Good idea about donating regular backpacks and etc to shelters. Will do that.
The clear/mesh backpacks are required now at some schools in some school systems for security reasons including the fact that schools are trying to get away from having 'colors' on anything that might be assumed to be gang colors!
The clear backpacks don't last as long as traditional but the mesh ones apparently are quite sturdy.
Some of us will be donating money to a civic group that buys school supplies in large quantities to fill the backpacks.