Bringing Fandom to Luggage

Bioworld is offering a new, fun, and helpful way to demonstrate fandom with its luggage products.

Bioworld Merchandising's luggage line offers customers a fun way to show off their fandom that goes beyond more classic items like T-shirts or Funko Pops.

The merchandise Bioworld offers covers a wide range of properties, from Marvel and DC to Disney and Pokemon, and much more. In addition to luggage, Bioworld also sells more typical merchandise like socks, hats, and pajama pants.

Speaking with The Direct's Russ Milheim and Gillian Blum, Bioworld Vice President of Licensing Beth Bowman Taylor shared what makes the company's fandom-inspired luggage line unique.

Bioworld, Taylor said, "focus[es] on the characters and the quality" in any of its products, demonstrating the company's commitment to both "fandom" and "premium" merchandise:

"Bioworld is all about fandom and bringing premium product to all their fans, so we really take that in care when we're creating the luggage here. So we focus on the characters and the quality of the product to bring the best to them."

Some such fandoms include Spider-Man, Batman, Mickey and Friends, Cars, Sonic, Star Wars, Minecraft, and more. Taylor gave a special shout out to Hello Kitty, saying her "daughter enjoys that" and that "it's really great being able to share that with her:"

"Well, personally, I do enjoy Hello Kitty. It's just so adorable. And it's really my daughter enjoys that as well. So it's really great being able to share that with her."

Taylor said that not every piece of luggage is fandom-themed, though, with "classic pieces" that have "more of a sophisticated look" as well:

"They are more of a sophisticated look going after a different consumer. ... Bioworld has you covered — everything from your fandom to your classic pieces as well."

As for the products themselves, there are different types of suitcases, duffels, and backpacks, but also the likes of packing cubes and and jewelry cases, as Taylor shared.

Taylor talked about the range of luggage — both in terms of the products' different styles, represented fandoms, and designs. Some of Bioworld's fandom luggage is a bit more stealthy in its portrayal of its fandom ties, "for someone who doesn't want to carry around the large billboard of who their favorite character is."

This is accomplished with things like a product having a subtle exterior, but a "fun print" on the inside, or incorporating "just a touch of fandom" into "smaller items" and other designs:

"We do have some properties here, or some styles here that, you know, it might be a molded, subtle case, but on the inside, we really have that fun print for you. As well as, on the other side of me is all of our travel accessories. You know, for someone who doesn't want to carry around the large billboard of who their favorite fan or character is, we have the smaller items. So you can do that, you can have your packing cubes, your neck pillows, with just a touch of fandom there."

Taylor also offered some insight into some very kid-friendly elements of the company's luggage, such as "ride ons," which are suitcases that kids "can either scoot on" or be "pull[ed]" on by a parent..

Taylor explained that these child-friendly options "give the kid a sense of independence," and that parents "don't have to, like, monitor and carry their [kids'] bags as well:"

"We do have, like the little youth, like ride ons here, which are really great to give the kid a sense of independence. So, as you're going through the airport, they can either scoot on their little, like, luggage scooter, and then you don't have to, like, monitor and carry their bags as well, because it's already in the product. And then when they do tire, you can just, like, easily pull them on it as well. So it gives them a little sense of independence, and they get to carry their own stuff."

Ultimately, Taylor said, Bioworld is "really excited" to be part of this market, and to be part of events like New York Comic Con. Taylor "hope[s] to continue to get out the word" about what the brand offers "and the quality that we stand for here:"

"This is our first time in the showroom for New York Comic Con. So we're really excited to be really launching in the travel category here and showcasing our product to everyone, and just hope to continue to get out the word of, like, all of the great characters and IPs that we cover and the quality that we stand for here."