Itabag general

[Anonymous No.10768701]

Old thread perished

Itabag FAQ and Beginners Guide 2.0
>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BUQ5ZQoH1A9vCR2OcdvhrWNv6JChsy-5z21rNugX2jc/edit?usp=sharing

buyf/a/g guide
>buyfags.moe

Share your progress, favorite bags, tips etc.

[Anonymous No.10770215]

Just ordered some straps for my first itabag! It will be dedicated to gilgamesh, I'm so excited!

[Anonymous No.10770218]

>>10770215
Based Fate Extra enjoyer

[Anonymous No.10770646]

Highly recommend everyone throw balls in their itabags, it's the funniest thing you'll do

>>10768701
Based Kazunari enjoyer

[Anonymous No.10770876]

Anons, do you personally prefer the simpler and classic ita bags commonly found on Japanese sites like wego or the themed ones you see on kickstarters?

[Anonymous No.10770879]

>>10770876
Simpler ones, I feel like the themed ones on kickstarter are more about the bag rather than the merch which defeats the purpose of itabagging (so many of them are so specific, like how many characters are there that can match a pink cow bag?)

[Anonymous No.10770883]

>>10770876
i was so happy when i found out that someone was making a gojo ita bag, but then i was disappointed that the colors would have completely clashed with what i was making. it's such a shame that it's so cute though...
doesn't help that they're a gojo geto shipper either lol.

[Anonymous No.10770928]

Posted this previously in the dead thread, anyone have some examples of bags using Fumo plush or other medium-sized plush?

>>10770215
Good taste anon, he's also my favorite. Hope you'll post your progress!

[Anonymous No.10770944]

>>10770876
the themed ones are nice if there's still generous window space

[Anonymous No.10770954]

>>10770876
Personally I like basic ones because there’s nothing that matches mine. I feel like the kickstarter ones are more for normies who just want to show off enamel pins rather than true itabags. Plus they usually have smaller windows… I’m needing to order my third wego bag

[Anonymous No.10770960]

Reminder that not all itabags have to be character/series themed. I've seen a rise of bags lately in my city which have smaller plastic windows to show off miscellaneous cute badges and pins.

[Anonymous No.10770963]

>>10770960
isn’t character/series themed the name of the game so to speak? just throwing random pins on is fine but i wouldn’t call that an itabag. just someone using one

[Anonymous No.10770970]

>>10770960
That's what we call a pin bag, anon. Itabags have a specific definition.

[Anonymous No.10770971]

itabags are anime/idol otaku culture and i feel weird when normie pin bags are lumped in with them

[Anonymous No.10771033]

>>10770963
>>10770970
Oh actually that makes sense, thanks for the clarification.

I get confused because I see a lot of itabags used to showcase photo booth photos, random pins, kpop idol photos and Sanrio stuff together as well. My bad.

[Anonymous No.10771078]

>>10770215
Good luck anon! It's always nice to see fate itabags. I'm currently working on my robin hood one.

[Anonymous No.10771235]

>>10771033
It's not your fault. People have incorrectly used the terms to the point where the original definitions are getting lost. I'd recommend reading the FAQ. The true definitions actually have some cool history and it's really inspiring to see how creative people can be to show the depth of their love for their favorite show / series / character.

[Anonymous No.10771295]

>>10770876
I prefer the classic ones because with themed ones it would be a lot harder to make look nice so you're a lot more limited, if that makes sense.

[Anonymous No.10771296]

>>10770971
I used to work with this girl who had an itabag base but the pins were all tumblr-looking pins with absolutely no theme whatsoever. I saw a marvel pin and a mimikyu and a bunch of pins with random quotes on it. It was pretty boring and I don't consider it an itabag at all

[Anonymous No.10771369]

Came up with a layout for a new bag. Does anyone have any recommendations for a base bag color? I feel like mint green would be the natural choice, but I don’t really like it tbqh.

[Anonymous No.10771372]

>>10771369
i think purple or a darker green would work really well!
or maybe some sort of brown?

[Anonymous No.10771374]

>>10771369
Maybe light red/dull magenta to match the colour of vest?

[Anonymous No.10771376]

>>10771374
I was thinking brown like >>10771372 suggested, but I didn’t consider red. Good idea, anon. I’m about to pull the trigger on this satchel, but I’ll do a little more browsing first to see if there’s anything else that fits.

[Anonymous No.10771412]

>>10770960
>>10771033
I suggest not barging into threads with "reminders" when you don't actually know what you're talking about. Jfc.

[Anonymous No.10771418]

>>10771376
These itabags are really nice, now I'm tempted to buy one

[Anonymous No.10771451]

>>10771376
On a side note, that is a gorgeous bag. I love how professional it looks.

[Anonymous No.10771457]

>>10771418
>>10771451
Only the best for my boy.

[Anonymous No.10771524]

>>10770971
Would you consider it appropriation of sorts to make a pin bag and call it an itabag? Dumb question since most of us aren't Japanese anyway so it's not like we aren't appropriating this hobby for ourselves, but something about making a bag filled with whatever random tumblr shit you find on etsy, and for it to not even be anime/idol themed, and to not only insist but to ARGUE that it's the same thing as an itabag and you're being toxic if you disagree, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Anonymous No.10771525]

>>10771524
i don't care about appropriation or whatever, i care about mislabeling things

[Anonymous No.10771528]

>>10771524
This anon has it right. >>10771525 In general I think crying appropriation should only be reserved for things with deep cultural or religious significance, not dumb fandom stuff, otherwise the term loses all meaning. There's nothing wrong with being from the west and doing itabagging as a hobby, but I think you should at least make an effort to stay on brand and don't get upset when people correct you.

[Anonymous No.10771533]

Does anybody have a good suggestion for an ita backpack/messenger bag with a covering so it can be converted between a normal bag and a con one with a zip of a zipper/pulling up a flap?

[Anonymous No.10771535]

>>10771524
so, you think that using the original definition is appropriation, but using the term to describe something else is not? like others said, appropriation isn't the issue, but calling pin bags itabags is literally that, so your entire point is wrong. things have labels for a reason, if you don't like them, don't participate.

[Anonymous No.10771604]

>>10770876
That heavily depends; generally I go for plain base bags and the simple coloring that isn't too busy/large windows but occasionally there's a KS bag that fits within the theme of a character I'm bagging well enough that I'm happy to back it. All about balance/execution imo.

[Anonymous No.10771705]

>>10770876
i hate any themed bags that arent themed for the character, i see a lot of sanrio bags used for random anime characters and it looks like shit

[Anonymous No.10771718]

>>10771078
>robin hood
EXTREMELY good taste.

[Anonymous No.10771735]

>>10771376
I've always loved lowkey two way bags like these. It makes it easier to use at the workplace.
>>10771705
The sanrio itabags probably only work when the character belongs to a franchise that has done a collab with sanrio in the past (ex: mahoyaku)

[Anonymous No.10771880]

>>10771735
>I've always loved lowkey two way bags like these. It makes it easier to use at the workplace.
What are these convertible bags called?

[Anonymous No.10771883]

>>10771735
What are these convertible bags called? Was wondering what to search for to find bags like what >>10771376 posted.

[Anonymous No.10772009]

>>10771883
Two-way bags. The one >>10771376 posted is from Zakkamart, >>10771735 is from Wego.

[Anonymous No.10772078]

What's your process for determining what character to base your bag on? Do you pick one who's personally significant to you?

[Anonymous No.10772080]

>>10772078
Only characters I have a strong emotional attachment to/care deeply about. Mostly just my husbando, but a few other characters I've resonated with particularly deeply over the years.

[Anonymous No.10772085]

>>10772078
My thought process is basically this:
>Do I like character enough to want to take them everywhere with me
>If the answer is yes, can I see myself using the bag long term and not just on special occasions like cons
The last point is the most important. This is an expensive hobby, and I've always had a bad habit of committing to those 100% if I choose to take them on. There are plenty of other more affordable ways to express your love for your husbando that don't involve spending hundreds of dollars, dealing with import fees, stressing over auctions, etc. I have two bags and I honestly can't see myself making any more, not just because of the expenses but because I seriously don't think I'll ever find another anime character I resonate more with than my guy.

[Anonymous No.10772087]

>>10772085
>hundreds of dollars
Jesus. I'm seriously considering starting my first bag but the more horror stories I hear about how much people have spent on theirs, the less I want to try. Knowing me I'd only want the rarest stuff that never shows up for non-insane prices.

[Anonymous No.10772094]

>>10772087
I wouldn't let it scare you off too much. Importing is going to be expensive no matter what, but how much you actually pay depends on how far you want to take your bag. Character tax is going to be a bitch no matter what, but you can buy up some of the more common, cheaper badges for that character in bulk and make a nice repeating bag, which is all the rage in Japan right now anyway. You can also choose a small base bag like a mini backpack or a purse, buy a few badges or charms and use decorations like flowers or rosettes to fill the rest of the window out.

[Anonymous No.10772107]

Planning out my first organized bag, last one was a bit of a mess since I was inexperienced and using what little merch I had a few years ago. I've been looking at the Zakkamart 2-way ones, which is what I based this prototype placement off of.

Wanted to see if any anons had suggestions for a muted yellow color bag. Otherwise I was thinking of going for white. Any other suggestions are welcome too! I really like what the OP image back does with the character image on the right, but I think I have too many can badges for something like that unless I get a bigger bag.

[Anonymous No.10772116]

>>10772107
Do you intend to use all of your badges? I really like the mini backpack I got from and-chouette, but it probably won't fit all of your merch unless you're willing to settle for a smaller bag. They also have purses, including a really nice yellow one, but I don't have one so I can't attest to how big they are, and it looks like they're all sold out at the moment.

https://online.and-chouette.jp/shop/g/g004821101602620000/
https://online.and-chouette.jp/shop/g/g004821101602521100/

[Anonymous No.10772140]

anyone have experience trading stuff from lots at con swap meets? i had to get the full set of some keychains and wondered if there was anything i could do besides selling them.

[Anonymous No.10772141]

>>10772116
Probably not all since I'm going to be leaving a few to display on my shelf as well. The purse you linked is really cute! Too bad the yellow is sold out, I'll look around for second-hand ones though.

[Anonymous No.10772148]

>>10772078
i focus on my husbando, i don't care about making itabags for other characters

[Anonymous No.10772164]

>>10772140
I keep hearing about these fabled facebook groups where you can trade itabag shit, but I have no idea what the active ones are. Maybe look into discord groups for the fandom the merch is from?

[Anonymous No.10772172]

>>10772078
I pick my favorite and only collect for them. I’m usually in charge of the box splits for my friend group so it’s easy to build up merch fast for my faves.

[Anonymous No.10772221]

>>10772078
i pick my favorite characters ever. unfortunately, for my favorite character in the world (Leon S. Kennedy), there is no "ita-baggable" merch for him unless i go full fanmade merch, but even then fanmade merch for him like pins, badges etc is so rare.

[Anonymous No.10772226]

>>10772087
start small so you get the feel of ita bagging, i recently completed my first ita bag and it cost me around $100 with a very fair amount of merch with a kinda small bag (personal preference)
then you can always go back and redo that same bag once you feel more comfy!

[Anonymous No.10772271]

I'm back with another possibly stupid rosette question. Apologies ahead of time.

How much do handmade rosettes sell for? Like what would a simple rosette sell for, versus something more complex or highly customized? (Pic related is a random image from google. I would say it's somewhere in between).

I recently invested a lot of time in learning how to make rosettes for my own badges, and I'm slightly interest in making them for other people locally. But I honestly don't know what a fair price is, even if I would do it mostly for fun. Similarly, I don't know what to expect if I wanted to buy a rosette from someone who also made them.

[Anonymous No.10772367]

>>10772087
Do it little by little. Buy a small piece of merch or two once a month. Also I agree with >>10772094 said, you can always get a small bag/window. Just remember to take it slow.

[Anonymous No.10772445]

>>10772087
>horror stories
Spending in excess is kind of one of the main points of this hobby, anon. That being said, if you're not willing to spend that much, do some research on the market prices before you commit. If you'd "only want the rarest stuff that never shows up for non-insane prices" you're either going to have to just accept those prices, stalk marketplaces daily in hopes of snagging something for a lower price, or convince yourself otherwise.

>>10772078
I wait for the vibe to hit.

[Anonymous No.10772931]

>>10772087
Anon, it depends on the character and how hardcore you want to get. I’ve spent hundreds but that because I buy everything I see of my husbando and there is a shop that sells anime keychains etc. that I go to as well as cons. I have also had friends pick stuff up for me in Japan before Covid and bought stuff on Mercari Japan. I’m also very weird about symmetry so I was trying to get multiples of things but unfortunately didn’t get more than 1-3 for most of the stuff I have; the stuff I have many multiples of is either really common or picked up in Japan. Mine doesn’t really have character tax as they’re not popular but it’s also meant it’s harder to find.
If it’s a more popular/common character, it’s easier to get multiples of the same thing of you want that. You can also just not be concerned about that and it’s much faster. I also use the big Wego bags so it’s a lot more to fill than something smaller.
This hobby isn’t cheap but it also doesn’t have to be super expensive. Also keep in mind that I’ve spent hundreds, but that’s over 5 years of collecting, not all in one go.

[Anonymous No.10772945]

I've got a question for people with non-bootleg WEGO bags made of faux leather. How have they held up over the years? I found the perfect bag for a certain character (he's a news anchor) but I've had such bad luck with faux leather bags. They were all no name crap though, so I'm hoping WEGO stuff lasts a decent while.

[Anonymous No.10772947]

>>10772087
I don't know how much I've spent on my bag, but I will say a couple of things.
1. I buy my stuff piecemeal. Every con I'll buy a few things to add to my bag if I see things I like for my character. Some of it is fanmade stuff, some of it is official merch.
2. I chose my character for my ita bag carefully. The year I decided to start my ita bag, I had my first choice and two backups for who I wanted to focus my bag on. When my first choice and one of my backups had barely any merch but my third choice had stuff at practically every booth that sold keychains and charms, I went with my third choice. It was easier for me to make the bag that way.

[Anonymous No.10773370]

I may have just gotten a piece of merch I've been waiting years to find a listing for, please give me your energy I'm praying my ss is quick enough.

[Anonymous No.10773372]

>>10773370
I am praying for you anon. Waiting for SS confirmation is always the hardest part!

[Anonymous No.10773447]

>>10773370
Ladies and gentlemen, we got him. I have a bad habit of waiting until I have a dupe to do anything but I've been looking forward to it for so long I may forgo that bit of autism just this once.

[Anonymous No.10773451]

Hi! This may be a dumb question so sorry in advance. I’ve decided to sell part of my merch of a specific character and I don’t how or where U should do that. Should I sell all the pins together or separated? They are both official and fanmade pins…

[Anonymous No.10773454]

>>10773451
*I, not U. Damn.

[Anonymous No.10773457]

>>10772367
The items in the bag all in plastic packing too big for it really ruins this...

[Anonymous No.10773459]

>>10773451
selling pins separately sounds like a bit of a pain so i would try to sell it as a package deal. also if it's my husbando you should sell them all to me lmao

[Anonymous No.10773463]

>>10773457
Doesn't look like a final bag, more like a wip for layout.
>>10773451
It's way easier to sell things in lots; at the least make sure you specify there's fanmade stuff in it before listing so the buyer is aware, but ebay, local comms, there's a couple itabag groups on fb that do bst, and mercari are some places you can look at.

[Anonymous No.10773551]

>>10773459
They were all from a bag dedicated to Tokoyami from bnha. I doubt he’s your husbando lol

>>10773463
Thank you both for your suggestions. I’ll try to sell them on ebay and, if that doesn’t work, I’ll create a fb account.

[Anonymous No.10773682]

>>10773463
>Doesn't look like a final bag, more like a wip for layout.
Oh i see if thats the case then it would make sense. I always take my merch out when Im deciding where it goes.

[Anonymous No.10775063]

How do you decide on a bag? I've found two that I really like, but I'm indecisive.

[Anonymous No.10775072]

>>10775063
Well, show us what you're debating between

[Anonymous No.10775164]

>>10775072
kickstarter bag versus the wego scallop one. the kickstarter one will definitely fit more stuff plus the chains are useful. But the wego bag is more subtle and classy. Could easily be used at the workplace

[Anonymous No.10775315]

>>10775164
This is pretty cute and normie. If you're bringing an itabag to work I don't think you really need to worry about getting a subtle or classy bag. Personally, I prefer a bag with a bit more room. lmao @ the cringe gratuitous Japanese though

[Anonymous No.10775338]

>>10772221
There's loads of stuff on Etsy. Try being a Duke fan and truly suffer.

[Anonymous No.10775384]

>>10775164
>plus the chains are useful.
Yes, every eastern European football hooligan would tell you that. The bigger and more massive the better weapon it makes.

[Anonymous No.10775695]

>>10775338
i've seen some Etsy merch for the Duke too!! he deserves all the merch, he was the realest one in that whole game..
while he definitely does have his fair share on Etsy, i just want my specialest boy to have all the official merch in the world ya know? definitely waiting for this RE themed bag to release before deciding to cope with fanmade merch though!

[Anonymous No.10775795]

>>10775695
Oh shit fr? I've only found like ten things in total, all acrylic keychains and one plush backpack, but that's not an ita bag item. If you got any shop names I would love that!

[Anonymous No.10776731]

Have any of you seen a two-way messenger bag where the window is completely covered by the flap rather than on the back or peeking out like pic related? I'm looking for one that is 100% for my own benefit, not a visible display. I just want to peek at my spread every time I open up my bag.
Bonus points for classy like this one >>10771376


>>10775164
I'd say it depends on how important it is to you that you can hide it and how much interior and window space you need. Since they're so dissimilar the question is less about aesthetics (which we could help with) and more practical priorities (which is a personal decision). It seems to me that you're more inspired by the kusari bag and the wego bag is you settling.

My own opinions on aesthetics and priorities:
A benefit to smaller bags is that it takes up less space and encourages you to take less stuff you don't need. When I go on errands I try to take my smaller bags because they're not so heavy and I don't bump into things. I also like a packed small window more than an empty spaced large window. But a large window gives you more space for rosettes and decorations which I think can look really pretty. But a small bag also means you can stretch out your merch across a couple different bags.
If you're bringing it to work it depends a lot on what you bring to work. I certainly pack my work bag with a lot more than my errand bag. You didn't mention cons, but that's also something to consider if you go to them. I need space for my packed lunch and whatever I'm buying at the merch hall. I'd prefer to bring one big bag rather than carry anything extra.

[Anonymous No.10776903]

hi! does anyone have any idea of what base bag color i should use for a bag for these characters? i'm a little stumped..

[Anonymous No.10776908]

>>10776903
What do you have for merch so far?

[Anonymous No.10777259]

Can someone tell me if I should keep those ribbons or not?

[Anonymous No.10777261]

>>10777259
>>10777259
Ribbons can stay, the pearl things maybe not so much

[Anonymous No.10777850]

>>10777259
>>10777261
I love the ribbons and the pearls, keep them both!

[Anonymous No.10777865]

I can smell the femcel in this thread

[Anonymous No.10777866]

>>10777865
>hobby that's just putting pins on a clear bag
>femcel
?

[Anonymous No.10777867]

>>10777866
don't give him attention

[Anonymous No.10778636]

While I wait for my new base bag to come in, here’s the first one I ever made that I finally got around to finishing the other day. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement, but I’m feeling pretty good about it so far. Would love to get some feedback so I can make it even better.

[Anonymous No.10778679]

>>10778636
Anon, I love this bag and all of the merch in it with my whole heart.

[Anonymous No.10778682]

>>10778636
Personally I would have liked this either with tons of flowers to completely fill it out, but with petals overlapping. Less crazy would be to make a few clusters of flowers. Like bouquets. I don't like how they're evenly distributed. The background could also be a different color.
What's the new bag you're getting?

[Anonymous No.10779722]

>previous releases/collabs have pretty consistent listings for leftovers
>able to get dupes over the course of a couple of months
>current releases
>sporadic listings with few lot drops/mostly being sold as entire groupings
>now lucky to get a single item, let alone dupes
Stop making me buy your trash god dammit.

[Anonymous No.10780072]

Does anyone know if Berry Q's heart itabag can be worn as a backpack?
I see some pictures of it being worn like that, but when I go to the actual listing I can't see any way that it could be...

[Anonymous No.10781272]

>>10779722
>sporadic listings with few lot drops/mostly being sold as entire groupings
Is it a lot of just one character or a bunch of franchises together?

[Anonymous No.10781514]

>>10781272
A bunch of characters from the franchise, usually. Sometimes they get wise and sell lots with his popular ship and quadruple the price.

[Anonymous No.10782002]

I don't really have anywhere else to share this, but here's my character shrine. I'm still waiting on a few pieces and maybe 3d print some stands to show off the prints and books better.

[Anonymous No.10782159]

Do any anons have a repeat can badge bag? I'm working on one and was curious what the best way to do the insert might be.

I found this tweet which suggests using a place mat. I'd have to find one though.
https://twitter.com/rain_night0/status/1540342132346458112

[Anonymous No.10782162]

>>10782159
i don't have a repeat one ,but use one of those character handkerchiefs/cloths to for pins on my regular bag. maybe use one of them?

[Anonymous No.10782211]

the urge to make this special boy into a bag
do i do it?!

[Anonymous No.10782219]

>>10782162
That's what my first idea was actually, just not sure what color I should go for. Any suggestions based on my mock-up picture?

[Anonymous No.10782220]

>>10778636
Lisa lisa button makes it a bit distracting, since it’s too big and is overlapping also the rest of the bag leans toward a cutesy style.

I’d add the sunflowers as bed flowers, so you can display merch over it instead of around it.

Overall, nice work and ship nona!
Djsxw

[Anonymous No.10782222]

>>10782219
wait is your bag of Tsukasa? i'd go with the yellow of his hair or a bright yellow. WonSho in general has a lot of colors that you can play around with, or you can go with the blue of his outfit or even purple to really bring it out

[Anonymous No.10782232]

>>10782222
Ahh, yes it is! Originally I wanted to make a repeat bag with Kingkasa from the WMS set, but I've only been able to secure 11x of the badge. So instead I'm saving them for a secondary smaller bag with Rui's June Bride card badge.

I'll try all three of those colors once the bag comes though! It'll be a lot easier once I'm able to mess around with it in person. I'm thinking about adding craft flowers to the borders as well and a rosette hanging from the ring at the top.

[Anonymous No.10782304]

>>10782232
>I'm thinking about adding craft flowers to the borders as well and a rosette hanging from the ring at the top.
that sounds wonderful nonny, that's very Tsukasa like and i think that would suit the bag well! please show once you put it all together omg
that reminds me i seriously need to start working on my 25ji bag

[Anonymous No.10782321]

>>10782159
I used one of those plastic mesh things, I found it best for a repeat bag since it makes it easer to keep the badges aligned.

[Anonymous No.10782323]

>>10782002
Cute!! For shrines like this, do you collect multiple of merch so you can swap out if they get any damage?

>>10782211
The answer is always yes

[Anonymous No.10782336]

>>10782002
Nice, anon.
I have a pretty big character shrine too, I use a lot of those clear acrylic risers in different sizes from Daiso, they’re good for acrylic standees and other small items. For books you could use some of those mini-easels, though they do take up more space.
I’m considering making a bag now because I impulsively buy pins despite not having a good display for them and have quite a few now.

[Anonymous No.10782399]

>>10782304
I'll definitely be back to post progress, don't worry! Also looking forward to your 25ji bag if you end up posting too. I wish you the best of luck too, our character tax is insane www

>>10782321
Oh that's a good idea too. I'll keep it in mind and see if I can combine it with colored fabric to capture what's in my head now.

And so I'm not just posting without a picture again I'll go ahead and share my ship bag mock-up too. The bag's on pre-order for next month though so I'll have to wait a bit. Not too sure on how I'll end up changing the ribbon color still...

[Anonymous No.10782671]

>>10782323
I do; or have the dupes in protective coverings so I can display them as well.

[Anonymous No.10782736]

>>10782399
I really like this, good work

[Anonymous No.10783369]

oh hi proseka enjoyers!

>>10776903
maybe a black bag? it's versatile enough to accommodate everyone's image color, as well as that of the merch itself.

even if the base itself is a little basic, you could use the insert, a rosette, a passcase, etc. for additional visual interest. if it's a bag with ribbons on the side, you could replace them with a different color, like purple or white (latter could be tied unevenly to represent 25ji miku's ribbons).

like other anon said (or at least implied), it does depend on your merch, though. good luck with the bag!

>>10782219
>>10782399
the layouts for both your bags look really good! i especially like the ship bag, and am working on two myself.

i do like the idea of a purple insert for the tsukasa bag, especially a lilac/lavender color or something similarly pastel-ish.

for the ship bag, have you considered layering multiple ribbons? picrel is a poorly-done drawing of what i mean. it might be hard to lace them if the bag material is as stiff as it looks (though i can't tell how the ribbons are laced based on the mockup), but it might be cute and would definitely fit the playful aesthetic of the unit.

good luck to you as well, i'm looking forward to any future updates!

[Anonymous No.10783553]

Reworked my Wangxian itabag a bit to include new merch I recently got! I also got a new (light blue) totebag to alternatively display more of my Wangxian merch or a new Xichen insert, since I have a ton more merch that sits in boxes for now

[Anonymous No.10783563]

Attended Anime Expo for the first time and bought so many pins and keychains. I'm wary about putting it on my backpack and thinking about getting these clear itabags instead. Can anyone recommend one for a guy that doesn't look too girly?

[Anonymous No.10784246]

>>10783563
I like bluerobotto's choices for bags and have used pic rel for my husbando since he's pretty masculine and it's a hard balance; they're pretty NB in terms of theming/colors so it's just down to picking a style you like. There's like 3 or 4 styles of bag they have on their site, iirc. Good luck, have fun.

[Anonymous No.10784462]

do you guys have any recs for badge and acrylic protectors? feels like every link I had bookmarked for them is dead

[Anonymous No.10784474]

Incoming twitter dump. Lots of repeating bags, they seem to be trending at the minute.

[Anonymous No.10784476]

>>10784474

[Anonymous No.10784477]

>>10784476

[Anonymous No.10784478]

>>10784477

[Anonymous No.10784482]

>>10784478

[Anonymous No.10784483]

>>10784482

[Anonymous No.10784484]

>>10784483

[Anonymous No.10784486]

>>10784484

[Anonymous No.10784488]

>>10784486

[Anonymous No.10784498]

>>10784488
Last image

Semi-related, does anyone have any Ichimatsu inspo from the Osomatsu itabag boom around 2016/17? I lost all my saves recently rip

[Anonymous No.10784685]

>>10783369
Oh that's a super cute idea! Here's what the side of the bag looks like. I'd love to try this out, but I'm afraid that my skills as a beginner won't be up to the task wwww I'll give it a shot though!

>>10784462
I got my badge ones from zakka. You'll need a proxy though. I used blackship and paid for it myself.
https://www.zakka-mart.com/?pid=148363378

>>10783563
The bag that I'm using is pretty gender neutral in my opinion. They ship overseas too, so you don't need a proxy.
https://rearareofficial.stores.jp/items/6196084b30344b24d185d438

>>10784498
I was actually on this twitter the other day thanks to an Osomatsu related nostalgia trip with my friend. There's a lot of 2018 bags on here.
https://twitter.com/itaba_bot

[Anonymous No.10784789]

>>10784483
>>10784484
Cute senseis

[Anonymous No.10785034]

>>10782323
No dupes so far, but I have put the character shrine high enough that my cat can;t get to it so hopefully she doesn't get up there. Maybe I should get some dupes, just in case...
>>10782336
I have a few pins and magnets that I don't really have a way of displaying either, maybe this will be the time I finally do an bag lol

[Anonymous No.10785044]

>>10782321
It's called plastic canvas fyi! It's usually in the cross stitch or embroidery section.

[Anonymous No.10785092]

>>10784498
I loooove this spread. This is my favorite kind of itabag layout.

[Anonymous No.10785888]

Does anyone know what base bag this is? Thanks.

[Anonymous No.10786265]

>>10784685
ty anon for the twitter!! much appreciated

[Anonymous No.10786266]

>>10768701
Personal opinion, try to not get ultra butthurt about it. Repeating badges is peak bad taste. Solution get one of these machines that make badges so you won't get jewed and you can also get that one badge you so much wanted. You'll just need the proper paper and ink finish, experiment or ask a designer, they should know.

[Anonymous No.10786269]

>>10785092
Mine too, repeat bags are pretty satisfying but eclectic bags are so much more visually interesting. That being said, they are way harder to make look nice imo

[Anonymous No.10786319]

>>10786269
I feel like it's more true to the name too. Makes you go, "Ouch my eyes, there's a lot going on there!" The challenge also is part of why I admire them more than a repeat bag. It's definitely more impressive and requires more collection.

[Anonymous No.10786344]

>>10786266
If you don't want people to get "butthurt", you need to stop having less retarded opinions. The entire point of an itabag is to show your love for something, repeat bags that use rare or hard to use merch are meant for bragging. If you think you can just print 20x of a badge and it will be the same, find another hobby.

[Anonymous No.10786346]

>>10786266
honestly i don't like repeating badge bags either

[Anonymous No.10786353]

>>10786266
i think they look a little boring but at the same time i don’t really care, i can appreciate their “clean” look as someone who loves chaotic bags

also bootlegging the merchant defeats the purpose doesn’t it

[Anonymous No.10786354]

>>10786266
I dislike repeating bags as well but bootlegging the merch is retarded and undermines the entire premise of this hobby.

[Anonymous No.10786445]

>>10786344
Like this anon said, the point of the bag is to show your love, it doesn't matter how you do it. Repeating bag, a bag with a single keychain, or a chaotic mess, it doesn't matter really. I think as long as someone puts effort into making it special it's still a worthy bag. I do think some bags are... a bit ugly, but it doesn't affect me at all. As long as the bag maker is happy with it who cares.

[Anonymous No.10786473]

Need some input because I'm indecisive.

Doing a Speedwagon bag and he has very little merch, so I'm working with what I got. Btw this isn't the layout I'm necessarily going with, I'm just playing around.

Got these two fabrics I was thinking about using, one harlequin like his manga depictions and this sepia old school city map.

Also considering using the bookmarks on the ends and laminating them or finding a maybe a toploader? Above the badges are these old timey metal industry signs I thought would bring back the theme of late 1800s, cheesy or naw?

I crochet, so if I don't use the bookmarks, guess I could just make some giant rosettes to fill up the space.

Literally any ideas are welcome because I'm so close to just selling this bag and getting a smaller one lol

[Anonymous No.10786531]

>>10786473
>Doing a Speedwagon bag
Based. Also, personally I love the top one. The colors, fabric, extra items, and merch looks great. If anything you could swap the bookmarks for the color version, but I think it looks really nice altogether.

[Anonymous No.10786541]

>>10786473
I like the top one a lot! The badges may be a little cheesy but I think they really work for his character and fill up the space well. Honestly, the pattern of the fabric actually gives the illusion that it's fuller than it is too. Overall the symmetry brings it all together.

[Anonymous No.10786610]

>>10786473
You could arrange the merch to fill up the space like so and hang the extra straps on the outside (you can even put them in protective covers and decorate the covers). I think the industry signs are a nice touch!

[Anonymous No.10787613]

Do most people use buttons and acrylic pins or do more people spring for enamel pins?

[Anonymous No.10787629]

>>10787613
buttons and acrylic pins. They tend to have more detail and vibrant colors than enamel pins. Plus enamel pins can be more expensive, especially if they're more detailed.

[Anonymous No.10788066]

Bump

>>10776731

Do you have name of pic bag?

[Anonymous No.10788414]

>>10787613
The only people who use solely enamel pins are disney collectors.

[Anonymous No.10788439]

any anons have bag insp for acrylic stands and any protectors for them?

[Anonymous No.10788600]

So I have a whole bunch of plastic bags with my bias's face or related designs from fan events etc., the cheap thin grocery bag type. Have any of you done crafts with bags like that? I'd hate to throw them away when I could somehow incorporate them into my itabags. Maybe a rosette or something? All google brings up for crafts involving plastic bags are the type where you can't see the image on the bag in the finished product.

[Anonymous No.10788647]

>>10782211
i'm this anon, how do i cope with fanmerch? will my bag be seen as lesser just because my special-est boy doesn't really have official ita-bagable merch?

[Anonymous No.10788648]

>>10788647
Fanmerch/bootlegs as a whole isn't seen too fondly in this hobby, the sole exception being if there is no official merch.

[Anonymous No.10788649]

>>10788648
should i just not bother due to the lack of official merch?

[Anonymous No.10788653]

>>10788649
No, if you're genuinely passionate then go for it; the only times people care are when there's a plethora of official stuff and you're just being cheap.

[Anonymous No.10788698]

>>10788649
Be honest wit yourself: does the fanmerch look GOOD? A fanmerch bag will be judged accordingly, but it's fine if your bag is good and it conveys "there's no official merch", if it looks shitty it gives the impression of being cheap.

[Anonymous No.10789093]

Two questions:
-Will enamel pins get scratched up if they're too close to each other? I'm assuming yes, but trying to space them out so they don't rub each other is a bit limiting.
-So I see in the FAQ that safety pins are an option for keychains. What are some other good solutions here? Besides zippers, anyway, I've already used all of those.

[Anonymous No.10791573]

>>10789093
I have seen some people legit sew keychains in?

personally I'm a lazy bitch and I just hook my keychains onto my badges/pins. can't really recommend it too much since it makes it a bit messy in most cases

>>10788647

if you can use actual good fan merch then go for it, if it's a series without official merch then it's alright.

for example I have a Love Live bag that's entirely official merch, but for a series where they only released one pin set and one keychain set, I use the official pins+keychains alongside merch I bought directly from doujin circles

[Anonymous No.10791610]

>>10791573
If I make a base board I will sew them in otherwise yeah they’re getting clipped to the badges.

I rarely use keychains anymore though because I’m afraid they will scratch

[Anonymous No.10792033]

>>10788414
Eh, I see people frequently gushing over Sailor Moon pins.

[Anonymous No.10792212]

>>10791573
>>10791610
Sewing, huh? That's a clever idea, but my fine dexterity ain't what it used to be, so I think I'll go pick up some safety pins.

[Anonymous No.10792213]

how long does it take you all to make a bag start to finish? how many do you have?

[Anonymous No.10792318]

>>10792213
By how long does it take do you mean how long does it take to gather keychains, parts and merch or how long does it take for you to assemble your bag?

[Anonymous No.10792319]

Anons, what are your methods for finding fan merch of shows/series that have strict DMCA's by the creators? I personally like fan-merch and am not looking for any more official merch atm. I just want some more keychains, but several different shows I want to collect for are impossible to shop for. Any remaining merch left is butt fucking ugly.

[Anonymous No.10792473]

>>10782002
Anon I love this so much, you’re giving me the strength to do the same but with laito kek.

[Anonymous No.10793062]

Repeat bags are super fucking boring & uncreative. They seem like a total waste of money & all tend to look the same. Fanmerch is vital to an ita bag to add uniqueness to it. I am objectively correct.

[Anonymous No.10793245]

>>10793062
tea

[Anonymous No.10793454]

>>10793062
i think depending on the "theme" it can work really well kinda? like if you're making a birthday bag for your oshi and are using birthday only merch or whatever. they can come off as lazy easily though

[Anonymous No.10793462]

>>10793062
t. westerner that didn't know what itabags were until 2021

[Anonymous No.10793473]

>>10793062
Not grasping the point of an ita bag:

1.) Dedication to a character by
2.) Purchasing as many of the most rare/expensive versions of your character to
3.) Flex said dedication on others who recognize the specific repeat (if the repeat is made of said most rare/expensive merch).

Want to be unique? Cool, have fun trying to balance 30 different art styles with clashing color themes in one bag vs. supporting the artists that created your fave character by buying official merch that is relatively cohesive.

[Anonymous No.10793534]

>>10793462
>>10793473
I wouldn't go so far as to say that fanmerch is "vital" like OP says but just because repeat bags have been done since the beginning of itabag time and just because it has all the benefits listed doesn't mean it's still not boring and uncreative 99% of the time, especially if it repeats the exact same badge (vs repeats of different merch). If you want to flex a repeat bag of expensive merch, cool, but just own the fact that it looks boring as hell unless you put the effort to decorate it with rosettes etc.

[Anonymous No.10793566]

>>10793473
buying merch secondhand doesnt directly support any creator, just the person who owned it previously. buying official merch doesnt necessarily directly support the artists either, it mostly supports the company that owns the character. the artist has already been paid. buying fanmerch directly supports a character. if youre making a bag with fanmerch, you can very easily hunt down styles that work well together, especially if the character is popular. i find that fanmerch tends to capture the characters better, too. official merch is meant to be marketable, so they don't tend to be as expressive as fanmerch. Official merch waters the characters personalities down a lot.

[Anonymous No.10793809]

i hate this bitch so much, i'm 12 again
next bag project incoming

[Anonymous No.10793874]

>>10793566
> i find that fanmerch tends to capture the characters better, too.
ntayrt, but THIS. Most official merch is just screencaps from the show with fancy backgrounds. And while that works for some merch, I want to capture the feeling of my character's personality in the merch I buy. Fanartists will really push the envelope with creativity not only in the drawings but the way merch is designed too.

[Anonymous No.10794167]

>>10793473
Do fanmerch collectors really dilute the community that much? A shrine is a shrine but even if it's not a "sacred enough" shrine by your standards, it still creates engagement in this hobby. Sure, exclude people making mismatched general pin bags, but why gatekeep people making visually the same things you are, but different sourcing? Critique the quality and color scheme, but if those are fine it shouldn't matter if it's by a fan artist.

Next you're going to say that it's disgraceful to buy doujins

[Anonymous No.10794178]

Serious question. Does anyone make a real leather ita bag? I fucking hate polyurethane and vinyl. Or do I need to make it myself? If I made it myself, I'd honestly replace the vinyl with a thin sheet of polycarbonate or acrylic since it's chemically stable (unlike vinyl)

[Anonymous No.10794200]

>>10794167
NTAYRT, it's such useless elitism and makes the characters you can do so limited. especially if your characters aren't like idol/gacha characters that typically get a lot of badges/pins/etc. sometimes fanmerch is the only way
you can also still make a bag "expensive" because sometimes fanmerch is more expensive than official stuff.
t. likes and buys both fan and official merch
people think about it way too much

[Anonymous No.10794238]

>>10794167
>Do fanmerch collectors really dilute the community that much?
It greatly depends on the media you're a fan of, my faves' merchandise rights are directly owned by their creators and what is bought has a noticeable effect on what kind of merch gets makes next. You can bet I'd be judging anyone with a fanmade bag because they're either too cheap or too lazy to buy the official merch.

[Anonymous No.10794240]

dummy dum question how do you put a picture in the center of a bag? can you use a clear file?

[Anonymous No.10794262]

I know the Google doc says people typically use foam for their insert, but is Foam Board a good solution bc it's more rigid? Am working on my Tokyo MewMew bag and am considering something that doesn't move for my insert. Advice appreciated, while this isn't my first bag, it's gonna be my first /effort/ bag that doesn't suck I hope rofl

[Anonymous No.10794269]

>>10794240
Not sure what you mean, do you just need to stick it to the bag or something? You can use anything that will stick and won't damage the picture (like glue dots if it's plastic, if it's paper like a shikishi you'll need to put it in a protective cover first)

>>10794262
I would say no. The thickness will make it hard to pin through and if someone accidentally presses on it the wrong way it'll snap. If you find that foam isn't thick enough, just insert another piece behind it. Another alternative I would recommend is small grid plastic mesh covered in fabric (it's also a good idea to cover the foam in fabric so it looks nicer). If it's cut to the right size, it should be a snug fit and won't move.

[Anonymous No.10794313]

>>10794269
yeah, sticking it to the bag and making sure that it's not limp/bent in any way and stands up straight

[Anonymous No.10794448]

>>10794238
What show is that? If someone has a mix of official and fanmade for the sake of variety, is that good enough for you?

[Anonymous No.10794491]

>>10793062
I used to like them but now they're literally all you see on the Japanese side, it just looks so dull and boring when every bag is a repeat bag in a sanrio base.

[Anonymous No.10794504]

>>10794262
>Am working on my Tokyo MewMew bag
Hell yeah, anon.

[Anonymous No.10794505]

>>10794269
>small grid plastic mesh
It's called plastic canvas! And it's typically found in the fiber arts section of the craft store near the punch needles and cross stitching stuff.

[Anonymous No.10794577]

>>10793062
Let's be real, even the most basic repeat bags look better than 90% of the shitabags that people post here. The cohesiveness and repetition are what make them visually attractive compared to a bunch of random, unmatched merch tossed into a bag. There's a reason why repeat bags have been a thing for so long.

[Anonymous No.10794585]

>>10794269
Thanks for the advice. The plan was to cover it in fabric regardless, but the insight has been helpful. Will pick up some foam next weekend or something.

[Anonymous No.10794693]

>>10794577
This is true. I would take a simple, perhaps even boring repeat bag over a shitabag.

[Anonymous No.10794811]

>>10794504
It was originally a Pudding-only bag but it’s way easier to make it for the whole series rofl

[Anonymous No.10798455]

I've been out of the loop for a while, is there a good place to offer batches of character merch to other itabaggers?

I imported like 20 cases of a blind box to get my fav. Ended up with bunch of everyone else that's just sitting in storage now.

[Anonymous No.10798758]

>>10798455
I don't know if there's a specific place that itabaggers frequent, but Mercari, Depop, and Ebay are usually the most visited for second hand merch and items. I personally use Mercari.

[Anonymous No.10798810]

>>10785888
https://online.and-chouette.jp/shop/g/g004821101602521100/

I use this one as my workbag! I love it, I've had it for about a year now and has held up great.

[Anonymous No.10798889]

>>10794811
>the whole series

Oh.

[Anonymous No.10800095]

>>10798810
nayrt, but what color do you have? I'm interested in the baby blue one, but the official images make it look like three different shades of blue

[Anonymous No.10800286]

>>10800095
I have the white and blue! It's a dusty hint-of-grey baby blue, definitely not teal or purple like some of the photos. I think the white background makes makes it look a little washed out. Pic related looks most accurate to me

[Anonymous No.10800355]

>>10800286
Thank you so much! I was hoping that would be the most accurate one

[Anonymous No.10801633]

>one of my merch hauls got delivered to the wrong address, post office couldn't find it and kept insisting it was delivered properly
>lost motivation for my itabag
>eventually stopped caring about the character, don't have another one that resonates with me enough to devote a bag to
>base bag has lived under my bed ever since

[Anonymous No.10802372]

Does anyone have any suggestions for some small crossbody ita bags that can fit at least two small plushes? What's the best way to attach keychains within an ita bag?
>>10794577
What bag is this?

[Anonymous No.10802407]

>>10794238
Cringe. Must be nice having a fave with official merch.

[Anonymous No.10806471]

>>10770883
this bag is cute as fuck

[Anonymous No.10807809]

Super cute idea for dressing up merch https://twitter.com/deniNoir/status/1571119910838992898

[Anonymous No.10808497]

Does anyone here own this particular Wego bag?
From the pictures available it doesn't look like the window has a lot of depth, which is fine for the merch I'm using, but I'm also decorating with fake flowers because of my waifu's theme. So I need to know if small and medium sized flowers would fit in this bag, or would they be too bulky for it?
I want to avoid stretching out the vinyl window.

[Anonymous No.10810527]

>>10808497
I have it in black and use small fake flowers, it fit perfectly and didn't stretch the vinyl, so unless you use HUGE fake flowers you should be good.

[Anonymous No.10810726]

Waiting for this bag in Miku colors to arrive and use it as my everyday bag. I always wanted an ita bag but never had an excuse to have one (thank you backpack for breaking, you did a good job).
I only have a plushie and a pin, so the small window is perfect. If there is ever a con in my small ass city, I will probably just buy to do a repeat bag.

[Anonymous No.10810762]

>>10810726
Anon I have this exact same bag and I have to warn you: that pocket with the window is rather shallow and you'll likely only be able to fit in the pin.

[Anonymous No.10810786]

>>10810726
a plushie isn't going to fit in there. this isn't even an ita bag...a window on a bag doesn't make it an ita bag...

[Anonymous No.10810863]

Visitor from /co/ here I don't know a lot about the fashion. Just wanted to know if this could be called an itai hoodie? Aliexpress says yes, but.. their keywords are fucked up most of the time, and Google insists I could only mean "Italy hoodies"

[Anonymous No.10811195]

[Anonymous No.10811237]

>>10811195
Vore

[Anonymous No.10811240]

>>10810863
No, it's a more sfw variation on the ahegao hoodie. There really isn't a keyword for it.

[Anonymous No.10812782]

Finally got a start on my first itabag. I have some more rubber keychains and buttons on the way. Pretty happy with the fabric I found for the insert!

[Anonymous No.10813421]

>>10794491
Is there a way to buy buttons in bulk or do those people collect them from gacha bags?

[Anonymous No.10813425]

>>10813421
1) buy second hand from stores, they might have a bunch of repeats.
2) trade with other people.