it's just a laundry basket

This weekend was Laundry Weekend for me - I did about 6 loads (sheets and towels too, I don't have that many clothes). On one of the many elevator trips down to the basement, a woman also on her way to tend to her laundry remarked on how cool and wonderful my laundry basket is. This has happened several times and it's really getting weird.

My laundry basket is basically the same one owned by thousands of college students across the country. It's mesh cloth and collapsible with a pocket on the side to hold dryer sheets or whatever. And so far 3 or 4 people in my building have just marvelled over it. It's... just a laundry basket people. What the hell else would you use to transport your laundry?

That being said, I have seen people use all manner of things to lug around their laundry: plastic bags, suitcases, tote bags. Is this a New York thing? Like the whole "waiting on line" phrase? Baffling.