A century ago, travel was a luxury that was reserved completely for the extremely wealthy people of the world. Ocean liners and railway were the mode of transport of choice for these people, and the type of luggage that they brought on these epic journeys was an important factor of the trip. As a trip on a steam trip could take around a month to complete, people would be inclined to pack heavily, bringing with them a variety of household goods to make their trip more comfortable, all packed into a number of huge steam trunks.

Jet travel transforms luggage design

The introduction of jet liners saw a major transformation of the travel industry, where all of a sudden people of average means were able to travel long distances, thanks to the affordability of this new form of travel. The manufacture of luggage also evolved with this new age, and hence came the creation of newer, smaller suitcases that adhered to the strict baggage weight restrictions levied by airlines. These cases were originally made of light wood, and while they were a lot lighter than steam trunks that people used to use, they were still heavy next to the modern luggage designs of today.

The innovation and creativity that has been adopted by today's luggage designers is astounding. Many look towards the aeronautical industry for inspiration in tough yet lightweight materials that they can incorporate into their latest designs. These designers also have to take into consideration the demands of the modern traveler, and features such as lightweight frames, expandability and inline skate wheels have become commonplace in luggage pieces, rather than luxury attributes.


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