EARTH-FRIENDLY EATING: Whether it’s on the conscience of students or their parents, eco-friendly lunch gear should always be in style. And it’s cheaper in the long run. Trade the traditional brown paper bag and wasteful cardboard juice boxes for something that is as remarkable as it is reuseable. Lunchskins: reusable sandwich and snack bags, starting at $7.85 at www.lunchskins.com.

Platypus collapsible 1-liter SoftBottle water bottle in tangerine, $8.95 at www.llbean.com.

Thermos vehicle-shaped lunch boxes, $9.99 each at Target store locations.

Kids Konserve nesting trio of stainless steel snack containers, $27 at www.kidskonserve.com.

Skateboard print lunch box, $7.94 at Old Navy store locations.

Gone are the days when a simple canvas Jansport or a monogrammed L.L. Bean was just enough (though we are rather nostalgic for the classics). Today’s kids have a plethora of snazzy backpacks to opt for this season. From funky to fuzzy to bejeweled (or all of the above), novelty book bags worth a second take have officially made our must-have list:

ASOS Googley eyes backpack in yellow, $25.55 (on sale) at www.asos.com.

Sprayground Eat Me backpack, $50 at www.karmaloop.com.

Gap Kids Embellished cat backpack, in leopard, $29.95 at www.gap.com.

'CONVERSATION STARTER' STATIONARY: While Lisa Frank stickers were our schoolyard currency of choice, Gen Z can stock up on a multitude of the quirky pencil box supplies that can turn everything from calculus to correspondence into an opportunity to showcase personal style. Girl Scout stationery set, $8.99 at www.modcloth.com.

Delfonics for Top Hat marking clips, $12 per pack at www.madewell.com.

The Curiosity Shop at Target stationery supplies, $5-$10 at Target stores on Sept. 9.

Watermelon and strawberry mini notebooks and ham and cheese adhesive notes, $1-$1.99 at Staples store locations.

Glam rocks scissors, stapler, notebooks, and folders, $2-$4 at Target store locations.

Streekers Wild Weekend temporary hair colors (don’t worry, mom — it washes out!), $11.95 at Ulta in Natick and Everett.

HEAD-TO-TOE HUES: Colors have been as vibrant as ever these past few seasons in fashion and this fall, so students can expect these happy hues to follow them straight to the classroom. Mini Boden slim fit corduroys in Violet and Beetroot, $30 each at www.bodenusa.com.

Tony Hawk Skinny slouch-fit jeans in biking red, $44 at Kohl’s store locations.