Society 6 Shop
Tote Bag Review
Yup, you guessed it, Society6 had another sale! ;p
This time, I thought I'd give a tote bag a whirl, so I ordered a 13" x 13" bag with one of my own designs on (Terrazzo in Turquoise).
Please note that the links to Society6 from this page are affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you buy a product from Society6 via one of the links. This won't affect your order at all. Thank-you in advance if you do make a purchase :)
I would definitely recommend looking at the product video on Society6 to get an idea of the size of the bags, as in the video all of the bag sizes are modelled. Then you can see how far down the body the bag hangs.
For instance, the base of the 13"x 13" bag I bought comes down to the top of my thigh when I'm carrying it. It is important to note that, because of how the bag is folded and sewn, in reality the side surface of the bag is really 11" long, with the remaining 2" of length being part of the base/gusset of the bag.
The straps measure about 13" from the centre-top of the bag to the top of the straps when carried. They are not adjustable, so be sure to have a look at the product video to make sure you're happy with the proportions and how high/low the bag sits on the body before you buy. The other sizes available are 16"x16" and 18"x18".
In terms of print quality, I think it's one of the better items I' have bought from S6, although saying that I've always found the printing quality to be the main strength of all S6 products I've previously bought. The colours are also perfect. This is reflected in the 5 star rating for this product based on customer reviews.
The pattern is printed on both outer surfaces, and the inside is just plain black. The fabric (poly poplin) is slightly textured and feels like a thin canvas. It's fairly stiff and not floppy, so it holds it's shape well and doesn't get creased easily.
With some tote bags, the material crinkles or creases, and collapses in on itself, but the S6 bag does not have any of these problems so continues to look neat and stylish, even when empty.
The disadvantage of this is that you can't fold it up really small and put in your pocket like you can with some totes. I would therefore say it's probably best for using on days trips - to the beach for instance - rather than for doing your big grocery shop with. Smaller grocery shopping trips though? Definitely!
The bag is also nice and light, plus it's hand-sewn in the U.S.A. The edges are double stitched for durability, and the straps (which are 1" black cotton webbing) also seem very sturdy and strong.
As a taste thing, I would prefer different colour options for the straps, as sometimes the black can look a bit too severe against the bag design. That said, I can see why they have chosen black; it's practical as it it doesn't show marks, and also black goes with most colours and designs.
So in conclusion, if you're after a sturdy, durable and practical tote bag with a cool design, then the Society6 bag is a fab choice. The only slight downsides are that you can't fold it up small and put it in your pocket (although this could also be seen as an advantage because it is not flimsy), and that the straps are not available in a colour other than black.
I hope you have found this review useful :)
