Lost water bottles, backpacks, laptops, and other personal items are a common sight around campus, often piling up in overflowing lost-and-found bins with little chance of making their way back to their owners. Hoping to create a simpler and more private solution, junior Karissa Lu founded LuluTag, a QR-code based system designed to help students recover lost belongings quickly and securely.
The idea for LuluTag first came to Lu after noticing how difficult it was for students to relocate their missing items at school. Many belongings were left unclaimed, even when they were valuable or used daily.
“I realized that a lot of schools had lost and founds that were really overcrowded, and these items weren’t actually being returned,” Lu said. “It was really hard for students to locate their belongings, so that’s what inspired me to create LuluTag. It also helps reduce overconsumption and pollution because people don’t have to constantly replace things they lose.”
Unlike GPS trackers or Bluetooth devices, LuluTag does not rely on batteries, expensive hardware, or tracking technology. Instead, users attach a QR-code sticker to their belongings and register the item online. If the item is lost, anyone who finds it can scan the code with a smartphone and anonymously message the owner through the website.
“So, basically it’s a QR sticker that links to our website,” Lu said. “If you lose your item, someone can scan the code and send you a message about where it is.”
A major focus of the product is privacy and safety. Traditional luggage tags or labels often require users to publicly display their names, phone numbers, or addresses, something Lu wanted to avoid when creating LuluTag
“Privacy is really important because with current products you usually have to put your name or phone number on your belongings,” Lu said. “With LuluTag, people don’t know who the item belongs to, and the messages stay anonymous. We even have AI checking messages to make sure everything stays safe and respectful.”
Because the tags are inexpensive compared to GPS trackers, Lu believes they are more practical for everyday items students frequently misplace.
“GPS trackers can cost like $30-40 and it’s not practical to put that on a $10 water bottle,” Lu said. “We wanted something cheap and easy that students could actually use on lots of different things.”
Currently, LuluTags cost around $10 for a pack of 20 stickers. Lu said the company keeps prices low so they remain accessible for students, teachers, and families. Junior Julian Medina, one of LuluTag’s ambassadors, helps promote the product around campus and explain how it works to other students. Medina said he decided to support LuluTag because he believed it solved a real problem many students deal with every day.
“I decided to promote LuluTag because I thought it was a really good idea for helping people keep track of their belongings,” Medina said. “It’s small, simple, and really cost-effective compared to other tracking products.”
As an ambassador, Medina often demonstrates the product to classmates and explains the set-up process.
“LuluTag is basically a QR-code sticker you place on your items,” Medina said. “You register your belongings online, and if someone finds your stuff, they can communicate with you through the website. It’s actually really easy to show people because the website is pretty self-explanatory.”
Medina believes students and travelers especially benefit from the tags because they frequently carry items from place to place.
“I think students and travelers can gain a lot from it,” Medina said. “Inside schools, there are huge lost-and-found sections, and this makes it easier to communicate and return things. Travelers can also use it on luggage, water bottles, and bags.”
Students around Bowie have already started using the tags on everyday items. Junior Maddie Mahurin said she attached a LuluTag to her water bottle after losing several in the past.
“I started using it because I lose my water bottle a lot,” Mahurin said. “Usually I would just replace it instead of finding it again.”
Mahurin said the set-up process only took a few minutes and immediately gave her reassurance.
“It was really easy because it’s just a sticker,” Mahurin said. “It reassures me that if I forget my water bottle somewhere, someone can scan the QR code and help get it back to me.”
Teachers have also found practical uses for the tags beyond school supplies. Social studies teacher Matthew Parente said he placed one on his luggage while traveling because it offered more privacy than traditional luggage tags.
“I thought it was really clever because I don’t have to leave my personal information out in the open,” Parente said. “If someone finds my luggage, they can scan the QR code instead of seeing my address or phone number.”
Parente also believes the product could help improve how schools handle lost items on campus.
“I have a large lost-and-found section over here with water bottles and all kinds of stuff,” Parente said. “Most of the time we have no idea who the items belong to. With LuluTag, someone could scan the code and quickly contact the student.”
Although LuluTag is still growing, Lu hopes to expand the product into more schools and encourage more students to recognize the tags and understand how they work
“The biggest goal right now is getting more people to use them and recognize them,” Lu said. “We want students to know that if they see a LuluTag, they can scan it and help return someone’s belongings. The goal is to make recovering lost items easier instead of replacing them.”
