When it comes to the most popular accessory of the summer, the tote has it in the bag.
Last month, Lands’ End’s canvas tote became the company’s number one SKU, up from its typical place in the top 15, Matt Trainor, the company’s svp of brand creative, told Modern Retail. Meanwhile, L.L. Bean is seeing sales skyrocket for its new bag celebrating the 80th anniversary of its signature Boat and Tote bag. And Trader Joe’s new mini cooler tote bag, released in June for $3.99, sold for upwards of $100 on resale sites like eBay and Poshmark.
While tote bags aren’t new, the products have been in extra-high demand lately. Some of this is economical; more consumers are opting for bags at more accessible price points as they look for ways to save money. What’s more, as of 2024, 20 U.S. states have banned plastic bags, leading customers in those markets to look for reusable alternatives. And — in a trend that’s taking off on social media — consumers are increasingly personalizing their totes. These go beyond simple modifications, like monogramming a bag with a person’s initials, with more people opting to include unconventional statements like “not not designer“ and “hot mess” as a form of self-expression. On TikTok, there are 13.3 million posts about the topic “monogrammed tote.”
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