Custom bags named Fad of 2008 by New York Times

'Twas a week of year-end lists, and the New York Times showed up in full form, presenting their graphical representation of the last decade. A newly released chart highlights the Fad of 2008: custom bags. Along with Moms on Facebook, Foreclosures, and Obama, custom bags were one of the most memorable icons of 2008. Perhaps we needed a recession to make us thrifty -- not only with money but with natural resources. With good designs and snarky logos, manufacturers made it cool to shop with reusable custom bags.

Hopefully, two years later, this fad hasn't expired. From what I can see all signs point to thrift becoming a lasting trend, and to yet more innovation in how we preserve our resources.