Student Launches Sustainable Bag Brand “Totes Crazy”

Marie-Valerie Zappardino-Johnson, a senior at Liberty University studying fashion design, is using her creativity and entrepreneurial skills to launch a sustainable tote bag business with a futuristic aesthetic. 

Totes Crazy, a business Zappardino-Johnson created for the Specialty Markets class, features five unique tote bags that will be sold at Liberty’s Maker’s Market Nov. 16. 

“I had been eyeing the FACS 324 class for the past few semesters,” Zappardino-Johnson said. “One of my friends took the class and did a jewelry business. Watching her be so creative throughout the process was inspiring, and I wanted to do the class myself.”   

Within the course, each student creates a small business. A central component of the course involves using social media to promote the business.

“In this day and age, it’s so important to have a social media presence,” Zappardino-Johnson said. “I wanted to take a class that forced me to make a social media account, learn how to do Instagram Reels and get posts going to promote my works. For me, that was a major push to take the class.”   

Totes Crazy offers a collection of five different tote bags, each with its own unique design. These include the “Star Bag,” the “Nebula Bag,” the “Cosmic Bag,” the “Milky Way Bag” and the “Gravity Bag.” 

The “Star Bag” features a star-shaped tote. The “Nebula Bag” is a patchwork bag made primarily from denim material. The “Cosmic Bag” is a quilted bag with elastic threads, similar to the trending Free People bag. The “Milky Way” bag offers a fun, top-stitched design with wavy lines symbolic of the galaxy. The “Gravity Bag” is a simple tote with a knot-like design and lace accents.

Zappardino-Johnson wants each of her tote bag designs to appeal to different consumers. 

“I’m a pretty outgoing person, and I wanted something fun like the star-shaped bag or one with a patchwork design,” Zappardino-Johnson said. “But I also included more minimalist designs for people who want something basic. I experimented with polls on my Instagram account to see which ones people would want to buy.”   

For Zappardino-Johnson, Totes Crazy is more than a creative outlet; the business is also committed to sustainability.

“All our fabrics are thrifted. I go to Goodwill bins with rows of fabric, finding curtains, bedsheets, old jeans and jackets that aren’t being used,” Zappardino-Johnson said. “There’s no need to make bags out of new fabric when so much is already out there. We’re ‘totes crazy’ for sustainability.”   

Inspired by her love for electronic dance music and galactic designs, Zappardino-Johnson developed a cosmic, space-age look for Totes Crazy. The primary brand colors include blue, green and white.

Creating high-quality products is also important to Zappardino-Johnson.

“I’m in the process of doing my mock-ups,” Zappardino-Johnson said. “I use thrifted fabric for mock-ups, which are like prototypes to make sure the bags look good and are well-made. If I have my mock-ups done, I can probably sew each bag in three to four hours.”

According to Zappardino-Johnson, the prices of the totes will range from $20 to $40 depending on the design.    

Zappardino-Johnson will feature Totes Crazy at Liberty’s biannual Maker’s Market, happening from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 16 in the LaHaye Event Space.

For more information about Totes Crazy, follow @totescrazyshop on Instagram.

Solem is the lifestyle editor for the Liberty Champion.