Oct 16, 2025

By a lot of measures, 2025 is the year of traveling light. From wheeled market totes to packable duffels that disappear into a jacket pocket, a wave of “non-luggage” bags is reshaping how people move through airports, trains, and city sidewalks. A standout of the genre is the Hulken, a fold-flat rolling tote that looks more farmers' market than frequent flyer (until you notice the swivel wheels and upright, open-top frame that swallows coats, snacks, and duty-free with grocery-cart ease). I've even spotted these mom-approved totes at kids' dance competitions. According to online reviews, Urban travelers also praise it for hotel-to-venue schlep days and family trips that spawn overflow items after boarding. The bag folds flat, is water-resistant, and is built to stay open as you pack. Think small but meaningful details when you're juggling kids or coffee. The “personal-item powerhouse” is another fast-rising category. Béis popularized the weekend-tote hybrid with a zip-off lower compartment for shoes and toiletries—features designed around security lines and tiny hotel bathrooms. Calpak's puffy Luka Duffel, sized to tuck under most airline seats, adds a dedicated shoe bay and a grid of pockets, while Away's Everywhere Bag focuses on a wide, wraparound zipper and a 16-inch laptop sleeve. Together, these designs reflect the same pressure point: a desire to max out the personal-item allowance as airlines scrutinize overhead bin space. Organization-first “work-to-wheel” totes meant to function as office bags Monday and travel bags Friday are also thriving. Dagne Dover's neoprene Landon Carryall is a case study in compartmentalization: removable pouches, a key leash, and a shoe bag in a squishy shell that slides beneath a seat without hard-siding your knees. Brands are effectively selling calm—everything visible on the first unzip. Classic names are adapting, too. Longchamp's Le Pliage—an origami-inspired nylon tote first released in the '90s—has reemerged with Gen Z thanks to its foldability and price point, while luxury luggage label Rimowa is moving beyond polycarbonate suitcases into Italian-made leather handbags that clip to a roller but double as daily carry. Both nod to a blurring line between fashion bag and travel tool. Mass brands are following the same current. Lululemon's belt and crossbody bags (tiny, hands-free carriers for passports and phones) keep selling out, while seasonal collaborations push coordinated sets of totes, duffels, and organizers just in time for holiday travel. The message is coherent: most trips aren't transoceanic; most travelers want modular kits they'll also use at home. Why the shift? Partly policy, maybe. As airlines tighten enforcement of carry-on dimensions and encourage smaller under-seat items, travelers are optimizing the one piece they can always bring with them. And partly lifestyle: hybrid work has blurred business and leisure packing lists, making a bag that goes from gym to gate more useful than a full suitcase for two-night trips.