“I was absolutely hooked,” said Pau Judith, expressing how her love for the Baggu brand began after receiving their iconic medium crescent bag as a Christmas present in 2022.
Pau, 24, is a social media influencer located in the Inland Empire, with over 25,000 followers on her TikTok account, @paulajudithm.
She began as a hobby in March of 2023 quickly grew into something more. Pau’s social media presence has allowed her opportunities to work with brands including Baggu, who she features in most if not all of her Outfit of the Day or OOTD videos.
“I started gaining about 6,000 followers from one video alone – a midsize OOTD video with my black BAGGU as the star of the show,” she said.
“The simplicity of the brand is what sold me. After I received [the black medium crescent], I made videos incorporating it into my daily OOTD videos; always making sure to hashtag BAGGU and tag the brand.”
The brand was established in 2007 in Brooklyn. They focus on selling sustainable long lasting products made from 100% recycled nylon for most of their products and 65% recycled cotton for their canvas tote bags. They have also launched a line of leather purses made from 70% recycled leather and 100% recycled polyester.
What started as a reusable shopping bag shop with interesting designs including florals, fruits, animals and more quickly grew into crossbody bags that feature the brand’s name on the straps, shoulder bags that range from small to large, lunch bags with the same fun designs, spacious carry on bags, picnic blankets and more.
From their iconic collaborations with Sandy Liang, Sanrio, Collina Strada and more, it’s clear the brand was made for the girlies! It’s something you’d find in the videos of your favorite alternative content creator or local tattooed barista.
While the brand grew organically on its own, their popularity grew even more with the sensationalism created through social media websites such as TikTok.
“What’s in my BAGGU”, a spin on “what’s in my bag” videos, was a popular trend on TikTok that contributed to much of the brand’s social media growth. The videos usually featured the medium crescent crossbody bag and displayed how many items could fit in the bag.
Pau explained,“I definitely think that TikTok specifically has gotten BAGGU the level of success and recognition they have today. I personally would not have known about the brand if I hadn’t seen it on a few content creators.”
“99% of my Midsize OOTDs feature various styles of their bags and I am usually one to purchase drops the day of to showcase to my followers contemplating if they want to make purchases themselves. It is definitely a domino effect, and a super exciting one as I really do love the products.”
“I get questions and comments daily on my posts asking about bag recommendations.”
The crescent bags gained popularity because of its simplicity and ease of use.
As the brand’s website says, “BAGGU makes simple, playful things for everyday living.”
They come in a variety of colors and fun prints with some that are permanent such as black and seasonal colors as well. Their Spring 2025 collection featured chocolate plum, leopard print, butter yellow and more.
Nicole Lawrence (@ntomm on TikTok), a 26-year-old content creator from Los Angeles, has grown a following of 11,000 by posting latest product releases from popular and trending brands. Many of her posts include BAGGU. She provides her followers with an in depth breakdown of sneak peaks and seasonal drops from the brand.
“The fun patterns are what really caught my eye in the first place and most recently, their collaborations. And with some states charging for plastic bags in stores, I knew it only made sense to start carrying reusable bags and I wanted them to be fun patterns that I enjoyed using,” Nicole said.
BAGGUs are everywhere. From being a niche brand for those interested in sustainability to growing into an essential for many. The brand has built a community of followers who have created online spaces on facebook and reddit to discuss new drops, and help others find designs that have been discontinued.
“I have made lots of friends and mutuals on social media through our common love for BAGGU and our daily use of their bags. I truly feel blessed to have found such a fun and caring community through them,” Pau said.
Nicole emphasized, “Even when I’m in public and recognize someone with a BAGGU I’ll compliment them on it. I was at a small gathering once and someone there had the boygenius crescent and I complimented him on it and we ended up chatting BAGGU for a bit and he explained how he and his girlfriend were huge BAGGU fans! It makes a great conversation starter for sure.”
However, with the growing community and growing demand for baggu designs past and present, BAGGU and its cult-like following has been accused of contributing to overconsumption.
Pau admitted, “Although I love BAGGU, I have also fallen victim to this idea and mentality of overconsumption with the brand.”
“I do wish they kept their stance on sustainability more apparent. Some releases are extremely similar in color and feel a little unnecessary. Preaching sustainability then pumping out products every three months just feels wrong,” she continued.
She explained that it also falls onto the consumers as well. “We as consumers should also know where to draw the line. I do not get paid to promote BAGGU, it genuinely is just a passion of mine and something my followers like to see. I will only continue to promote the style and colors true to my personal style and preference.
Nicole expressed “I have mixed feelings about this. At the end of the day, they’re a large corporation and that means they need to make money in order to continue operating, so you can’t expect them to only release new things once a year.”
“That being said, some of the responsibility does fall in the hands of the consumer. I always like to think that there is no one at the BAGGU headquarters forcing me to buy from their newest drops. A lot of it is consumerism at its finest but the final decision lies in the hand of the consumer who has the purchasing power with his or her money,” she explained
“I’m also a huge advocate for if it is what makes you happy, then there is no shame in collecting BAGGU reusable bags. One’s collection isn’t hurting anyone. It’s just important to get use out of the pieces! Since that’s what they’re meant for!
How do they avoid overconsumption?
“I honestly rarely purchase anything on the first day of a launch. I never want to rush my purchases, and I try to be more mindful, taking time to see how other people style the bags first. It’s also important for me to see the new pieces in person first and support a small business if I get the chance,” said Nicole.
“I know it is easy to suffer from FOMO on drop days, seeing everyone’s hauls and all the new gorgeous bags, but I think it can also be fun to live vicariously through others. I tell myself if it isn’t in stock anymore months down the road then it wasn’t meant to be mine.”
Pau advised, “I think it all depends on your established style. Maybe you will outgrow a medium crescent because the black logo strap won’t match your everyday pieces, etc. I have loved the brand for years and with the durability of the bags I can imagine I will have many more years to love them. I can’t predict the future but as of now I don’t see myself getting rid of any anytime soon!
“Stay true to your style and preference! You don’t have to buy the new collection just because someone promoted it/ styled it online if you really feel like you won’t reach for it.
“FOMO is real but so is buyer’s remorse.”
