hey there!
thanks for stopping by to learn more.
we designed the tote with the following in mind:
- a homage (love letter) to the ubiquitous red plastic bags that we grew up surrounded by
- red stands for so many things in chinese culture: good luck, happiness, wealth, and, as my mom would say, power. i have fond memories of walking around with my parents, looking up at all of the glowing red lampshades at the wet markets; red plastic bags in hand laden full of goodies.
- our society's growing social awareness on being kinder to the environment by consuming more sustainable products - what better than cotton, often referred to as the fabric of our lives? we also haven't seen any bags in this handle style that is made from cotton, as opposed to synthetics like nylon.
- touching on sustainability: growing up, i was acutely aware of reusing the plastic bags whenever possible - often our trash cans were lined with these same bags; we reused them to carry things or to give leftovers to guests to take home. as a child i was initially embarrassed about it, as the peers that surrounded me didn't do the same thing in their homes- a cultural difference. eventually, i learned to embrace that it was practical, and the bright red plastic lining the trash, or being given to someone not used to seeing a red plastic bag wasn't something to be ashamed of, but celebrated.
- we chose tigers to be the focal point because across so many east asian cultures, they symbolize unwavering strength and are mythical. in these past few years especially, with growing anti-asian sentiments and hate crimes on the rise, we wanted a physical reminder that we won't be beaten down, but will be ~strong~