ACCESS INSTEAD OF OWNERSHIP

INTRODUCING REQWSTION, A NEW WAY OF CAR(RY)ING

Words by Christian Paul Kaegi, Co-Founder of QWSTION

The capitalist system defines the incentives of (western) society, how we interact as human beings and how we deal with resources. In a nutshell, the main goal is to accumulate capital. Extraction of resources is the norm and cost is externalised wherever possible – for instance, companies can buy the right to mine for fossil fuel (resource extraction), but don’t have to pay for the resulting CO2 emissions. The cost of climate change caused by adding carbon to our atmosphere is fronted by whoever is affected directly, not the emitter. This allows for huge profits at the cost of others, and future generations.

So here we are, a tiny speck in the vast universe, a blink of an eye in time, destroying the foundations of our own lives, for values completely made up: for capital. Capital (and capitalism) is a human invention – it only works as long as we believe in it.

Imagine you could access bags
the way you listen to music.

So what if we believed in something else, something real: what if we believed in the wonder of life on this planet? Still to this day the only planet known to humanity that allows for our forms of life to exist. What if we replaced the main incentive – the accumulation of capital – with real value, and an incentive that serves all forms of life on our planet. What if the preservation of life was considered the highest value, and would define wealth. Imagine a stock market, where companies with the biggest contributions towards the preservation of life on planet earth would be traded at the highest value. Naturally, this would require different ways of ‘doing business’.  

It would require a different understanding of our role, to consider ourselves part of the natural world, the stewarts rather than the owners of it – access instead of ownership would be the key.

This concept offers potential for more responsible business practices – and while system change is a longterm project, we can establish new ways now.

Imagine you could access bags the way you listen to music: get inspired, pick the bag you like, use it as long as you like. And switch to a bigger (or more colourful) style without piling things up at home. No big upfront investment, just a monthly fee - you pay for what you use, not for ownership.

Our new ReQWSTION subscription gives you access to a wide range of different carry items. It is a new way of life, for all the game changers and the curious minds. 

As well as challenging our habits, the subscription is an important milestone on our journey to full circularity. By giving pre-used (and certainly pre-loved) bags a new purpose, we can prolong their life, while ensuring that their materials and parts can contribute to new cycles of use once their original function has ended.

How it works:

1: Browse our selection – offline only, come to our Flagship Store to see what you can get.

2: Choose your favorite(s)

3: Sign up for a ReQWSTION subscription

4: Pricing is simple: 12 CHF per month per item, upfront – 3 month minimum duration

Available in our store from April 16th.

Our goal with QWSTION is to challenge the norm of how things are designed, made and used. It is our platform for experimentation, to find and develop new solutions that push boundaries.