Key Takeaways
• Buyers increasingly favor durable, sustainably made bags that communicate a company’s values and create meaningful social or environmental impact.
• Timeless designs and subtle decoration help promotional bags remain useful and appealing long after a campaign ends.
• Versatile, multipurpose bags work across commuting, travel, onboarding, employee appreciation and event-gifting programs.
As work trends change, what people carry to work (and how they transport it) also changes. Where people are traveling and for how long, meanwhile, might influence the size of duffel bags or suitcases they require to get from (point) A to (point) B.
It would make sense, then, that baggage and luggage trends in the promo category are constantly in flux.
Still, there’s a growing appetite for bags and luggage in the promo space. According to Counselor’s 2026 State of the Industry report, bags made up 6.9% ($1.92 billion) of overall promo sales, making it the sixth-largest category in promo (below T-shirts; hoodies, sweatshirts and other wearables; polos; drinkware; and headwear).
So, what’s in vogue when it comes to promotional bags and luggage? Print and Promo Marketing spoke to suppliers and distributors to find out.
Merch With Meaning
Ian Bentley was initially skeptical of promo because of its reputation for giving out tchotchkes and other inexpensive items. But the CEO and co-founder of Parker Clay (asi/76164), a supplier of leather bags handcrafted in Ethiopia, says the industry has moved away from cheap giveaways and toward sustainable, ethically sourced and long-lasting products.
“There’s a really healthy conversation that’s developing around more sustainability and looking at where products are made,” he says.
As a certified B Corp, Parker Clay provides work opportunities to at-risk women in Ethiopia. The company sources all leather products from Addis Ababa, which supports local farmers and creates sustainable economic development opportunities in the region. The company avoids the use of harmful chemicals in the production process and instead relies on recycled water to produce these goods. They are then delivered in organic cotton storage bags and packaged in a recyclable paper box.
Bentley says this sort of impact doesn’t just benefit the planet and the economy in Ethiopia – it’s also good for the end-buyers who are investing in these products.
“[End-buyers] have a brand that they want to be represented well,” Bentley says, “and spending more on a quality product is really valuable because it’s something that lasts for years.”
Melissa Sesker, branding consultant at Counselor Top 40 distributor The Vernon Company (asi/351700), says one of the bags she sells most is the Weekender Duffle-backpack (BG206) from Spector & Co. (asi/88660) “They’re expensive, but they will last,” Sesker says. “And the supplier will exchange and replace parts like, for example, a zipper if anything happens to it.”
Lisa Hu, founder of Lux & Nyx (asi/88973), a brand that designs bags specifically for business-minded women, says one of the company’s top-selling products in the promo realm right now is the Purpose Backpack – and that’s not a coincidence.
“It’s a similar price point as most premium backpacks that are in the promo realm, except it has the impact associated with it,” Hu explains.
Not only is Lux & Nyx a women- and minority-owned business, but it also has a giveback component. The company donates 1% of sales to women-focused nonprofits. The Purpose Backpack is crafted using recycled nylon, which Hu says makes it attractive to buyers with sustainability in mind.
When companies gift long-lasting, sustainable products to employees or customers, Bentley adds, it sends an important message to recipients about a company’s values. For every product Parker Clay sells, it assigns something called “hours of empowerment.”
He uses one particular item as an example.
“So, when you buy a luggage tag, you’re going to create two hours of empowerment for a woman in Ethiopia,” Bentley explains. “The leadership teams that we tend to work with want to convey something more meaningful to their employees or clients. And one thing that we really try to be intentional about is creating more meaningful moments of connection. It shows that companies are being thoughtful and intentional about the gifts they’re giving.”
Britney Pagano, senior channel manager for corporate partnerships and sales at bag and luggage supplier Solgaard (asi/88172), says the company has its own giveback program focused on removing ocean plastic.
“For every product sold, Solgaard removes six pounds of waterway plastic from reaching our oceans,” she explains, noting that the brand partners with a network of foundations around the world to make that possible.
Solgaard’s bags are also made from recycled materials, Pagano adds, and each product includes a tag that educates the recipient about the brand’s ocean cleanup efforts. “In the corporate gifting space, people like to see that the company they work for is investing in doing good,” she says. “The distributor or buyer might know about these programs, but the end-user might not. These tags show recipients where their gifts are coming from and how they’re contributing to a better world.”
Styles That Stick
Hu of Lux & Nyx believes that when it comes to promotional bags and luggage, less is more. And subtlety is key to placing a brand name or logo on a bag.
Take, for example, Lux & Nyx’s Origami Belt Bag, a wearable that merges casual and professional styles.
“We usually recommend the decoration on the strap itself, which is not as common, but it’s kind of a cool look,” she says. “It’s still an elevated product; it’s just not as in your face.”
Bentley adds that while many promo companies have historically led with elements like “the brightest new pen color,” leather trends toward styles that are more timeless.
“Part of the fear is that you get something fun and trendy for the moment, but then it sits on a shelf or isn’t used as much,” he says. “Some of our styles have been bestsellers for years because they have a timeless and classic style.”
Saadia Bryant, vice president of marketing, product and design at B Corp-certified Gemline (asi/56070), adds that traditional totes continue to dominate the bags category, pointing to the Counselor Top 40 supplier’s Mini-Canvas Tote (102307) and Petite Canvas Tote (102730) as prime examples. What’s changed, however, is how these items are created – and the techniques used to decorate them.
“There’s a certain famous grocery chain – you know the one – that sent these styles viral, and we have the original,” she says, referring to the iconic Trader Joe’s tote. “Beyond the buzz, totes made with natural fibers like cotton and jute are having a genuine moment; it’s a consumer trend that has fully crossed over into promo.”
Bags & Luggage Checklist for Summer/Fall 2026:
• Timeless, classic styles that do more with less
• Multipurpose bags that can be used across activities and commitments
• Decoration capabilities that help brands stand out
• Sustainable, ethically sourced products that support important causes
One Bag, Many Purposes
Gone are the days of the “activity-specific” bag: the work briefcase, the gym backpack or the beach bag. As the lines between work, life and play become blurrier, end-users need a bag that can serve their every need, from holding their lunch box to their laptop to that extra change of clothes.
“A lot of people want to have a ‘work-to-weekend’ bag, or when they go to the office, they also want to be able to go to the gym either before or after or during their lunchtime,” notes Pagano of Solgaard. Having a bag that fills multiple purposes, especially if you’re a commuter, is paramount, she adds.
Pagano says Solgaard’s organizational elements have helped the supplier stand out in a crowded market. Its FlowCloset technology shrinks into a small backpack or suitcase with the help of a compression strap. Contents can then hang inside a closet, over a bar or on a hook, according to the company’s website.
“Our Venture backpack, which is our bestseller, fully expands to almost the size of a carry-on,” says Pagano. “So, you really can travel with just a carry-on backpack and get 10 days to 14 days’ worth of clothing storage.”
Bryant adds that because bags are so versatile, they can serve many different promo purposes.
“They show up in onboarding kits, employee appreciation programs, company stores and event giveaways,” she says. “It’s a product category that works across almost every gifting occasion.”
It’s just a matter of finding the perfect match.
