75 years of experience

How we work

Manufacturing school backpacks that are ergonomically shaped and loved by children lies at the very core of everything that Beckmann does. Since 1946 we have focused on manufacturing backpacks that are comfortable to wear and adapted to the child in the best way possible.

Today, we offer a wide range of school backpacks, all with a starting point in Norwegian craftsmanship for schoolchildren of all ages. The unique combination of ergonomics and design, along with continuous focus on quality, has made Beckmann the preferred backpack for Scandinavian children.

Design

Loved by children, trusted by parents!

Throughout their schooling, children and young people will encounter friends, challenges, knowledge and learning. There are many factors that have influence on a normal school day. School backpacks are the factor in a child’s day at school on which we here at Beckmann can have an influence. We promise that every day we do our very best to make the best school backpacks in the world.

In addition to ergonomics, quality and functionality, we believe it is also important to spend time and resources on the aspect of the manufacturing process that creates the special “magic” for children: colours, figures and patterns.

The illustrations are created from original ideas, and throughout the entire process, our aim is to create a magical story for children, a story that will repeat itself throughout all of the products that belong together. The process begins in looking far and wide to find inspiration. We travel to trade fairs, follow trends, carry out customer surveys and spend a lot of time talking to teachers, parents – and not least with children!

How we work

One of the most important things we do when working on designs, is to observe children’s faces when they see the figures and colours. It is also a little magical for us, as designers, to see how the children’s eyes shine when they see the stories on our backpacks. When children begin to daydream, then we have done what we set out to do: We have created that magical feeling.

Ergonomics

Beckmann’s Ergonomic Principles

During their first 5-6 years at school, a child will grow a lot. Not just in height – also in width, general physique and the need for space. We have selected the adaptation functions that we believe are most important in order to ensure a good fit for each individual child, without adding weight. Therefore we have created the Classic series in three different sizes.

Beckmanns classic models, 12, 22 and 28 litre

 

Some manufacturers have an adjustable back length on their backpacks, so that the child can keep the same backpack for many years. However, these adaptations add weight, and it is difficult to get the backpack to fit optimally throughout the entire period of use. Instead, we recommend a light,
optimally adjusted backpack that is replaced after 2-3 years.

The aluminium frame is adapted so that it fits most children in the target group. It is also possible to take out the frame and shape it by hand to further tailor it to the child.

Adjust the height of the backpack by tightening the shoulder straps. The back should sit just above the child’s bottom. The lower part of the hip belt should sit on the pelvic crest. Tighten the hip belt. The chest strap can be adjusted both in height and length. This strap should be at the same height as the armpits. The top straps are important – these pull the backpack in towards the shoulders.

The shape of the shoulder straps is made to fit many different children in the target group. These should fit properly over the shoulders and not feel uncomfortable on the neck.

We have designed the backpack so that it reduces strain on the shoulders, transferring more of the weight to the hips. The internal structure, the padded hip belt, chest strap and shoulder straps are important for tightening the backpack so that it stays close to the body – which makes it easier for the child to maintain a balanced, relaxed posture. (1)

A backpack that does not fit close to the body will mean that the child is forced to adjust his/her posture to maintain balance. (2) A natural consequence of this is that the child pushes his/her shoulders forward, which can eventually lead to pain in the neck and shoulders. This occurs more often if the backpack is heavy – particularly if the weight is at the top of the backpack and the backpack is too far away from the back.

about beckmann - ergonomic principles

A school backpack has different contents than, for example, a hiking backpack and the contents are often hard and rigid. Therefore the internal structure of the backpack is important. The S-shaped aluminium support in the backpack allows the backpack to sit close to the body (3), without feeling sharp against the bottom (4) or tipping away from the neck at the top (5). It is also important to pack the backpack correctly. The heaviest items should be placed at the bottom, in towards the back. We have therefore included a pocket for books/laptop innermost towards the back, with internal adjustment cords to pull the items further in towards the back.

Materials in the backpack have been selected carefully to make the backpack light and comfortable to wear. The shoulder straps and back panel are padded with a combination of soft padding and a slightly stiffer, pressure-absorbent foam.

The hip belt provides good stability and prevents the backpack from moving around during activity, e.g. when the child jumps and runs. The chest strap is important; it allows free movement of the arms and also prevents the backpack from sliding off the shoulders. The backpack is designed so that it is narrow enough to not be in the way for the arms.

About beckmann - ergonomic principles - freedom of movmentWhen the backpack is attached to the shoulders and hips, it is best to have a short distance to the back (6). This allows the child to turn their back more freely. The back of the backpack is also designed to ensure good air flow, to prevent the backpack from feeling clammy.

Quality

4 year warranty on backpacks

With more than 70 years of experience in manufacturing school backpacks, we know what they go through and what they have to endure. School backpacks have a tough life, filled with heavy books; they are thrown around the schoolyard and even used as a seat cushion. It is important to us to reassure you that Beckmann backpacks undergo stringent quality controls and are thoroughly tested before they are carried on customer’s backs.

Therefore we are confident in offering up to 4 years warranty on our school backpacks.

Functionality

A great schoolbag must be adapted to the user in any way; design, ergonomics, quality, and of course the functionality. With us, the user always comes first!

To give our users the functionality they need, we study the user’s needs and everyday life thoroughly.

To understand the youngest children, we talk a lot with preschool teachers and schoolteachers about school life. How many books and how much food do they carry? Do they use tablets, and do they take them home? What about day trips?

We do part of the information gathering by conducting user surveys and in-depth interviews with parents about what is important to them. How do they use the schoolbag, what rooms are mostly used, how is the morning routines etc.

Children are by far our most important source of feedback. We look at how they use the schoolbag and what features that capture their attention and meet their needs. It is very important that we test and observe that the children master to do everything themselves – for example; to put the rain cover on, open and close buckles, tighten the straps and that the room divider is so intuitive that it is packed with the heaviest content close to the back.

We get many different answers because no children are alike. That’s why we work hard to make the schoolbags flexible so that they can meet varying needs. For example, the gym bag can be used alone for workouts, hiking days, overnight visits and attaches easily to the bag for use on days with physical education.

 

For youth, the needs are different. Laptop, tablets, books, cellphones, headphones and chargers. The bag must be designed for all the above. We try to understand how they use it in everyday life and how the bag can simplify their daily routines. In this segment we look at the use and needs from morning to evening. School / studies, exercise and leisure often blend into each other with activities and other plans after school. In addition, we closely monitor trends through trade shows, magazines, bloggers and influencers.

 

The needs of the user vary but based on surveys and dialogue we know that some needs are also common to the vast majority. This applies to features such as the rain cover. We do not want the customer to forget to buy it, lose it, or forget to bring it to school and be surprised by a rain shower. That’s why we have integrated rain cover in all our schoolbags.

Another example is the room division. All the schoolbags are divided to make it easy and intuitive to pack the bag correctly. Own compartments or pockets for laptop and tablets, books and binders are placed close to the back so that the heaviest objects come closer to the back.

We are always looking for good solutions and improvements! If you have any tips about features that you miss or something you experience could have been done in a smarter way, please send us an email or write to us on Facebook / Instagram.

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