I use fusible fleece inside my totes and it adds a lot of body, I also use it on the lining to and it makes a very sturdy bag. I have used a lot of WalMart Fabrics in making totes and so far have no complaints with this method. I cut the body and lining of the tote, iron on the fusible fleece and then quilt both pieces before assembling the tote.
Hope this helps.