Trader Joe's Inspired Tote Bags: Canvas, Contrast Handles and a 1944 Ice Carrier

Trader Joe's Inspired Tote Bags: Canvas, Contrast Handles and a 1944 Ice Carrier

These Trader Joe's inspired tote bags run from mini canvas shoppers to insulated grocery bags and big boat-style carryalls. I say which tote bag I would reach for on which errand and what to check before you carry it home.

In the fall of 1944, in Brunswick, Maine, L.L.Bean made a bag for hauling block ice from the car to the ice chest. It was heavy oatmeal-colored canvas, riveted where the handles met the edge, with a double layer on the base so the meltwater stayed put. It dropped out of the catalog after one season, then came back in the summer of 1965 as the Boat and Tote, in nautical red and blue. I love that a bag built for ice turned into the shape everyone pictures when they say tote.

 

If you are looking for a Trader Joe's tote bag look-alike, the shape is natural canvas, contrast handles, an open top and a flat base. Nothing else is going on, and that is why it works with a trench, a hoodie or a linen shirt. The brand that started it is still the one I trust most here, because L.L.Bean's versions are handcrafted in Brunswick from heavyweight canvas with double-stitched seams.

 

Small is where I would begin. The Boat and Tote Mini in natural with olive green is the closest to the grocery-line look, and the zip-top Mini in navy keeps a wallet and keys from sliding out on the train. The taller Boat and Tote Small has longer navy handles that sit over a shoulder. For something plainer, the Merch Tote in black has no print at all, and the adidas Mini Canvas Court 2 in dark green has a little woven label on the front. The Dalix 14 in tote in white with purple is the playful one. The Everyday Lightweight Mini totes in navy plaid and solid navy are the lightest of the lot, the Japan Edition Market Tote has a long handle for the shoulder, and the Terra Thread Mini in black and the Good & Gather canvas bag are the simple everyday ones.

 

My tip: loop the handles over your shoulder wearing your thickest coat before you decide. A mini that looks right in October can pinch in January.

Collage of small canvas totes with contrast handles, insulated and folding grocery totes, and large boat-style canvas totes, and a mood photo of a canvas tote with navy handles carried with a striped shirt

Small canvas totes

Grocery runs and cooler totes

A tote bag that carries food has two jobs, and the second one is staying clean. Fold it, lift it loaded and look at the seams before you trust it with eggs.

 

The ripstop nylon bags are the easiest to live with. The Standard in black holds up to 50 lbs and folds into a 5 by 5 inch pouch, so it rides in a coat pocket. The Standard in blue polka dot is a soft periwinkle with navy dots, and the Big one in cream with black dots is what I would use for a full week of shopping at 33 inches long.

 

For anything that has to stay cold, the L.L.Bean Nor'easter Insulated Tote comes in a small and a medium, both natural with tan webbing handles and a navy base. The Insulated Waxed-Canvas Tote in tan with olive straps looks the most like something you would carry on purpose, and the liner is food-grade. Test it by zipping or folding the top down over a full load and checking that nothing bulges.

 

The Packit Freezable Grocery Tote in black is quilted with a freezer gel built in, so it is better for a long drive home than a short walk. The Owala Puffer Mini in beige is soft and puffy and holds eight cans.

 

What I would skip: an insulated liner for a bag that mostly goes to the office with a laptop. You will feel the extra weight every day and use the cooling twice a year.

Insulated and grocery totes

Big totes with real structure

Pick up a big canvas tote empty and shake it. If the sides fold in on themselves, it will slouch the moment you add a laptop.

 

The L.L.Bean Boat and Tote is the benchmark here, so I would compare everything to it. The Open-Top in natural with olive green is the classic, the Zip-Top in natural with navy closes over a bag of groceries, and the Zip-Top with Pocket in solid navy gives you a spot for keys and a phone. The Rugged Canvas Tote in brown waxed canvas has black leather handles and brass rivets, which makes it the dressy one. It has a drop pocket inside too. The Boat and Tote Plus and the Hunter's Tote Open-Top sit in the same family, with a sturdier build and an open top.

 

Lands' End makes two large five-pocket totes in cotton canvas. The zip-top has navy handles and trim, and the open-top is natural with dark olive green handles and base. If you want a sturdier weekend carry with side pockets, the open-top is the one I would pick. The adidas Canvas Court 2 in natural with navy has a woven front label and a boat-style shape.

 

The Horizontal Zip Duck Bag in black is the odd one out in the best way. It is 16 oz cotton duck, zips shut and fits a 15 inch MacBook, with a removable strap if your hands are full.

 

What I would skip: the zip-top version if you only carry a light load, since the closure adds weight you will not use.

Big canvas and boat totes

Choosing yours, in this order

I would start with the size of your life, not the look. Decide what the bag has to carry on a normal Tuesday, then pick the smallest tote that does it.

 

Next, choose the trim. Olive says outdoorsy and navy says nautical, and black goes with everything in my closet. After that, check the handles, the base and the closure, in that order, because those are the parts that fail.

 

Then wear it for a week before you buy a second. A bag that began as an ice carrier in 1944 should be able to handle your commute. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together L.L.Bean Tote and Dior Saddle Bags.