Best Canvas tote bag for everyday use: Find the right style for you？

Canvas tote bag are the workhorses of the carry-all genre, and without one your accessories wardrobe may be incomplete.  These hardworking bags come in myriad sizes, materials, and colors and are designed for stylish schlepping from the boardroom to the beach, no matter where life takes you.

Totes are designed to be spacious, easy to carry, and allow you to toss all your things into one bag, but with so many options on the market,

it can be a challenge to find the right fit.     So, I spoke to designers, stylists, personal shoppers, retail owners and others to understand what to consider when looking for the best tote bag, as well as getting their product recommendations.     With so many Canvas tote bag out there, these professionals helped me narrow down a list of the best ones depending on budget, style and functionality.

What to consider when buying the best Canvas tote bag

"The most important thing to consider first is your tote bag’s intended use — decide what you’ll be using it for, whether it’s everyday shopping, gym, work or vacation,” says celebrity style expert and fashion maven Melissa Rivers.     “Then consider things like material, size, style, durability, compartments, etc.     You’ll want to make sure the bag meets your needs!"

Before you buy, our experts advise asking the following questions:

How do I plan to use my tote?

Ask yourself, does it need to pull double duty for work during the week and the farmers markets over the weekend?     Do you plan to travel with your tote?     In that case, you might want one that zips up versus an open bag.     Draugelis suggests owning multiple totes for various activities, from grocery shopping to travel.     “I typically travel with at least one lightweight, zippered tote that can be packed flat into a suitcase,” she says.     “In the event that I do a little extra shopping on vacation, I can then use this tote as an additional carry-on.”

What’s it made out of?

Material is so important when considering what tote to purchase, because the wrong kind of material may fall apart after a few months or years.     A highly durable tote bag may be worth the higher price tag, especially when it comes to environmentally friendly materials.     Totes also come in many, many materials: cotton, ripstop, nylon, canvas and other fabrics.

Is it eco-friendly?

“It’s important to consider the impact that these products have on the environment,” shares Poole.     “My advice is to seek out responsibly certified leather, second-hand or natural leather alternatives like Piñatex or Vegea.     If you do purchase a leather handbag, be sure it’s something you’ll wear for a long time and learn the proper steps to take care of it.     PU, faux leather and recycled poly are actually very damaging to the environment as they are still oil-based products.”

What size do I need?

Totes come in all different sizes, from small to extra large, and it may be handy to own a few totes — one for business, another for groceries and one for travel.     Personally, my family even uses L.L. Bean’s sturdy X-large canvas totes to store soft toys, unused blankets and other household items that don’t come out daily.     Small totes that fold up make great grocery bags, medium-sized totes (that zip) make great carry-ons and oversized totes are a necessity if you are making a large grocery shopping run.