A golden dragon coils around a yin-yang symbol on the front of this black cotton tote bag. The bag is about 40 x 36 cm with two long handles, and the design is a large circle. Red and blue detail surrounds the dragon, with a sunburst border and stylised clouds around the edge. The yellow stands out strongly against the black and can be seen from a distance. Made in India.
What the dragon and yin-yang stand for
In Chinese tradition the dragon is a symbol of strength and good fortune, a kindly creature rather than the monster of European tales. Yin and yang stand for the two linked sides of the world, dark and light, flowing into each other. Each half of the sign carries a dot of the other's colour, and it is said that neither exists without the other.
If Eastern symbols interest you, this design shows both in one circle. In the Chinese zodiac the Dragon is one of the twelve animal signs, so it makes a special gift for someone born in a Year of the Dragon.
Room for a day's needs
It holds vegetables and bread from the market, two or three library books, or a change of clothes for the gym. The cotton is lightweight and folds into your handbag, so you won't need a plastic bag at the checkout. Its two long handles let you carry it on your shoulder. It is open at the top with no zip, so packing and unpacking are quick.
Washing and ironing
When it needs a wash, wash it cold on a gentle cycle or by hand, and keep it out of the tumble dryer. Iron the printed design inside out, so the print doesn't stick to the iron.