ed tech | design | music
Apple’s retail store bags have been used at Apple Stores beginning in 2001 when the first Apple Store opened. Please refer to 20 Years of Apple Store Bags (2001–2021) for more details.
This example is a blue plastic drawstring bag featuring a white Apple logo. It measures 19.25 inches tall x 16.75 inches wide x 3.75 inches deep.
Apple’s retail store bags have been used at Apple Stores beginning in 2001 when the first Apple Store opened. Please refer to 20 Years of Apple Store Bags (2001–2021) for more details.
This example is a heavy white paper bag featuring a gray Apple logo. It measures 11.25 inches tall x 7.875 inches wide x 5 inches deep. This bag is sized to contain any iPhone model.
Apple’s retail store bags have been used at Apple Stores beginning in 2001 when the first Apple Store opened. Please refer to 20 Years of Apple Store Bags (2001–2021) for more details.
This example is a blue plastic drawstring bag featuring a white Apple logo. It measures 24 inches tall x 24 inches wide x 5 inches deep.
Apple opened its first two retail Apple Store locations on May 19, 2001. The first opened at 10AM (EST) at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, and the second opened three hours later (at 10AM PST) at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California. Here in Illinois, Woodfield, Apple’s fifth Apple Store, opened in Schaumburg about three months later.
From the very beginning, Apple used their Apple Stores not just as a store, but as a place to showcase the Apple lifestyle. According to the first Apple Store press release:
“At each Apple store, knowledgeable salespeople will be able to demonstrate Macs running innovative applications like iTunes and iMovie, as well as Mac OS X, Apple’s revolutionary new operating system. All of the Macs are connected to the Internet, and several are connected to digital lifestyle products that complement the Mac experience, such as digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3 players, and handheld organizers.”
In 2021, there are now over 500 stores in 25 countries. I have visited at least 17 Apple Stores—15 in the United States, one in Toronto (Apple Eaton Centre), and one in Berlin (Apple Kurfürstendamm).
This part of my collection highlights Apple’s retail store bags. The designs transitioned through a few different plastic options and are now made from recycled paper.
Apple has also created a few limited edition bags over the years used during product releases, such as a black iPhone bag in 2007. While I have a few of these limited bags, this collection focuses upon the standard, day-to-day bag designs.
In my research for this post, I have found no source that mentions the history of Apple Store bags. Some of the stock photo sites, as well as my own Apple Store photos, show shoppers in Apple Stores carrying the bags of the time.
All Apple Store plastic bags were two-ply, and each layer used a slightly different material. The earliest blue version of the Apple Store bag used a bright blue interior plastic and a translucent clear exterior. This drawstring bag was printed with a white Apple logo and the web address apple.com repeated around the drawstring in the Apple Garamond font. I only have two sizes of this bag, a medium and large (compared to all other bags). I’m not certain if a small bag in this design existed.
The next plastic bag was white with a black Apple logo and the web address apple.com repeated around the drawstring in the Apple Garamond font. I have a small, medium, and large version of this drawstring bag design.
The next two plastic bag styles were white with a silver Apple logo. One style featured a silver Apple logo and the web address apple.com printed once below the logo in the Apple Myriad font. A later design featured only a silver Apple logo. These styles came in three sizes and all used drawstrings, however, the medium sizes were threaded in a manner that the bags could be used as backpacks.
Apple’s current paper bags were awarded a United States Patent (15062993) for a “bag container formed of white solid bleached sulfate paper with at least 60% post-consumer content” along with additional bag innovations outlined in the patent document. Perhaps most interesting, and printed on the bottom of the bag, is a callout for its “circular-knit handle made entirely from paper.” The versions I have are made from 80% post-consumer content.
My collection includes fourteen different bag styles (not including several limited-edition bags). I hope to update this post as I learn more details. The bag “families” are shown in this post. Separate posts in this blog highlight each bag design individually.
Sources: Apple (press release, store list), US Patent and Trademark Office, Getty Images, 9to5mac, Alamy (blue bag, white bag 1, white bag 2)
This computer backpack is embroidered on the front with the Apple Distinguished Educator logo in metallic silver. The backpack is made by Vertex (5387) and a tag indicates that the model is a Viper Computer Backpack.
The backpack has many practical features for travel, including a detatchable “Viewpoint System” to easily remove your laptop during airport screening. It aslo has a carabiner with a bottle opener, a luggage strap to slip over a carry-on handle, and a large center compartment.
I was honored to receive this backpack as part of the Apple Distinguished Educator program. I am part of the ADE Class of 2007.
This computer backpack is embroidered on the front with the Apple Distinguished Educator logo in metallic silver. The backpack is made by Gemline and the model is the Ryder Computer Backpack.
The Gemline website lists some of the features of this backpack, including a zippered wide mouth opening to large main compartment, a padded laptop compartment that fits up to a 17-inch laptop, a front flap pocket with easy access to multi-function organizer, a side pocket for an iPad (up to 10 inches), and dual mesh water bottle pockets. The interior lining and backpack straps feature a map-patterned lining.
I was honored to receive this backpack as part of the Apple Distinguished Educator program. I am part of the ADE Class of 2007.
Source: Gemline
This gray bag features a single white Apple logo on the front center. This bag was distributed at an educational technology conference in the late 2000s. Conferences frequently distribute these types of bags in vendor areas to assist attendees in carrying the printed conference guide, brochures, and tchotchkes such as pens, t-shirts, and other logo-printed items.
This bag is made from polypropylene by Logomark. The product line is SOVRANO (style KT6500). According to the company website, the bag measures 12 inches W x 14 inches H x 8 inches D.
Source: Logomark
On March 27, 2018, Apple held an education event at Lane Tech College Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
The event was invitation-only and when attendees checked in, they were given a color-coded badge. The color on the badge assisted with auditorium seating during the event.
The event began with a keynote by Tim Cook and others that focused on Apple’s commitment to education, as well as apps and services used by schools. Specific topics included Apple’s part in the ConnectED initiative, the release of a new Generation 5 9.7-inch iPad with support for Apple Pencil (and Logitech Crayon), major updates to Apple’s Schoolwork and Classroom apps, and examples from teachers using Swift Playgrounds in the classroom.
After the keynote, attendees were invited into Lane Tech classrooms to test out and see products and services.
I attended this event live and after the keynote, I found myself in the room with Apple CEO Tim Cook. He was interviewed by Chicago news outlets and later spoke with Chicago’s governor at the time, Bruce Rauner.
This event badge measures 9.5 x 6.5 cm and is clipped to a black nylon lanyard. It is printed on thick paper (similar to a photo matte) and embossed with a “recycle” symbol. The Apple logo printed on both sides and the edges of the badge are teal.
Source: Apple
This black business card wallet is made of “genuine calfskin” leather and embossed with an Apple logo on one side. The inside is lined with microfiber and has two pockets that hold 10-12 business cards each. The wallet is made by Leeman.
This is one of several Apple-logo products that was available at “The Company Store @ Apple” located in the Infinite Loop Campus (in the 1 Infinite Loop building). When Apple began moving to the Main (“spaceship”) Campus at Apple Park, a new Visitor Center was built near the new campus and The Company Store was closed and replaced by more standard Apple Store.
This business card holder is made of two pieces of metal, a curved top with a flat silver finish and a polished chrome cylindrical stand. It has a matte black Apple logo centered on the front. The holder is relatively heavy for its size.
This is one of several Apple-logo products that was available at “The Company Store @ Apple” located in the Infinite Loop Campus (in the 1 Infinite Loop building). When Apple began moving to the Main (“spaceship”) Campus at Apple Park, a new Visitor Center was built near the new campus and The Company Store was closed and replaced by more standard Apple Store.
