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Gen Z’s Top Back to School Must-Haves for 2026

From viral water bottles to tween-approved accessories, this year’s back to school shopping list looks a lot different than it did for previous gens…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Aug 19 2026
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Back to school shopping is about more than getting the usual school supplies for young consumers
This school year, students plan on stocking up on water bottles and beauty products
Tween parents are balancing practical BTS needs with the items their kids want—often inspired by older Gen Z

It’s back to school time and YPulse knows how important this time of year is to young shoppers. After all, YPulse’s Back to School Shopping data shows 79% of 13-19-year-olds and 77% of 16-39-year-old parents plan to do back to school shopping this year. But as we’ve said before, back to school shopping has come a long way from just looking for notebooks, new clothes, and a backpack. Today’s back to school shoppers are also looking for everything from new skincare products to accessories that help them start the school year feeling fresh and expressing their personal style. After all,...