages caused by wear and tear, neglect, or misuse are not covered by warranty, however, we will try to assist you to keep your product in use and avoid it from going to landfill.

Thanks to its modular design, we can offer spare parts at reasonable prices. In case something breaks, gets lost, or wears out over time, you may simply exchange the faulty part, rather than purchasing a completely new backpack.

Check out our video tutorials. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if anything is unclear – we want you to get the most out of your WAYKS bags and are always happy to help.