Fold-Up BagThe original duffle
- Open
- 18 x 11.5 x 11 in
- Folded
- 9.75 x 8 x 2.75 in
- Weight
- About 1 lb
- Bottles
- 22
Paravel Fold Up Bag
The Paravel Fold-Up Bag is a packable duffle in recycled nylon that zips flat into its own pouch, about the size of an e-reader, and opens to 18 x 11.5 x 11 inches.
It was the bag that made Paravel known, and a pick on Oprah's Favorite Things in 2018. A Fold-Up Backpack, Mini Backpack and Belt Bag followed. None of them is in the October 2026 relaunch, so today they are found on Amazon and resale sites.
Paravel Fold-Up Sizes, Folded and Unfolded
Each drawing shows the front of the bag open, next to its folded pouch, all at the same scale. Measurements are as retailers listed them.
Fold-Up BackpackFits a 15-inch laptop
- Open
- 16 x 13 x 9 in
- Folded
- 6.5 x 6 x 2.5 in
- Weight
- Just over 0.5 lb
- Bottles
- 15
Mini Fold-Up BackpackA change of clothes, wallet, phone
- Open
- 12 x 10 x 6 in
- Folded
- 5 x 4.5 x 2 in
- Weight
- Not published
- Fabric
- 100% recycled PET
Fold-Up Belt BagWaist or cross-body
- Open
- 8 x 5 x 2 in
- Folded
- 5 x 3.75 x 1 in
- Weight
- 0.31 lb
- Bottles
- 7
Sources: AFAR, Loop & Tie, Selfridges, Reader's Digest, Atelerie and Clove & Twine listings. Weights for the Fold-Up Bag range from 14 to 16 oz across reviews. A later "Fold Up Duffle" listed by Shopbop at 16.5 x 10.75 x 10.25 in and 12 oz may be a revised version.
Negative Nylon: What the Fold-Up Is Made Of
Paravel called its fabric Negative Nylon: a woven nylon made from post-consumer plastic water bottles, certified to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and the Global Recycled Standard. Selfridges listed the Fold-Up Bag as 99% recycled nylon and 1% thermoplastic polyurethane, from 22 bottles.
The fabric is water-resistant and tear-resistant rather than waterproof. Straps are reinforced cotton webbing, the zips are recycled, the logo sits on a small leather patch, and Paravel offered up to three embroidered initials.
- Packs flat
- Folds and zips into its own pouch, with the bag's base forming the pouch's outside.
- Rides on a suitcase
- The exterior pocket opens into a sleeve that slides over a rolling bag's handle. The backpack uses a trolley band instead.
- Pockets
- One deep interior zip pocket and one quick-access outside pocket on the duffle.
- Care
- Spot clean, or machine wash on a gentle cycle and air dry, as owners and retailers describe.
Is the Paravel Fold-Up Bag a Personal Item?
Packed full, it is bigger than most airline personal-item limits. Packed loosely, the soft sides squash down, which is how a soft duffle usually gets under the seat in front.
| Airline | Personal item limit | Fold-Up Bag, packed full |
|---|---|---|
| American | 18 x 14 x 8 in | Length fits; 3 in too deep |
| United | 17 x 10 x 9 in | Over on every side; pack it half full |
| Spirit, Frontier | 18 x 14 x 8 in | Length fits; 3 in too deep |
| Southwest | 16.25 x 13.5 x 8 in | Too long and too deep; pack it half full |
| Delta | No size published; must fit under the seat | Likely once soft-packed |
Limits from each airline's baggage pages; airlines change them, so check before you fly. As a carry-on rather than a personal item, its length and height fit the usual 22 x 14 x 9 in limit, and the 11 in depth squashes down when it is not packed full.
What Owners Say About the Fold-Up
Paraphrased from reviews, with the source and month. Most praise how much it holds for how little space it takes; the complaints are about fabric weight and long-term zips.
Took it through planes, trains, car trunks and spilled food for more than a year, washed it on a gentle cycle, and the nylon never tore.
Alexandra Napoli, theSkimm, February 2024Comes out of the pouch creased, and the outside of the folded pouch is the bag's floor, so it picks up dirt.
Dean Stephens, The Adult Man, April 2024, a review sponsored by ParavelWould have liked slightly thicker fabric.
Cristina A, Thingtesting, 2021The Mini Fold-Up Backpack felt durable and thick.
Zoe W, ThingtestingAfter about five years, the mini backpack's zip had worn and its feet had come off.
Jacqueline K, Thingtesting, 2023The full-size Fold-Up Backpack has held up under heavy loads.
Alexandra B, Thingtesting, 2025Fold-Up Colors
Colors rotated by season. The names seen most often in retailer listings are Safari Green, Scuba Navy, Domino Black, Derby Black and Bebop Red; theSkimm counted six colors for the duffle at one point. Some Fold-Ups were sold with a monogram, which matters if you are buying second-hand.
Buying a Fold-Up Bag Now
Paravel stopped making the Fold-Up when the original company closed in May 2025, and the relaunched paravel.com does not sell it. Remaining stock and second-hand bags turn up from Amazon sellers and resale sites. Check the photos for the leather patch and striped webbing, ask about the zips, and expect no warranty.
For a new Paravel bag that also rides on a suitcase handle, look at the Signature Canvas Tote.
Fold-Up Bag and Backpack
Original Fold-Up pieces from Amazon sellers. Check the size in the listing against the table above.
See Fold-Up Bags on AmazonThe 2026 Paravel collection
No Fold-Up yet. The new range is the Aviator suitcase, the canvas tote, packing cubes and a luggage tag.
See paravel.comParavel Fold-Up Bag Questions
How big is the Paravel Fold-Up Bag?
Open, about 18 x 11.5 x 11 inches. Folded into its pouch, 9.75 x 8 x 2.75 inches.
How much does the Fold-Up Bag weigh?
About a pound. Reviews list it between 14 and 16 ounces.
Can the Fold-Up Bag go over a suitcase handle?
Yes. The outside pocket opens into a sleeve that slides over a rolling suitcase handle.
Is the Paravel Fold-Up Bag waterproof?
No. The recycled nylon is water-resistant, so it shrugs off light rain but should not sit in a puddle.
Can you wash the Fold-Up Bag?
Retailers list spot cleaning or a gentle machine wash and air drying, and a theSkimm reviewer machine-washed hers on gentle without damage.
Is the Fold-Up Bag coming back?
It is not in the October 2026 range. ATR Group has said new shapes are planned for 2027 but has not named them.
What is the Fold-Up Backpack's laptop size?
Reader's Digest found it fits a 15-inch laptop.
Does the Fold-Up Bag count as a carry-on?
Yes. Its 18 x 11.5 inch face fits a standard 22 x 14 x 9 carry-on limit, and the 11 inch depth squashes to 9 when it is not packed full. Packed lightly, it can also pass as a personal item on some airlines.