Carhartt Goes Viral With Canvas “Paper Bag” Lunch Sack: “Urban Lumberjack Aesthetic Is A Recession Indicator”

Who would have ever thought a brown paper sack would become chic?

Carhartt is making moves, but with a product they no longer sell. It’s a sad day for Carhartt fans but for the hipster buyers of the workwear brand, not the actual blue-collar men and women who purchase items from the brand for their functionality.

Today, I opened Twitter (now X) to see that a brown paper sack-style Carhartt item is going viral. The lunch-time must-have is a brown canvas lunch sack with a button that mimics the style of the traditional brown paper bag lunches that we all grew up with.

Carhartt Lunch Bag pic.twitter.com/GEFaEUMHFc

— 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 (@Matrix_114) March 22, 2025

It’s trendy and functional, and with the Carhartt logo featured on the front, and hipsters instantly drooled over it.

@sevenstorehq The lunchtime must-have.    Lending itself to playfulness and practicality, nodding to the brand’s all-American roots, Carhartt WIP’s Lunch Bag hones a durable canvas fabrication finessed with a water-repellent finish. Available in-store and online now. #CarharttWIP #SEVENSTORE ♬ original sound – EX7STENCE

But let’s face it: Most folks working on a job site pack their food in heavy-duty coolers, ice packs, and usually a big meal plus snacks. I’m not sure this product holds up compared to Carhartt’s other lunch box items.

Well, this is because it was not designed for the usual purchasing demographic, as it was a part of the Carhartt WIP collection. The Carhartt Work In Progress line is the company’s streetwear line, which features trendier styles and items.

Side note: Am I the only one who was unaware that Cahartt had a streetwear line?

Founded in 1994 by Edwin Faeh, Carhartt WIP takes traditional workwear designs and puts a twist on them to tailor them to a new consumer. According to the WIP website:

“The brand combines authentic adaptations of these robust American archetypes while engaging with the subcultures that have embraced it. This, in turn, has seen Carhartt WIP place itself in a new context and bring forth its own classics. Carhartt WIP opened its first store in London in 1997 and today operates over 80 brick and mortar locations worldwide.”

So basically Carhartt for people who don’t do Carhartt things? Hence, items like this trendy lunch sack were born.

However, I have bad news if you are looking at this item and think you need one for yourself. The Carhartt WIP official website no longer sells it. Some third-party sellers still have it in stock, but the price ranges from affordable to nearly luxury. Some eBay sellers list the item for $20, while other sellers list it for $130 or higher.

While most of the replies left on X are from folks saying how much they need this item for themselves, other folks shared split feelings about Carhartt’s take on the working man’s lunch sack. Some feel Carhartt is moving away from its original brand image to appease the trendy kids who sport the clothing items today.

The real question of whether this is worth the money or not is if it’s insulated…

Check out some of the commentary.

packing my child’s lunch in this: pack of zyns, can of tuna (unopened), three half empty bottles of water https://t.co/94ZIBOLAlK

— ryan k. (@kenneynryan) March 23, 2025

putting a pb&j sandwich in here and shaking the bag to lure austin butler https://t.co/jBdynxJE0x

— joey (@purechallengers) March 23, 2025

carhartt slowly inching farther and farther from actual working class workwear to a luxury parody of working class https://t.co/1cpiI3dV42

— quiznos 3 the quizoning (@thequizoning) March 22, 2025

Mfs that don't do a single drop of labor be buying the fuck outta Carnhartt. https://t.co/uLJVpJ6gla

— 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖆 𝕭𝖗𝖆𝖝 (@Brephless) March 23, 2025

Please buy me this https://t.co/D4aRm0sElJ

— cris (@crisissweet) March 22, 2025

i need to surprise my boyfriend with this for sure. https://t.co/moHDWix2Iz

— thicc krabs is telling you to wash your hands (@20minuteburrito) March 23, 2025

urban lumberjack aesthetic is a recession indicator https://t.co/MsAIyWnmXD

— derek guy (@dieworkwear) March 23, 2025

Everybody wants to remake a perfect object https://t.co/mIwYXGM6Gq pic.twitter.com/m6CrCDETus

— (@janesingasong) March 24, 2025

I see bitches wearing this as a clutch purse https://t.co/nigJPxPLYr

— Jewel. (@LavishJewelss) March 22, 2025

This is how I’m pulling up the to the . https://t.co/Ulwr5YTCnl

— Stedman (@OfficialStedyB) March 22, 2025

This has gone too far. https://t.co/4oVvh2JCFJ

— _____ (@dakinlikebacon) March 23, 2025

Bring this to a job site and get your ass beat https://t.co/p5objV3Lhp

— Jason Pargin, author of John Dies at the End, etc (@JasonKPargin) March 23, 2025

#RecessionIndicator (i need it) https://t.co/aR99Dm9OiR

— Meg Stahl (@MegStahl) March 23, 2025

Not mad at it https://t.co/xIrcP0HqE3

— Low Vibrational Zoe (@LowLifeZoe) March 23, 2025