Tote bag

Large, open-topped hand bag

A tote bag

A tote bag is a large, typically unfastened bag with parallel handles that emerge from the sides of its pouch.

Totes are often used as reusable shopping bags. The archetypal tote bag is made of sturdy cloth, perhaps with thick leather at its handles or bottom; leather versions often have a pebbled surface. Fabrics include natural canvas and jute, or nylon and other easy-care synthetics. These may degrade with prolonged exposure to sunlight. Many low-cost totes are made from recycled matter, from minimally processed natural fibers, or from byproducts of processes that refine organic materials.

## Etymology[edit]

The word tote is a colloquial term of North American English origin meaning "to carry" or "to transport", generally in relation to a heavy load or burden. It is first recorded in Virginia in 1677, but its etymology is uncertain.[1][2][3] An alleged African origin has been discredited.[1][2]

The term "tote bag" is first recorded in 1900.[2]

## Environmental concerns[edit]

A promotional tote bag

Recently, tote bags have been sold as a more eco-friendly replacement for disposable plastic bags, given they can be reused multiple times. They have also been given away as promotional items. A study by the UK Environment Agency found that cotton canvas bags have to be reused at least 131 times before they can match the carbon expenditure of a single disposable plastic bag, and up to 327 times if the plastic bags are used as bin liners.[4] Another 2018 study by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that cotton bags would need to be used 52 times with regard to climate change, and up to 7,100 times considering all environmental indicators.[5] Meanwhile, tote bags made from recycled polypropylene plastic require 11 (up to 26 when considering reuse as bin liners for plastic bags) reuses to match.

A 2014 study of U.S. consumers found that the 28% of respondents who own reusable bags forgot them on approximately 40% of their grocery trips and used the bags only about 15 times each before discarding them. About half of this group typically chose to use plastic bags over reusable ones, despite owning reusable bags and recognizing their benefits.[6] An increasing number of jurisdictions have mandated the phase-out of lightweight plastic bags to reduce land and ocean pollution. In order to provide an incentive for consumers to remember reusable bags more often these laws establish a minimum price for bags at checkout and require either paper, reusable fabric tote bags, or thick reusable plastic bags.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "tote, v.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
2. ^ a b c "tote | Origin and meaning of tote". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
3. ^ Matthews, Albert (1904). "Tote". Notes and Queries. 10th ser. 2 (35): 161–162. doi:10.1093/nq/s10-II.35.161.
4. ^ Edwards, Chris; Meyhoff Fry, Jonna (February 2011). Life cycle assessment of supermarket carrier bags: a review of the bags available in 2006 (PDF). UK Environment Agency (Report). ISBN 978-1-84911-226-0.
5. ^ Life Cycle Assessment of grocery carrier bags (PDF) (Report). February 2018.
6. ^ "Reusable Bag Study". Edelman Berland. May 2014.

## External links[edit]

Media related to Tote Bags at Wikimedia Commons

## Further reading[edit]

* Dillon, Noah (12 September 2016). "Are Tote Bags Really Good for the Environment?". The Atlantic.

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Bags and flexible containers

Carried|

* Bayong
* Bindle
* Briefcase
* Bugout bag
* Dillybag
* Dromedary bag
* Flight bag
* Gaji bag
* Grocery bag
* Hambiliya
* Handbag
* Haversack
* Laundry bag
* Medical bag
* Money bag
* Nuclear briefcase
* Plastic shopping bag
* Red box (government)
* Reticule
* Reusable shopping bag
* Shell purse
* Shopping bag
* String bag
* Survival bag
* Swag
* Tote bag
* Tucker bag

Worn|

* Backpack (Canoe pack, Duluth pack)
* Bandolier bag
* Bivouac sack
* Book bag
* Fanny pack
* Golf bag
* Lightweight Rucksack
* Medicine bag
* Messenger bag
* Pack basket
* Pasiking
* Randoseru
* Sabretache
* Satchel
* Sporran
* Takiding

Luggage|

* Bug-out bag
* Carpet bag
* Diaper bag
* Diplomatic bag / pouch
* Duffel bag
* Garment bag
* Gig bag
* Gladstone bag
* Hobo bag
* Holdall
* Nomadic bag
* Norfolk case
* Portmanteau
* Saddlebag
* Suitcase
* Toiletry bag
* Train case
* Travel pack
* Trunk

Postal|

* Catcher pouch
* Mail bag
* Mail pouch
* Mail sack
* Mail satchel
* Mochila
* Padded envelope
* Portmanteau

Containers|

* Antistatic bag
* Bag-in-box
* Bin bag
* Biodegradable bag
* Bota bag
* Coffee bag
* Flexible intermediate bulk container
* Boil-in-bag
* Fuel bladder
* Mashk
* Milk bag
* Packet (container)
* Paper bag
* Paper sack
* Parfleche
* Pastry bag
* Pipe bag
* Plastic bag
* Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags
* Reusable shopping bag
* Sachet
* Security bag
* Shopping bag
* Stand-up pouch
* Thermal bag
* Tobacco pouch
* Trash bag
* Wineskin
* Zipper storage bag

Purses/handbags|

* Bayong
* Birkin bag
* Coin purse
* Evening bag
* Gaji bag
* Gucci Diana
* Handbag
* It bag
* Kelly bag
* Kinchaku
* Lady Dior
* Messenger bag
* Minaudière
* Money bag
* Reticule
* Tote bag
* Wallet
* Wristlet

Other|

* Body bag
* Burn bag
* Cowboy bedroll
* Doggy bag
* Dry bag
* Electronic flight bag
* Feedbag
* Flour sack
* Gamow bag
* Gunny sack
* Poop bag
* Sandbag
* Schultüte
* Showbag
* Sickness bag
* Sleeping bag
* Stuff sack
* Throw bag

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