Pacific Tote Company was founded in 2013 by filmmaker Roman Coppola and designer Duffy Culligan. The idea came together on a boat trip from Santa Barbara to Catalina Island, when they started asking why all of the best-made tote bags had to be so serious. By the time they docked, the first Pacific Tote — the Catalina — had taken shape. The earliest bags were made one-of-one for friends and family, each with its own custom mix of colors, and that spirit of individuality still defines the brand today.

Pacific Tote Company was founded in 2013, on a boat crossing from Santa Barbara to Catalina Island.

Pacific Totes are designed in Hollywood, California, and handmade in small batches in the USA. We don't mass-produce overseas. Every bag is sewn by hand in the States, one at a time.

We make every style in small-batch runs of 100 bags per color configuration. When a colorway sells out, it may not come back — and no two batches are ever exactly alike. Small-batch production is slower and more expensive than mass manufacturing, but it keeps quality tight and keeps every bag feeling handmade, because it is.

Every style is named for a California place we love — Catalina, La Jolla, Ojai, Big Sur, Mammoth, and Zuma. The names and the color palettes both pull from the nostalgic, sun-faded hues of 1970s and '80s California.

In 2013, filmmaker Roman Coppola and designer Duffy Culligan were on a boat from Santa Barbara to Catalina when they started wondering why the best-made tote bags were all so serious. They decided to build a tote that was both built to last a lifetime and actually fun. The Catalina was born on that trip. The early bags were made one-of-one for friends and family, each with its own custom mix of colors. That spirit still defines everything we make.

Every Pacific Tote is crafted from rugged #8 duck canvas — one of the heaviest, most durable natural canvases available. It's tough enough to take a beating and good-looking enough to get compliments while doing it. Straps are reinforced canvas sewn in double rows to hold weight over decades of use. Hardware on our zippered styles is solid brass — chosen because it ages beautifully, resists corrosion, and holds up to daily use better than plated alternatives.

#8 duck canvas is a heavyweight cotton canvas, roughly 18 ounces per square yard, originally developed for sails, work wear, and industrial uses. It's one of the toughest natural fabrics you can buy. It wears in rather than wearing out, softening over years of use while holding its structure.

Our flagship Big Sur is built from 11 separate canvas components, each available in multiple colors, producing over 204 trillion possible color combinations. Our Limited Runs are numbered editions of 100 — when they sell through, they don't come back. And because every style is produced in small batches, you're almost certainly carrying a bag no one else owns.

No — our bags are unlined, but fully finished. We use binding and reinforced stitching on every interior seam so there are no raw edges, no fraying, and no loose threads anywhere inside the bag. The reason we don't line our totes is simple: #8 duck canvas is substantial enough to stand on its own. Adding a lining would mean adding a lighter, less durable fabric inside a bag whose whole point is longevity. Unlined means you see the canvas, inside and out, and you get a bag that wears in beautifully over decades.

We release bags in three tiers, each with a different rhythm:

• Standards (Always Here) — five classic colors that are always in stock, year-round. Your reliable go-to.
  
• Seasonals (Here Now) — rotating colorways inspired by the moment we're in. Here for a season, then retired.
  
• Limited Runs (Here Once) — mixed-color totes made in numbered editions of 100. When they're gone, they're gone. Drops are announced by text.
  

Standards are always available. Seasonals rotate. Limited runs sell out. Sign up for texts and you'll never miss a drop.

Our five Standards are Yellow, Red, Kelly Green, Cobalt Blue, and Classic Navy — always in stock, year-round, across the core size range. These are the anchors of the line. If you want a Pacific Tote you can reorder in the same color a year from now, a Standard is the right move.

Seasonals are solid-color bags we release in rotating palettes tied to the season — colors inspired by specific California moments, from desert springs to late-summer sunsets to winter light on the coast. Each Seasonal collection is available for a limited window, and when the season passes, the colorway retires. Previous Seasonals don't return.

Limited Runs are our numbered, mixed-color totes — each one a specific combination of our #8 duck canvas colors, released in editions of exactly 100. Every bag is numbered (for example, "27 of 100") so you know exactly how rare yours is. Once a Limited Run sells through, it never comes back. This is where we do our most expressive color work.

Drops are announced by text first. Our SMS list gets early access to every Limited Run and notice of Seasonal launches before they hit the site. Sign up at the bottom of any page to join. If you're not on the text list, you'll almost certainly miss a Limited Run.

It depends on the tier. Standards are always available — you can reorder in the same color for years. Seasonals rotate with the seasons and typically don't return. Limited Runs are numbered editions of 100 and are one-time releases — they don't come back. That's the trade-off for their rarity.

Yes — and we're making it easier this fall. We're launching a Bespoke program later in 2026 that will let customers commission custom colorways and modifications on select styles. Until then, we handle custom inquiries case-by-case. If you have a specific color combination in mind, email us at orders@pacifictotecompany.com and we'll let you know what's possible. To be first in line when Bespoke launches, sign up for our text list.

• Zuma Pouch ($40) — wallet, keys, phone, small essentials
  
• Ojai Light Tote ($99) — daily grocery run, farmers' market, light day bag
  
• La Jolla Mini-Tote ($150) — purse-sized everyday carry, books, tablet
  
• Catalina Classic Tote ($200) — the original. All-purpose medium, fits a laptop plus essentials
  
• Big Sur Zippered Tote ($225) — flagship large tote with zip closure. Travel day bag or beach bag of choice
  
• Mammoth Mega-Tote — extra-large for weekend trips, beach hauls, or family outings
  

When in doubt, size up. Most customers who buy one tote end up buying a second in a different size.

The La Jolla is a mini-tote designed for purse-sized carry — it fits a tablet or small e-reader comfortably, but a standard 13" or 15" laptop will not fit. For a laptop-friendly tote, choose the Catalina or the Big Sur.

The Big Sur is our flagship size and holds roughly the volume of a day bag or small weekender. It comfortably fits a 15" laptop, a sweater or blanket, a water bottle, a book, and everyday essentials. The full-length top zipper keeps contents secure.

Yes — the Big Sur is a favorite for short overnights, beach weekends, and carry-on travel. It holds two or three days of clothing plus toiletries. For longer trips, the Mammoth is the better choice.

There are two ways to care for a Pacific Tote, and both are right — it comes down to the look you want.

To keep it crisp and fresh: spot-clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. This preserves the structure and the original canvas feel.

For a softer, more unstructured look: machine-wash in cold water with a gentle detergent. The starch will come out and the fabric will take a couple of days to relax and soften.

In either case, air-dry flat in shade — never in direct sun or a machine dryer. #8 duck canvas develops character with age. Light softening and mellowing of the colors are features, not defects. A well-loved Pacific Tote looks better at year ten than it did at year one.

You have two options, depending on the look you want.

If you want to keep your tote crisp and fresh, we recommend spot-cleaning — a damp cloth and mild soap handles most everyday marks.

If you prefer a softer, more unstructured look, you can machine-wash it. The starch will come out, and the bag will take a couple of days to relax and soften after washing. Plenty of our customers prefer the bag this way — #8 duck canvas is tough enough to take it, and the washed version develops a lived-in character that only gets better with time. Either way, air-dry flat in shade and never use a machine dryer.

Act quickly: blot (don't rub) with a clean damp cloth. For oil-based stains, sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder on the fresh stain, let it sit for an hour to absorb, then brush off and spot-clean. For set-in stains, a gentle canvas-safe stain remover applied with a soft brush usually works. Avoid bleach.

Our canvas is dyed for saturation and longevity, but any naturally dyed cotton will soften and mellow with years of sun and use. That patina is part of the point — a Pacific Tote is meant to look like it belongs to you, not like it just came out of a box. To slow fading, avoid prolonged storage in direct sunlight.

A few things set us apart:

• Made in the USA in small batches from #8 duck canvas — one of the heaviest, most durable canvas grades made. Most retail "canvas" totes use much lighter fabric.
  
• Overbuilt and fully finished — every interior seam is bound and reinforced. No frayed edges, no raw seams. The construction is what most mass-produced totes skip to hit price.
  
• A three-tier release system — Standards that are always available, Seasonals that rotate, and numbered Limited Runs of 100 — so you can buy a reliable go-to or chase something rare depending on what you're after.
  
• 11-component construction on the Big Sur with over 204 trillion possible color combinations, drawn from 1970s and '80s California palettes.
  
• A brand that doesn't take itself too seriously — we think a bag can be built to last a lifetime and still be genuinely fun.
  

We're craft-goods at a made-to-last price — a different tier than fast-fashion totes and a different tier than luxury leather brands.

Three reasons: American labor, heavyweight #8 duck canvas, and how the bags are built. Our totes are overbuilt and fully finished — every interior seam is bound, reinforced, and sewn to hold up for decades. There are no frayed edges, no raw seams, no loose threads. Mass-produced overseas totes retail for $15–$40 because the canvas is lighter, labor is cheaper, construction is faster, and interior finishing gets skipped. We do it the other way.

They're made to last a lifetime or two, and they get better with age. Cheap totes last until you see another cheap tote that catches your eye. A Pacific Tote becomes the one you keep.

You can return or exchange any undamaged merchandise by mail within one year of the order ship date for a full refund to your original payment method. After one year, returns are refunded via e-merchandise credit. Email orders@pacifictotecompany.com to request a free prepaid return label.

Domestic US shipping is free on orders over $200. Orders under $200 ship at our standard flat rate. International shipping is calculated at checkout based on destination.

Yes — we ship worldwide. International shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on your destination. International returns are accepted, but exchanges are not available internationally. International customers are responsible for any local duties or taxes.

Domestic US orders typically ship within 1–3 business days and arrive in 3–7 business days via USPS or UPS. International orders ship within 3–5 business days and arrive in 10–21 business days depending on destination and customs.

We start working on orders as soon as they come in, but if you email orders@pacifictotecompany.com right away, we can often make changes or cancel before the order enters production. Once a bag has been pulled for hand-sewing, changes are no longer possible.

Yes — we partner with select retailers, boutiques, and hotel shops. For wholesale inquiries, please email us atorders@pacifictotecompany.comand our team will follow up with line sheets, minimums, and lead times.