The dilemma of quality – and a story that confirms everything

For over 35 years I have been active in the optics industry.
Throughout all these years, one principle has accompanied me – privately and entrepreneurially:
Quality decides the future of a company.

This is how I was raised, this is how I learned, and this is how I work to this day.
One sentence is firmly anchored in my DNA:

"You only get annoyed about the price once – but about poor quality every day."

Or put differently:
Those who have little money should invest in quality – because it lasts longer than any price advantage.

But this is exactly where my dilemma begins.
This year many potential customers have told me:

"I would buy from you immediately – but your product is too expensive for me."

My answer is always honest:
Yes, I could build a suitcase that is up to 60% cheaper.
But then I would have to make compromises – on the body, the wheels, the trolley, the outer material, the seams, and the assembly. (The picture shows the inside of the body of our material (green) and a cheaper material newly after quality control (red). 

But then it would no longer be a Pull Up Case.
It would be a licensed product – without our soul and without our promise.

Our suitcases are built to last 10–15 years –
not just 2 - 3 years like many other typical standard suitcases.
This ensures less waste, satisfied customers, and a clear conscience. 

And then came a moment that absolutely confirmed my path:

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🔹 A suitcase from 2014 – and a story that touched me

Recently, Cliff Robinson from REVO Sunglasses New York told me,
that since February 2014 it has been traveling around the world with one of our suitcases – multiple times each year.

11 years of intensive use.
Trade fairs. Dealer visits. International trips.
Countless flights, transport routes, and tough assignments.

Of course, the suitcase shows signs of use on the outside – and it should.
But the impressive thing is:
👉 It still works perfectly.

When I heard that, it was clear to me:
I have to buy this suitcase back.

Not as a trophy.
But to tell this story –
and to make our products even better by learning from every mark, every scratch, and every strain.

This suitcase is proof:
Quality is not a marketing word.
Quality proves itself in everyday life.
And it is not cheap to manufacture.