Backpack Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product Type (Travel, Hiking/Camping, and Others), By Material (Nylon, Polyester, and Others), By Distribution Channel (Online Channel and Offline Channel), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

The global backpack market size was valued at USD 18.66 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 20.30 billion in 2025 to USD 37.45 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.14% during the forecast period. North America dominated the backpack market with a market share of 35.16% in 2024. Moreover, the backpack market size in the U.S. will reach an estimated value of USD 10.25 billion by 2032, driven by the increasing spending on glamping and camping gear to favor market size growth.

Backpacks have a frameless structure and are made from nylon, polyester, and others. The purpose is to make it convenient for individuals to carry luggage. The manufacturing of these products is based on different activities as individuals carry out long-duration travel, daily traveling, and hiking/camping. The fundamental design and innovations, such as waist straps, hip belts, and others, provide convenience and comfort to each individual.

Today’s designs are more technological and have multiple compartments with innovations that allow electronics, clothing, and food to carry together. Moreover, due to rapid urbanization and accessible commute infrastructure, individuals are commuting from various cities, states, and nations for different reasons such as jobs, education, and others.

COVID-19 IMPACT

Significant Decline in Product Demand During COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments across the globe to adopt various measures to contain the spread of the virus such as closing borders, closure of non-essential businesses, and other measures to adhere to social distancing. These restrictions and regulations caused work, sports, travel, and tourism to halt, further affecting the market growth as consumers’ demand for the bags declined. According to the Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L annual report, in the first quarter of 2020, the net sales declined by 26.1% YOY. The decline further increased in the second quarter of 2020 and reached 77.9%.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), COVID-19 resulted in 65% decline in tourist arrivals globally. This decline negatively impacted the industry due to shift in consumer demand for travel products. Also, due to lockdowns, offline distribution channels, such as hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialty stores, and others, were closed, which declined the overall financial performance of the market.   

According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), around 168 million children globally saw their schools closed for almost a year due to the pandemic. The shutdown of schools severely impacted the sales of school bags.

LATEST TRENDS

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Increasing Technological Development in Product Design to Drive the Market Growth

The rapidly changing trends and technological developments around the globe are evolving the demand of individuals of all ages. Modern bags and luggage products are designed based on consumer requirements. Designs are now multipurpose and are integrated to focus on popular fashion trends, appearance, and consumer needs.

The increased availability of work-from-home jobs has fueled the staycation trend among working professionals. This has further supported market growth as individuals need to carry electronics, documents, and accessories.

Growing innovations have led to the development of smart bags. They include interior lights, wireless chargers/power banks, real-time tracking tools, rear cameras, lost item reminders, remote theft and opening alarms, Wi-Fi, solar charging, Bluetooth speakers, NFC tags, and more advanced features.

• In November 2021, Targus, a computer accessories company, launched Cypress EcoSmart backpack, a product made from recycled bottles.

DRIVING FACTORS

Market Value to Rise Due to Growing Prevalence of Camping and Other Recreational Activities

Camping and other recreational activities have been a significant driver for the backpack market growth. Camping is one of the most preferred options when planning a trip outdoors. It has also been proven to provide multiple health benefits and improve an individual's physical and mental health. According to the KOA North America Camping Report 2022, 7 in 10 households, 93.8 million, identify as occasional campers. Also, according to the KOA North America camping report 2022, in 2021, 57 million families took at least one camping trip. A rise of 87.13% compared to 2020, where the urban population is the most frequent campers.

Post-2019, the camping behavior has changed due to a change in work structure. According to the KOA North America camping report, the percentage of campers working while camping has risen to 46% from 36%, of which 57% are millennials. The growing rate of individuals working while camping has been driving the need for better products to carry a variety of luggage with them.

The rise in innovation in camping/trekking rucksacks in terms of designs, material quality, and others attracts many individuals, which will further result in increasing the global market share. Furthermore, the easy availability of online and offline platforms such as specialty stores, hypermarkets & supermarkets, and others will further fuel the market growth. In addition, the increase in social media advertising on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and others has increased the consumer base in a short time and with efficient cost.

Industry Expansion Fueled Owing to Growing Adoption of Mobile Lifestyle

The rise in mobile lifestyle of individuals has brought more importance to advanced technical features in the product. The rise in traveling for jobs, schools, and recreational activities is due to the rapid growth of urbanization. Thus, various designs and advancements have provided higher convenience while traveling. The growing mobile lifestyle is due to the rise in disposable income of individuals in urban areas and advancements in infrastructure. The dependency on technology and the need to travel due to jobs or education has made individuals carry bags daily. The inclination toward consumer-centric product development is rising, for example, smart backpacks are being launched by manufacturers such as Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L. As the technical demand is on the surge, different brands, such as Boardsports and Adidas, along with new players, such as Eume, are designing products according to consumer demand.

The manufacturing of more functional backpacks is due to rising consumer awareness about the fabrics and materials used. In addition, the storage capacity is impacting buying decisions of consumers. According to Board Sports Source, individuals' demand is inclined toward having more stash room to carry multiple gadgets and other equipment. In May 2021, Stash+Stow launched the Weekender Backpack, which is crafted from faux leather for vegan-friendly customers. The design is gender-neutral and aesthetic. It includes plenty of room for all essential equipment and has USB charging ports with a power bank.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Market Growth to be Hampered by Rising Number of Counterfeit Products

Counterfeit products are manufactured with cheaper materials and sold illegally under well-reputed market players' names without authorization. Counterfeiting exclusive brands generally occurs in developing countries where individuals are more price-conscious. This factor restricts the sale of original products of brands in the economy. Furthermore, counterfeit brands are of poor quality and often lead to inconvenience, safety issues, and negative customer perception. In addition, the e-commerce channel is the primary platform where counterfeiting of brands is mainly done.

• According to the Trends in Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods report issued by OECD in 2019, the European Union alone represented 6.8% of imports of counterfeit products from non-EU countries.

• In December 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Los Angeles seized over USD 30 million worth of counterfeit designer bags, handbags, tote bags, cross-body bags, shoulder bags, and other branded goods.

SEGMENTATION

By Product Type Analysis

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Travel Segment to Record Substantial Growth due to Technological Development and Consumer-centric Designs

Based on product type, the market is divided into travel, hiking/camping, and others. Travel segment has a leading market share as the design of travel backpacks consists of several compartments and pockets to provide convenience to store different equipment such as electronic gadgets, passports, water bottles, and others. The rise in innovation in camping/trekking rucksacks in terms of designs, material quality, and others attracts many individuals and also makes the market competitive, which will further drive market growth. The availability of smart backpacks, recreation bags, and more consumer-centric designs has made it easy to organize luggage while traveling.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, pre-pandemic Travel and Tourism accounted for 10.3% of the global GDP, which is USD 9,600 billion. International visitor spending accounted for USD 1,800 billion in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, owing to restrictions, the sector saw a decline of 50.4%. The industry saw a recovery growth rate of 21.7% in 2021. However, as the restrictions started to ease in 2021, spending on travel & tourism goods increased worldwide, further driving the growth of the travel segment.

The staycation or workstation trend saw a rise in 2021 due to international travel restrictions, and most of the workforce was working from home. The normalization of remote work made individuals build workstations at travel destinations. Due to this, carrying various equipment, especially electronics, became necessary to fuel the need. According to a travel company Booking.com survey, in June 2021, 68% of Indian travelers already booked their workstations for the year.

By Material Analysis

Nylon Material Segment to Gain Traction due to Increase in Demand for Waterproof, Lightweight, and Durable Products

By material, the market is divided into nylon, polyester, and others. The nylon segment dominates the global market and is expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. The whole family of synthetic polymers, described as nylon, can be melted down into various fibers. Nylon is a waterproof material and is one of the most durable materials, which can withstand rugged terrains without any damage. Nylon has a highly adaptive material and thus can be made into fibers, films, and more. This extraordinarily adaptive and versatile quality of nylon makes it a widely used material among manufacturers such as Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L, Under Armor, and Adidas.

Furthermore, consumer behavior is inclined toward having a sturdier, anti-theft storage room, and waterproof bags for which ripston nylon is used to manufacture. Ripston nylon is highly resistant to tarring, ripping, and unraveling. The backpacks made up of nylon are lightweight, owing to which their use among travelers and trekkers has increased significantly. The popularity of nylon backpacks is rising due to changing individual lifestyles, working patterns, traveling patterns, and growing recreational activities.

By Distribution Channel Analysis

Offline Channel Segment Leads the Market due to Wide Availability of Products and Offers

By distribution channel, the market is divided into online channel and offline channel. The offline channel segment has the highest market share. Offline channels comprise hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialty stores, and others. Hypermarkets/supermarkets typically cover a large area and offer a wide range of brands under one roof. In addition, they are primarily located near residential areas for convenience and easy accessibility. Offline stores sell various bags such as work bags, sports, travel, hiking/ trekking, school, and casual backpacks from manufacturers. These products are arranged on shelves by category and have placards showing product details and prices.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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The market is studied across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America has the highest backpack market share. There is a higher rate of domestic or international travel by individuals in North America due to work requirements, educational requirements, or casual trips. The higher disposable income of individuals and the presence of top infrastructure facilities for travel & tourism, schools, and universities in the U.S. and Canada make travel convenient, further fueling the market growth.

• According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2021 fall, around 49.5 million students were enrolled in public schools in prekindergarten compared to 49.4 million students in 2020. In addition, 19.4 million students attended post-secondary institutes in the fall of 2020.

• According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2021, the North America travel & tourism industry contributed USD 1,781 billion. North America has the world’s most significant travel & tourism sectors, recovering 22% post-pandemic.


• According to the Travel Goods Association (TGA), in 2021, U.S. travel goods sales reached USD 32.7 billion compared to USD 19.1 billion in 2020.

The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period due to rising popularity of solo trips and road trips in developing countries such as India and China. Rising innovation coupled with increased consumer preferences for designable and smart backpack products will further drive the market growth. In addition, individuals in the Asia Pacific region tend to spend more on designer and branded products, which is a sign of high standards for them. Hence, the easy availability of various backpacks on online and offline platforms drives the market in Asia Pacific.

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In Europe, the demand for backpack products is significantly rising owing to the rising demand for eco-friendly and sustainable backpacks amongst European consumers. The continuous development of retail infrastructure in European countries for greater customer footfall drives the market growth in the forecast period.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Players Strongly Focus on Product Innovation and New Product Launches to Strengthen Market Growth

The market players focus on manufacturing products tailored to different regions and consumer bases. In addition, they are launching new sustainable products to have an edge in the market and have more consumer attention. For instance, in February 2020, PUMA SE established a partnership with First Mile to launch a backpack and sportswear collection from recycled plastic. This new launch and extensive product portfolio will enable key players to respond to new market trends, gain a competitive advantage, and enter new markets. Product differentiation will be a key factor driving product sales and influencing market dynamics throughout the forecast period. There have been many developments in recent years, especially in sustainable bags.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Adidas AG (Germany)


• Under Armor Inc. (U.S.)


• Patagonia Inc. (U.S.)


• Puma SE (Germany)


• Wildcraft (India)


• Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L (Hong Kong)


• Dakine Inc. (U.S.)


• Deuter Sport GmbH (Germany)


• Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) (France)


• Safari (India)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• January 2023 – BTS and Samsonite together launched a series of travel accessories, which consists of a backpack, luggage, mini crossbody bag, expandable bag, pouch bag, and three-piece luggage tag set.


• March 2022 - Warrior launched a backpack designed according to the new digital lifestyle of individuals, which has features such as multiple compartments, a security pocket, TSA-approved lock, and others.


• November 2020 - Patagonia Inc. announced its new Black Hole series Backpack, made up of 100% recycled material. In addition, this launch will help reduce the amount of waste and carbon emissions from the company’s production. Furthermore, bags and backpacks are each made with a technique called “solution dyeing”. This technology uses less water in the dyeing process and increases durability and resistance.


• October 2020 - Google and Samsonite IP Holdings S.AR.L. collaborated to launch Konnect-I, a smart backpack integrated with Jacquard System by Google. The touch sensitivity allows an individual to customize functions based on gestures. This would build competition in the market to develop more technologically advanced products to provide convenience and comfort.


• February 2020 - Deuter Sport GmbH launched its first product series made from recycled material. The product was made from fabrics that are 100% recycled and has attractive designs that started becoming an eye-catcher amongst individuals. This launch was anticipated to increase the company's customer base, which will further positively drive the market.

REPORT COVERAGE

The research report analyzes the market in-depth and highlights crucial aspects such as prominent companies, competitive landscape, product types, categories, and distribution channels. Besides this, the reports provide insights into the market trends and highlights significant industry developments. In addition to the aspects mentioned earlier, the report encompasses several factors contributing to the market growth.

REPORT SCOPE & SEGMENTATION