If you have a lululemon shopping habit, some part of your house is probably overrun with lulu’s red manifesto totes. Sure, having a couple around can come in handy, but what do you do when you’ve got 15 or 30 or 50 bags? I don’t know about you, but I feel bad just throwing them away, so I’m always keeping my eye out for ways they can be repurposed. Here are some ideas to get the gears turning.
Get crafty
1 | Makeup bag/pencil case. I’ve seen a bunch of creative people come up with ways to sew a lululemon bag into a small bag with a zipper, useful for cosmetics or pencils. This blog has a tutorial with one way to do it. Here’s another design idea for a small, flat pouch. If you have a bunch of the large-sized totes, you could come up with a plan to make an even larger design. And if you’re really creative, you could even design a small wallet, passport holder, coupon organizer, etc.
2 | Coasters. For a quick and easy DIY project, you can make a lulu-themed coaster out of a shopper and some small tiles. I wrote a tutorial of exactly how to do it here.
3 | Bulletin board. On a similar note, you can cut out the large panel from a shopper and use decoupage to cover a cork board or magnetic board. The result: a cute little bulletin board. If you go the magnetic route, you could even decoupage the scraps on little magnets for a matching set.
4 | Shower curtain. Yes, a whole shower curtain made of lululemon bags! Here’s proof it can be done. You’ll have to flex your creative muscles to get this job done, though, because there isn’t a tutorial for this design.
Repurpose
5 | Lunch bag. The small totes are the perfect size for your lunch, and easier to carry around than juggling 3 containers of food and a water bottle.
6 | Grocery bags. If you have the large sized totes floating around, bring them with you to the grocery store instead of using bags the store gives to you.
7 | Everything else errand bags. Sensing a theme? Use your bags when you go to the library, when you drop off alterations at the tailor, when you drop off items to donate at the thrift store, when you take a trip to the farmer’s market, and so on. I like to keep a couple of bags in the car in case I need them for a Target run, or if I forget a bag for my wet clothes after going for a swim, or whatever else might come up.
8 | Storage. Bags can serve a variety of storage purposes around the house. Use them to corral dirty laundry, odds and ends in your closet, supplies for your pets, etc. If the shape isn’t convenient, cut them in half or cut the straps off so they’re more of a basket and less of a bag.
9 | Moving. I’ve used my lulu bags during both of my last 2 moves. Instead of packing my delicate sweaters and things straight into a cardboard box, I put them in lulu totes and then put them in boxes. It made me feel better about keeping my clothes clean and undamaged during the moving process. The totes can also be handy for keeping lots of small items in one place when packed, instead of a bunch of little things floating around in a large box.
Rehome
10 | Bring them back to the store. If you have a bunch of red manifesto bags that look just like new, you can ask your local lululemon if they will reuse them for other customers. Not all stores will accept them, but it’s worth asking.
11 | Sell them. I know this one might seem a little strange, but it’s an option. I sold some of my bags in sets of 5 for $5 each on Poshmark. They sold surprisingly easily. After fees, I only made about $2.50 from each set, which is barely enough to be worth my time. If you have special edition bags (i.e., not just the manifesto bags), selling is especially effective, since some people like to collect hard-to-find special edition designs. You’re not exactly going to get rich off of selling your shoppers, but I think of it as a way to get the bags into the hands of someone who will appreciate them more than I will.
12 | Mailers. Instead of buying mailing envelopes, you can repurpose a lululemon bag into one. They’re quite sturdy and are hard to tear, not to mention lightweight, which makes them great for shipping small items. I filmed a video tutorial here.
13 | Gift bags. Grab some tissue paper and use lulu totes as goodie bags! If you’re hosting a party, pack door prizes in your lulu bags.
14 | Donate them. You might be able to find a local charity or business that can use the bags. Keep your eyes peeled and just ask! Your local thrift store or library is a good place to start.
I use mine for storage in my closet! They’re perfect for holding belts or cotton camis. I also use them as my gym bags. Love your other ideas too!
I like that a lot! I have a lot of “extras” in my drawers like fuzzy socks I only use in the winter, maybe I should put them in a shopper so they don’t roll around all over. :)
Large ones are good to put in tall boots to help them keep their shape.
That’s a great idea! I’ve never thought of that but I have plenty of boots that could use ’em. :)
I use mine as grocery and errand bags!
Beware though – if you use them as errand bags and happen to go into a lulu store, the Eds are likely to ask you some cheerful version of “what are you returning?”… which I have found typically takes one of the following forms: 1. “HAAAAY whats goinnnn on in there?!” [while reaching into your bag], 2. “HAAAAY what’d you bring us?!” [while reaching into your bag], or 3. “Ohhhh Nooooo, what didn’t work out?!” [while reaching into your bag]. The last three times I have gone to the store, I have been accosted by no less than 4 different Eds while trying to browse, and two out of those three times they actually pulled all my stuff OUT OF MY BAG. Oh… and on none of those occasions did I actually have any lulu stuff in the bags.
Anyways… long winded warning to not use them to carry around stuff from other stores when you go into lulu! This must be a new part of their training since it has happened so many times and so consistently over the past couple months. So so so strange.
Dude that’s straight weird. Call the store and tell them it’s happened many times. That’s odd, not something lululemon would ever tell an educator to do (I am one) and absolutely a violation of your space. They’re probably blissfully unaware! I would never reach into someone’s bag that I don’t know. Sorry that happened … Gives me the heebeejeebees.
Thanks for much for your note! It actually makes me feel much better to hear that this is not normal from an educator’s point of view. It has happened so much lately, I figured it had to have been an intentional policy or something. I’m so glad it’s not!! It is incredibly heebeejeebee-inducing, indeed.
That’s crazy! Maybe there was a rash of thefts in your area where people were re-using lulu bags as a sneaky way to steal product? I can understand if they’d be a little hawkish around you if theft has been a problem for their store, but grabbing your stuff is a little much.
I like the shoppers from Canada since they are black instead of red. I use them as bags to carry stuff around including going to Lulu stores. I have not had educators offering to help with my returns. Likely because they don’t recognize the bag? Sometimes they just look puzzled.
Oh, I didn’t know the black shoppers was a regional difference. I’ve seen the black ones but figured it was just a seasonal thing or something. Interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if the eds just didn’t even know black versions existed.
I’m a teacher and use them all the time in my classroom to store and sort all kinds of stuff I use for teaching. When we have PE outside, they are really handy to carry small balls and other PE equipment.
Yes, and then if they get destroyed it’s no loss. :)
I donated a large amount of bags to a local food bank… They were very appreciative
The food bank is a great idea! I’ll have to ask mine if they could use them.
Lululemon stop sending a shopper bag with online purchases.
I believe they only stopped sending them for Canadian orders, as far as I know they’re still sending them to US customers.
College student here! Last winter, a bunch of friends and I wanted to go sledding but had no sleds. I glanced over and saw a bunch of spare lulu shoppers I had… They actually make decent sleds! Lol.
Haha!!! Pretty sure that’s the most creative use I’ve heard yet. :)
I use mine in a variety of ways! I use them as lunch bags, work totes, gift bags with red ribbon, sock bags tying a ribbon with same color as the socks inside , book bag, grocery bag, cosmetic bag…sandal/shoe bag… I just love them!
I like the idea of making them sock bags with the ribbon! Definitely would help me out when I’m searching for a rogue pair of black socks, haha. :)
I made an outdoor chair cushion with mine. It took 8-10 for each but it was worth it! I came on here looking for more ideas cause I still have 10 sitting around. That shower curtain is cool but I don’t have enough to make one at the moment. I can’t believe they don’t give them out if you online shop, with this COVID-19 there’s no way I’m going in the malls right now!
Wow! That’s super clever, I never would’ve thought of that! I took a survey from them recently around the bags, so I’m curious to see if their policies change on giving them out.
I use mine to separate my clothes, I throw my socks in and undies in a Lululemon bag that I hung on the back of my door so I can toss them in right after I’m done using them so no lost socks when you go to match them after washing!!!