20 Sustainable Luggage Brands For Eco-Friendly Travels
Traveling can be an exciting and enriching activity. However, it is not always eco-friendly. If you are on the path to eco-friendly, waste-free living, there are choices you can make to reduce your impact on the planet. Aside from how we travel and the mode of transportation, we can make other simple choices. One of them is the luggage we use.
Not too long ago, eco-friendly luggage wasn’t a thing. However, many brands are now looking for ways to improve their product for more eco-friendly travel.
Whether you are going camping nearby, road-tripping within your state, or traveling across the continent, there are eco-friendly luggage brands you can shop from.
What to look out for when shopping from eco-friendly & sustainable luggage brands
Here's what you need to consider when shopping for the perfect bag from sustainable luggage brands:
Material
You don't want luggage bags that get easily damaged or soggy as you move around in transit. You want to look for durable and sustainable materials that keep your possessions safe while traveling.
This is where bags made of recycled synthetic materials can come in handy. You also want to look out for bags with a waterproof coating made of wax or polyurethane instead of PVC or PFCs, which have a negative environmental impact. Whereas others champion upcycled materials, giving the old a new lease of life.
Size
If you love to pack everything with all the extras, just in case, then you might consider a much bigger luggage bag or suitcase.
You want to consider the luggage restrictions for carry-on luggage bags allowed on the airline for air travel. This may differ from airline to airline.
Features
Next, you want to check out the features of your luggage bag. Depending on the type of trip, you can choose luggage bags with wheels, hard or soft exteriors, straps, handles, and much more.
Luggage bags with wheels may come in handy if you're traveling for city breaks or where you might find yourself mostly in urban settings. Whereas a backpack you can strap on you’ll likely find better suited for more intrepid and adventurous travel. You might also consider a backpack with wheels.
Eco-friendly practices
Of course, you want to shop from a brand that doesn't just claim to be eco-friendly but proves it with action. Besides using sustainable materials, there are other ways brands can reduce their environmental impact, from buying carbon offsets to using renewable energy, cutting carbon emissions, working with eco-friendly suppliers, and using sustainable packaging to reduce plastic waste.
You want to make sure you check out for these criteria when shopping for eco-friendly luggage bags.
NB, it is important to note that when choosing sustainable luggage, some brands we've listed below do a line of recycled or eco-friendly luggage amongst their standard offering. We've called this out accordingly where appropriate.
Related: Check out our eco-friendly travel tips for more ideas to reduce waste and travel with less environmental impact.
We've also a rundown on all you need to know about sustainable tourism and a dedicated gift guide for travel gift ideas for eco-options to pop into your sustainable luggage.
20 best eco-friendly & sustainable luggage brands
Here's our list of the most sustainable luggage brands:
1. Paravel
Product styles: Carry-on luggage, packing cubes
Sustainability: Negative nylon (from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic)
Paravel is changing the way we travel with its chic, eco-friendly, sustainable suitcases and rolling bags.
Paravel takes a deliberate approach to offset carbon emissions, from sourcing raw materials to production and delivery.
They even take it one step further to offset the carbon emissions generated by the average flight.
This New York-based brand claims to have recycled 1.5 million plastic water bottles into negative nylon.
They then use these plastic bottles for their pack cubes, tote bags, backpacks, and Aviator suitcases.
Their luggage bag comes with several features, including a durable recycled polycarbonate exterior, recycled zippers, an aircraft-grade recycled aluminum handle, an interior compression board, a removable accessories pouch, wrapped steel handles, recycled vegan leather details, and an interior lining made from post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles.
These luggage bags are high-quality and come with a five-year warranty.
Shop Paravel on Amazon or Direct
2. Patagonia
Product styles: Duffel bags, rolling suitcases
Sustainability: Certified B Corporation, fair trade, zero-wastewater discharging system, eco-friendly materials
Patagonia is famous not only for outdoor clothing but also for its Black Hole Duffel Collection. Patagonia Black Hole bags come in 100% recycled polyester ripstop and a TPU film laminate coating that makes these bags resistant to harsh weather and damage. The inner lining also comes in recycled polyester with a polyurethane coating, PVC-free and phthalate-free. They also come with reinforced haul handles.
Patagonia maintains transparency, providing customers with details of their manufacturing process and the factory where they make each product.
The brand is fair trade certified, with its partners shown to follow all fair labor laws. The brand uses recycled poly bags for its packaging but is still exploring other biodegradable and paper-based options.
Shop Patagonia Duffel on Amazon
3. Solgaard
Product styles: carry-on suitcases, backpacks
Sustainability: recycled plastic bottles, recycled aluminum, and polycarbonate
Solgaard, a New York-based brand, makes durable carry-on suitcases and sustainable luggage bags for the modern and adventurous traveler.
Their carry-ons come with an inbuilt removable closet, padded handle, and smooth-rolling wheels for easy movement.
You can also attach a power bank or charge your phone on the USB charging port on the outer case.
These cases come with a three-digit lock for extra safety, and Solgaard makes them with materials like ocean-bound plastic bottles and recycled aluminum and polycarbonate. These quality bags come with a 10-year warranty.
Solgaard aims to cut ocean plastic and claims to have taken out 12 million bottles from the ocean and rivers all over the world.
So if you are looking for modern luggage bags for safe and eco-friendly travels, Solgaard has you covered.
Shop Solgaard Classic on Amazon or Direct
4. Pakt
Product styles: Duffel bags, backpacks, tote bags
Sustainability: Plastic-free packaging, eco-friendly shipping
Founded by Malcolm Fontier, Pakt sells a range of products, from packable tote bags to packing cubes, backpacks, and more.
Their bag has a briefcase design with compartments you can zip and unzip, making it easy to fit everything you need for travel, work, or personal adventure. It has a durable, water-resistant exterior that is equally resistant to dirt. Their bags also come with a lifetime guarantee.
The brand claims to use animal-friendly technical materials with the lowest possible environmental impact. They also claim to constantly improve their supply chain for lower impact.
They ensure fair working conditions for their factory workers and educate their suppliers on sustainable business practices. Each product comes in paper packaging shipped sustainably.
5. United by Blue
Product styles: Carry-on luggage
Sustainability: certified B Corp, eco-friendly materials (like organic cotton, 100% recycled polyester, and vegetable-tanned leather), conservation program
Need a compact and bold bag for a weekend getaway? Well, look no further. No matter your travel style, United by Blue offers a range of colorful duffel bags, carry-ons, and backpacks.
These bags come in sustainable materials like 100% recycled polyester and organic cotton.
United by Blue manufactures its products in seven factories, all of which come with at least one certification.
This sustainable fashion brand is also well known for its conversation program. The company removes one pound of trash from the ocean and waterways with every item sold. Also, their bags come with a lifetime guarantee.
6. Lo & Sons
Product styles: duffels, tote bags, weekenders
Sustainability: eco-friendly and recycled materials, organic canvas
Lo & Sons is a family-run ethical fashion brand that offers one of the most sustainable travel bags.
Lo & Sons offers bags in distinct outer materials, including polyester recycled from plastic bottles, making them water-resistant and durable, organic cotton canvas, and Nappa leather (certified by the Leather Working Group).
All these types of bags come with a distinct hummingbird inner lining from 50% recycled materials.
Say hello to Lo & Sons Catalina deluxe tote for short business trips and weekend getaways. This bag is made of organic canvas and comes with plenty of pockets.
This brand also keeps it transparent by publishing its annual sustainability progress report.
7. Everlane
Product styles: Backpacks, totes
Sustainability: eco-friendly and recycled materials
Everlane has the most stylish and sustainable backpacks and totes for your overnight trips.
This brand also offers weekend duffel bags that feature a padded laptop sleeve, multiple carry straps, and two water bottle holders for weekend trips. It also comes with a rolling luggage handle for faster movement, especially if you’re in a hurry to catch a train or a flight.
Their ReNew transit collection is made from 100% recycled polyester for the outer and inner lining.
Also, they make each back bag using 36.6 renewed plastic bottles and Bluesign-approved dyes.
Everlane is transparent with its supply chain and manufacturing process. Each product description outlines the factory and country where manufacturing took place.
For every bag you order from Everlane, they donate $15 to Oceana to fund ocean cleaning.
8. Samsonite
Product styles: carry-on luggage, backpacks
Sustainability: recycled materials, cotton, energy-efficient manufacturing
Samsonite is a sustainable luggage brand and has been in the luggage industry for 100 years!
Samsonite makes everything from carry-on luggage to a complete eco-friendly luggage set, rolling luggage, duffels, totes, and much more.
They make their Eco Nu collection with 100% recycled PET fabric for durability and flexibility. It also combines this with cotton inlays, coating it with water and stain-resistant coating.
Samsonite claims to have saved up to 30 million plastic bottles from landfills.
Not only are they committed to eco-friendly practices, but they are also passionate about the well-being of their employees, striving to provide equal sustainable employment, training, and professional development.
In addition, they publish all their social, environmental, and governance reports, which you can find on their site.
Samsonite also donates backpacks to orphaned children, teachers, and homeless people in Indonesia, South Africa, and America.
Shop Samsonite on Amazon or Direct
9. Tumi
Product styles: carry-on, backpacks, wheeled suitcases, packing cases.
Sustainability: recycled materials (recycled nylon)
Founded in 1975, Tumi has created a wide selection of functional, sustainable travel bags.
Depending on your travel needs, Tumi's recycled collections come in the form of carry-on bags, full-rolling luggage, totes, and backpacks.
Tumi offers a range of fabric options, including nylon and leather. Their recycled collection especially uses post-industrial recycled nylon outer and post-consumer PET linings, zipper tape, webbing, etc.
Tumi claims to have diverted almost 100,000 plastic bottles from landfills.
They build these products to last, and each design goes through 30 performance tests.
If your luggage bag does happen to have any damages in the first 12 months, Tumi repairs it completely free. This includes shipping.
This brand also has a recovery program called the Tumi Tracer Product recovery program to use 100% renewable energy, recycled paper hang tags, and soy-based inks by 2025.
10. Parker Clay
Product styles: weekender duffels, backpacks, totes, crossbody bags
Sustainability: certified B Corp, ethical leather
Parker Clay is popular for creating stylish leather luggage and messenger bags for adventurous travelers. Their bags come from premium Ethiopian sustainable leather.
Parker Clay sources their leather from local Ethiopian farmers who care for their animals properly.
This brand also uses sulfide-free tanning practices, with most of its products using organic vegetable-based dyes.
Parker Clay makes each product in ethical factories, providing pensions, healthcare, transportation, paid time off, and more for their team of factory workers in Ethiopia.
11. Tropicfeel
Product styles: luggage bags
Sustainability: sustainable materials, Bluesign certified, and free of harmful chemicals
Tropicfeel is a sustainable brand famous for its versatile sneakers made for traveling.
They make a range of luggage bags just perfect for short trips. They come with extra packing accessories like a camera pack, tech pouch, and more.
These bags come in 70% sustainable materials with a WRAP and Bluesign certification, proving their products are chemical-free and their working conditions fair and safe.
They are also transparent with their production process and include information on factories, suppliers, and locations.
12. Solo New York
Product styles: luggage, duffel bags, laptop cases, and tablet sleeves
Sustainability: recycled plastic bottles, solar energy, sustainable packaging
Solo is a New York-based sustainable fashion brand known for making the most stylish and sustainable bags, including backpacks, laptop cases, duffel bags, totes, and luggage.
This brand is on a mission to reduce its carbon footprint in pursuit of climate-neutral production.
With its sustainable bags made of recycled plastic bottles, Solo is on a mission to recycle 40,000,000 plastic bottles from landfills by 2024.
Solo claims to use 1400 solar panels and LED lights to reduce energy consumption at its headquarters.
Their products come free of plastic packaging and only use FSC-certified recyclable and biodegradable materials both in-store and for delivery.
Solo also partners with the National Forest Foundation to plant trees. With every bag sold from their recycled collection, Solo plants trees.
13. Adventurist Backpack & Co
Product styles: backpacks
Sustainability: vegan leather, 1000D polyester
This brand manufactures vegan backpacks with a minimalist design, perfect for any trip.
Their backpacks are water-resistant and consist of 1000D polyester and synthetic leather.
It also comes with back padding for extra protection for all your possessions. They are durable and come with a lifetime guarantee.
This company provides 25 meals to families in need across the US for every backpack you buy.
Through Feeding America, Adventurist Backpack & co buys excess food in large quantities from farmers in the US. They then distribute them to food banks supporting local farmers and families in need.
Shop Adventurist Backpack & Co
14. Osprey
Product styles: carry-on luggage, wheeled luggage
Sustainability: recycled materials. Bluesign certified
Osprey is a sustainable brand that uses the highest quality materials with the lowest environmental impact and champions products designed to last for a lifetime.
Whether you are traveling near or far, their eco-friendly travel bags are both comfortable and durable.
Osprey combines durability and sustainability with its recycled and Bluesign-approved materials, keeping harmful chemicals out of the environment while maintaining high performance.
The brand claims to reduce its carbon footprint by 40 - 50 percent with each recycled material they use.
For packaging products, Osprey uses 100% recyclable and recycled poly. They also use FSC-certified hang tags and cartons.
The brand claims to conduct its business with integrity, implementing a world-class factory code of conduct that guarantees appropriate minimum wages, maximum work hours, and health and safety.
Osprey also shows its commitment to society as well as the environment by contributing towards social and environmental policies and programs.
Shop Osprey on Amazon or Direct
15. Eagle Creek
Product styles: wheeled luggage, duffel bags, backpacks
Sustainability: recycled fabrics, Bluesign approved
Eagle Creek is an eco-friendly luggage company with a commitment to sustainability.
The company uses recycled materials and Bluesign-approved fabrics to make a wide range of luggage bags. From wheeled luggage to backpacks, duffel bags, and shoulder packs.
Their manufacturing process is non-toxic and free of polyvinyl chloride plastics harmful to the environment.
What's more, Eagle Creek commits to keeping gears out of landfills with their “No Matter What” warranty.
If you have a broken or damaged bag from Eagle Creek, you can send them back through this program. They then clean, fix, and resell them. The best part is you get up to a 40% discount on your next purchase.
Eagle Creek claims to have successfully removed over 100,000 bags out of landfills with this program.
Eagle Creek is also passionate about community service and positively impacting local communities.
Shop Eagle Creek on Amazon or Direct
16. InCase
Product styles: Carry-on luggage
Sustainability: Sustainable materials, eco-dyeing process
InCase is a San Francisco luggage brand that designs various bags and protection solutions for Apple devices.
However, we can't get enough of their eco-friendly suitcase, the Eco Roller - a modern carry-on bag for eco-conscious travelers.
InCase manufactures bags using an innovative eco-dyeing process that uses less energy, water, and chemicals.
This luggage bag from InCase retains its color and fades minimally when washing or exposing it to water or light.
Shop InCase on Amazon or Direct
17. Cuyana
Product styles: Travel bags, totes, weekenders, clutches, purses
Sustainability: GOTS certified, OEKO-Tex certified, Bluesign certified
Cuyana makes stylish bags that are just perfect for that weekend trip.
Its triple zipper weekender comes with a GOTS-certified cotton fabric and leather certified by Leather Working Group.
These bags are free of toxic chemicals throughout their production process and come with an OEKO Tex and Bluesign certification to prove it.
18. Ogio
Product styles: rolling luggage, duffels, backpacks, totes
Sustainability: recycled plastic water bottles and other sustainable materials
This environmentally friendly luggage brand sells a wide range of travel bags. From rolling luggage to totes, backpacks, duffels, and golf bags, each with a degree of recycled plastic bottles.
Their Alpha Convoy collection comes with a recycled Cordura fabric built for those rough trips. They also come with built-in laptop sleeves and a modular organizational design storage system that allows you to attach and detach storage in and out of your bag.
Each luggage bag consists of around 32-41 bottles. Ogio makes these bags using recycled post-consumer plastic water bottles and Eco polyester materials. Ogio also offers a lifetime warranty for their luggage bags.
19. Orvis
Product styles: backpacks, totes, laptop bags
Sustainability: conservation partnerships
Orvis is a fashion brand that dates as far back as 1856, founded on the hills of Vermont.
The brand shows its commitment to protecting wildlife and creating products that suit your adventure needs. From backpacks to luggage and totes, you will surely find something for any trip.
Their Battenkill Expandable Roller, inspired by nature, is our favorite for long getaways and extended trips. From its spacious packing space to its three exterior pockets and large compartments for everything you need.
Further, orvis gives towards environmental causes, with 5% of pre-tax profits going to environmental protection and conservation initiatives.
20. Roam Luggage
Product styles: Luggage bags
Sustainability: Handcrafted customizable luggage
With luggage bags from Roam, you can express your style as you travel.
Further, you can choose your design and color and have it handcrafted and shipped directly to you. You also can choose designs from their gallery of designer choices. These bags are unique and built to last from smooth-rolling wheels to a water-resistant zipper, lie flat handle, and a fully integrated TSA lock.
Each bag is handcrafted by American artisans and properly inspected for quality assurance. They also come with a lifetime warranty.
Roam Luggage is passionate about creating jobs and supporting local businesses.
Conclusion
Whether you're going on a short weekend trip or a long vacation, you can choose luggage bags that are not only durable but kind to our planet.
Consider the list of eco-friendly/sustainable brands above the next time you go shopping for luggage bags.
Jen’s a passionate environmentalist and sustainability expert. With a science degree from Babcock University Jen loves applying her research skills to craft editorial that connects with our global changemaker and readership audiences centered around topics including zero waste, sustainability, climate change, and biodiversity.
Elsewhere Jen’s interests include the role that future technology and data have in helping us solve some of the planet’s biggest challenges.
