Eco-bags, originally considered merely eco-friendly, are now trendy, must-have items. Gettyimagebank

"Fashion accessories like bags influence how others perceive me. I don't want to adorn myself with a bag that everyone else carries," Lee Soo-young, a 25-year-old college student, said.

"I buy unique and special bags without much hesitation. I also coordinate them with my outfits," Han Chae-yeon, another student in their 20s, said.

These were the responses college students gave when asked about the bags of their choice.

Their pride was palpable as if they were referring to luxury bags from famous brands. But no, they were talking about eco-bags, often free as promotional items or available for just a few thousand won.

Eco-bags, or eco-friendly bags, are usually made of fabric to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags or animal leather.

Once a symbol of ethical consumption, eco-bags have become a must-have item. Recently, there was a buzz in the United States about the eco-bag from the grocery store Trader Joe's, causing a sell-out frenzy. What's happening with eco-bags?

Eco-bags from, from left, Daunt Books in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris and The New Yorker magazine / Captured from social media

Symbols of experience and status

Bags are a powerful means of self-expression and can function as indicators of status and wealth. People spend several months' salary on a single bag and even line up before store openings to buy them because bags represent more than just an accessory.

How can we explain the recent scarcity of the $2.99 (approximately 4,000 won) Trader Joe's eco-bag in the United States? Trader Joe's limited edition eco-bag, released in February, sold out so quickly that they had to impose a purchase limit per person.

The resale price of these eco-bags on online auction sites soared to $500 (680,000 won). Despite the sturdy, non-stretchable material, this is an unusual price for a canvas bag, indicating that the frenzy isn't about the practicality of these bags.

One TikTok user in the U.S. posted a picture of the Trader Joe's eco-bag alongside a high-end Goyard bag, commenting that the $2.99 Trader Joe's bag gives off the same energy as a Goyard mini bag. The Goyard mini bag sells for about 3 million won in Korean department stores.

Eco-bags have long since moved beyond their original purpose of being environmentally friendly bags.

The history of eco-bags dates back to 2007 when British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch introduced a white canvas bag with the message "I am not a plastic bag." Since then, companies and organizations keen on attracting environmentally conscious customers and cultivating a green image have produced and distributed eco-bags.

The trend of valuing experiences as a symbol of status, along with financial assets, has also boosted the popularity of eco-bags.

Eco-bags bearing the names of specific organizations, locations, or brands can indicate the carrier's travel history, tastes and hobbies.

Trader Joe's $2.99 eco-bag released in February / Captured from Instagram

Medium for sharing experiences

Kim Jeong-hyun, a 23-year-old university student, often carries an eco-bag from Thailand's Thammasat University, where he studied as an exchange student last year.

"The printed name of an overseas institution serves as a medium for sharing experiences with friends who have lived abroad," Kim said.

Huh Myung-hyun, a 33-year-old classical music enthusiast, buys eco-bags from souvenir shops whenever he visits famous orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic in Germany and the Vienna Philharmonic in Austria.

"I buy eco-bags with logos from music-related places as a way to commemorate the intangible genre of music in a tangible form," he said.

Eco-bags from London bookstores like Daunt Books and the London Review of Books, New York's Strand Bookstore and eco-bags given to subscribers of the American magazine The New Yorker are also commonly seen in South Korea.

The popularity of Trader Joe's eco-bags is closely tied to the brand's identity. Trader Joe's, known for its eco-friendly and organic products, has a dedicated fan base.

Professor Dong-Yeon Lee from the Korea National University of Arts explains that using eco-bags has become a symbolic act of demonstrating one's identity as a conscientious citizen and a member of a culturally aware generation.

Eco-bags purchased overseas are seen, the left from Thammasat University in Thailand and the other from he Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Copenhagen, Denmark. Captured from social media

A form of social currency

The Varsity, Cambridge University's student newspaper, has noted that carrying an eco-bag from places like the Metropolitan Opera in New York or the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in London can enhance one's social status, labeling eco-bags as a form of social currency.

Grocery store, bookstore and magazine names are being consumed as a type of fashion brand.

Recently, eco-bags became a topic of discussion in an unexpected context. On Monday, South Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee was seen carrying an eco-bag with an environmental message as she embarked on a tour of three Central Asian countries.

This sparked debate, coinciding with the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission's decision to dismiss allegations related to her receiving luxury handbags.

Critics questioned whether it was "eco-bag in the front and luxury bag in the back."

However, the distinction between eco-bags and luxury bags has blurred. Eco-bags have become essential merchandise at art exhibitions, and even global luxury brands have entered the eco-bag market.

For eco-bags to align with their original purpose, they should be made from inexpensive, recyclable, and easily washable materials. In contrast, high-end brands are producing eco-bags with costly materials while maintaining the appearance of an eco-bag.

Park Hye-Soo, a fashion editor, said, "High-end brands preserve their traditions while offering relatively lower-priced, practical items. The meaning of 'eco-friendly' has faded, and eco-bags have become another category of bags."

First lady Kim Keon-hee carries an eco-bag with the message "Bye Bye Plastic" as she embarks on a tour on Monday. Yonhap

Definition of eco-bags becomes ambiguous

Some brands use eco-bags as gifts for VIP customers. Luxury brand consultant Shim Hee-jung said, "Luxury companies are competitively launching eco-bags as a marketing tool to connect with the public, enhancing materials and collaborating with renowned artists. Eco-bags are now categorized into various tiers."

As the definition of eco-bags becomes increasingly ambiguous, concerns about greenwashing (deceptive environmentalism) are rising. The core principle of eco-friendly products, including eco-bags, is to use them as much as possible after purchasing or acquiring them.

However, eco-bags are now being consumed as luxury items or marketing tools.

In 2018, Denmark's Ministry of Environment and Food pointed out that cotton eco-bags need to be used at least 7,100 times and organic cotton bags 20,000 times to have an environmental protection effect.

Hong Su-yeol, director of the Resource Recycling Economy Research Institute, said, "Considering the carbon emissions during the production of eco-bags, they must be used repeatedly to align with their eco-friendly purpose. Collecting bags as a hobby without using them does not fit the 'eco' label."

He added, "The first principle of zero waste (reducing single-use items and increasing the use of recyclables to ultimately eliminate waste) is refusal. Consumers should reject eco-bag marketing that promotes unnecessary consumption."

Eco-bags given as complimentary gifts, from left by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, fashion brands Christian Dior and Marni / Captured from social media

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.