How to Make Your Luggage More Identifiable
If you are a traveller, of land or sky, it is likely that you’ve been in this position: Waiting at the carousel for your luggage. You have watched bag after bag go past, all resembling the same colour, size or design as your own. Every time a bag went past you had to follow it just to make sure it wasn't yours. You may have even removed another person’s bag from the conveyer belt just to check the name tag. Alas! When your suitcase finally passed by, you had become complacent, and then you found yourself pushing past other bag watchers chasing after your own luggage!
If this situation is familiar to you, or if you would like to avoid this situation ever happening, maybe it is time to start thinking about how you can make your bag stand out from the crowd. For your peace of mind, Eminent has compiled a list of excellent simple solutions to ensure you identify your bag immediately.
Choose a different colour suitcase
If you travel for work or do not consider yourself particularly flamboyant it may be hard to comprehend something other than the standard black suitcase. However there are some great options for toned down colours, or even bright colours that are both classy and identifiable.
Black and Navy blue are the most common luggage options for travellers, people predominantly choose these colours as they are said to show less wear and tear. While yes this can be true in some cases, there are other options for dark coloured bags that will also mute the visibility of knocks to a similar standard. Some great options of dark coloured suitcases are burgundy, deep purple, dark green and grey. While still looking professional these colours offer a tone of difference so you can spot them easily.
If you want to go for something even more different, bright colours or earthy tones are also great options. Instead of choosing the standard bright option - red, pastel colours such as light blue and light pink are visually appealing while still noticeable. If you would like to go one step further with the edgy yet relevant look, earthy tones such as creams and browns have become central to current fashion trends across clothing and accessories. Maybe it’s time to include your luggage in your overall aesthetic.
Purchase an identifiable luggage belt
Luggage belts are excellent for two things: ensuring your bag is securely closed and helping to identify your luggage. People often apply luggage belts to their travel bags when they have over packed, or when they are not confident that the zip will hold the bag shut. A luggage belt is a useful accessory to have for any suitcase, even if you have a good quality suitcase (which we highly recommended).
An alternative use of a luggage belt is to ensure you can immediately spot your luggage on the conveyor belt, or identify it as it is unpacked from a bus. In this situation colour is not necessarily key, but more what will make the luggage more identifiable to you. This may be a specific pattern or a familiar colour. Whichever you will recognise. Luggage belts can come in various sizes, colours and be personalised. Because of the adjustability of a luggage belt it can also be a useful tool for when you are not travelling. You can use it for holding multiple bags together in storage or for a cooler pack when you are picnicking at home. It is both a useful accessory and a personalised identifiable addition to your luggage.
Decorate your bag with stickers
There is a common practice over the past 30 years, where travellers collect stickers or badges from their travels. This decal is an easy, cheap way of recording where you have been, but also can be placed on your luggage as a wonderful personalised way of individualising your property. The most popular way of doing this is displaying the stickers in a tasteful way across the bag, with place names and styles. Regardless of where you have been, your bag is likely to have your individual taste displayed across it.
Another slightly more original sticker option is to add an artistic sticker to your case. This could be a ‘shadow of a bird’ or a graffiti sticker of your name. These stickers are not generally associated with luggage as they may not be travel related. But are widely used for things such as school lunchboxes and window art, which can easily be accessed at craft stores.
Invest in Handle Grips
These useful tools/accessories come in handy for comfort and visibility. Handle grips can be used for one or all of your luggage handles. They are particularly useful when you are walking longer distances with your heavy luggage or picking your luggage up and down several times over a short period of time. The grip provides an extra cushioning of comfort when picking up a bag, and can easily be spotted as a feature on your luggage. These are an affordable option to add to your bag, and if you get a bold colour it can be eye-catching enough that you can spot your bag from a distance.
Purchase a distinguishable luggage cover
Luggage covers are a step up from the luggage belt. They provide a protective barrier for the wear and tear of your bag, as well as ensuring that the contents of your bag are extra secure. They can also be purchased in a variety of colours and designs. Some people choose bright vibrant designs that you can see the instant it comes towards you. And others prefer a more subtle approach to this method, such as purchasing a luggage cover with a label or recognisable name. At Eminent we sell luggage covers, primarily for the use it is designed for - to protect the case against knocks and bangs, but also with the benefit of being able to distinguish your luggage from others.
Track your luggage
Now this method does not make your luggage stand out from the crowd, but it does ensure you know where your luggage is at all times. In today's society and with up-to-date technology there is a plethora of resources to ensure your luggage never gets lost. Every year various tech brands update their luggage GPS tracker, to ensure the owners know exactly where their luggage is at all times. The technology for GPS luggage trackers is currently so advanced that there are youtube videos in circulation where vloggers have put their luggage on randomly selected trains, and have been able to track within 2 metres of where the luggage ended up, days or even weeks later.
Personalised luggage tags
Personalised luggage tags are possibly the most common way of identifying your luggage, or making it stand out a bit more. Some people choose to keep a variety of name tags from varying trips, while others go for the personalised colourful or individualistic name tag. Name tags are often reasonably priced, and can last well also if you choose a good quality option. As the tags are generally the exterior, placing your name and address on the inside of the tag, you can regularly change the address or details on the tag as required without the need to purchase a new tag every time. They also can be removed very easily so in situations where a name tag is not needed, or you wish to ‘tone down’ your bag, you can always take the name tag off the bag.
There are a variety of great ways to ensure you can identify your luggage in a crowd. Eminent stocks some of the features we have identified in this blog, and there are plenty of good do-it-yourself options also if you prefer a craftier approach. Make sure to check out Eminent’s luggage accessories, to keep your luggage in line with your preferred aesthetic.
