If you want to explore the world with a more sustainable approach, you’re in the right place. We have curated the best 13 eco-friendly luggage pieces that not only make a statement in terms of style and functionality but also exemplify a commitment to sustainability.
Whether you’re an eco-conscious traveler or just someone looking to make a positive impact on the planet, these luggage options are a sound investment in the future of our planet.
Read also our articles about:
- 9 Best Non-Toxic Thermoses for Every Occasion
- The Best Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Alternatives to Plastic
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Table of Contents
Can a luggage be toxic?
Luggage itself is typically not inherently toxic. However, some luggage may contain materials or components that could potentially release or contain toxic substances. It’s essential to check for labels, such as the Prop 65 warning, to be aware of any potential concerns related to the materials or chemicals used in the luggage manufacturing process. Generally, luggage made by reputable brands adheres to safety standards to minimize any potential health risks.
What’s Prop 65?
According to the Wirecutter, Prop 65, or California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a state law that requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that may cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. It was initially created in response to the discovery of dangerous pollutants in California’s water supply. Over the years, it has expanded to cover a wide range of products and chemicals, with a list of about 900 toxins and carcinogens. Even if a product meets federal safety standards, it may still require a Prop 65 warning label if it contains one of these listed chemicals.
So if you want to be sure if you luggage is not toxic, check for the Prop 65 label.
What suitcase is made out of recycled materials?
- Patagonia
- Paravel
- Samsonite
- Terra Thread
- Osprey
Read below for detailed descriptions.
1. Patagonia – Black Hole Duffel
Best Sustainable Luggage For Adventure Travel
- Sustainable Features | Made with 100% recycled fabric
- Price range | $$
- Customer review | Great quality and an excellent service from the seller. – DR
Patagonia understands that life on Earth is under the threat. To mitigate its impact on the planet, the company is taking action, starting with reducing its carbon footprint. The company has undertaken a massive movement to reduce its carbon footprint by 90% by 2040.
This duffel bag comes in various sizes, the largest with a capacity of 100 liters. It is made with 100% recycled luggage body fabric, lining, and webbing in a Fair Trade Certified factory. It is also lined with 100% recycled polyester with a tough polyurethane coating, perfect to last through many rugged adventures and challenging travel. For maximum flexibility, the bag has removable, ergonomic shoulder straps, a padded base, and burly daisy chains.
Patagonia also offers sustainable sporting attire for other activities.
2. Nisolo – Canvas Weekender Bag
Best Eco-Friendly Luggage For Carry-On
- Sustainable Features | Offsets 100% of carbon emissions (verified by Climate Neutral Certification), Products handmade in an ethical factory in Mexico.
- Price range | $$$
- Customer Review | This bag is even better in person! It’s lightweight, well-made, and the perfect size to use on weekend trips. It would work as a carry on or for a quick trip out of town. I also am planning on using it for pool days with my kids! I love the classy design and how it is a dark color that won’t show dirt. – Lauren
Nisolo’s philosophy is straightforward: create products that look good while helping those who make it and bettering the planet. The brand designs great-looking products that are sturdy, functional, and responsibly made.
Today, Nisolo strives to meet high standards for social and environmental responsibilities. It has become one of the world’s top-rated footwear and accessories brands among all Certified B Corporations. It has a Climate Neutral Certification for reducing its carbon emissions by 100%. Moreover, every purchase promises 100% fair wages to workers.
The Nisolo Weekender Bag is handcrafted with ethically sourced cotton canvas and lining. It has a removable crossbody strap, interior zipper, and stow pockets. The bag is excellent for weekend getaways or as a carry-on for long-haul travel.
3. TUMI – 19 Degree Hard Suitcase with Wheels
Best Sustainable Hardshell Luggage for International Travels
- Sustainable Features | Made with a recycled polycarbonate shell
- Price range | $$$$
- Customer review | Very light weight yet sturdy. I was surprised at the weight of the suitcase. It’s actually lighter than most hard cases I’ve experienced. I love the color as it’s very beautiful and stylish. I highly recommend this case. – Elizabeth Challenger
Founded in 1975, TUMI’s innovative line of soft, ultra-functional travel bags catapulted the company to its current grip on the industry. Today, the brand offers a wide range of travel bags, from everyday backpacks to carry-on and check-in luggage.
All of their products are made to last, with high quality and durability standards in place. Should you find your bag broken, TUMI will repair it. Its innovative TUMI Tracer also helps recover lost bags—these two factors ensure fewer bags end up in landfills. Furthermore, its use of recycled materials from post-consumer plastic bottles and recycled nylon is a game-changer.
The TUMI 19 Degree Extended Trip Expandable 4-Wheeled Packing Case is a hard suitcase with spinner wheels and spacious and secure storage, perfect for international travel. The four recessed dual spinner wheels ensure smooth and quiet maneuverability, while the integrated TSA lock ensures your belongings are safe at all times.
4. Anchal – Weekender Duffel Bag
Best Sustainable Luggage From A Non-Profit Brand
- Sustainable Features | Training and hiring ex-sex workers as artisans, products handcrafted in India, 100% GOTS Organic Cotton Canvas.
- Price range | $$
Sisters Colleen and Maggie learned about the brutality that sex workers in India face, inspiring them to create Anchal. The brand uses all profits to pay their artisans a fair wage. Anchal has helped previously exploited women access healthcare and provide education to their children, helping break the cycle.
Their designs blend traditional, handmade craft with contemporary design. Most of the products are made with traditional techniques like quilting and Kantha, which is traditional embroidery stitching that has been used in rural India for centuries.
Anchal’s Multi-Check Weekender Duffel Bag is perfect for a quick getaway. The GOTS Organic Canvas features a rainbow checkered design, two exterior slip pockets, and one interior pocket for easy access. Thanks to its durable cotton canvas lining, it can also make for a good gym bag.
5. Samsonite – Stryde 2 Hardside Luggage
Best Sustainable Luggage For Business Travel
- Sustainable Features | Made from recycled plastic water bottles and other sustainable materials
- Price range | $$
- Customer Review | Several trips later we still have no damage to the luggage. However, did see someone with the same set with busted cases. So it’s not indestructible but so far so good and the wheels still glide really nicely. – Anonymous
Samsonite has long been a go-to brand for all things travel. Today, the brand provides options for environmentally-conscious customers who want durable, stylish, and sustainable suitcases. Samsonite’s Stryde 2 is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Its recyclex polyester lining material is dyed with a water-sensitive Clean Chroma process.
The carry-on has Samsonite’s patented off-set Tru-Trac GT wheels for better maneuverability and stability. The 100% polycarbonate shell with geometric sculpting is stylish and ensures a durable structure. The TSA-approved combination lock is the cherry on the top.
6. United By Blue – Mini Duffle Bag
Best Overall Eco-Friendly Utility Luggage
- Sustainable Features | Crafted from recycled water bottles.
- Price range | $
United By Blue emphasizes the core tenet of sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle. It has adopted a modernized approach towards creating sustainable utility bags and luggage made of recycled materials like cotton, nylon, wool, and Repreve Recycled Polyester. The brand also offers Lifetime Guarantee Program coverage.
Its Product-for-Pound initiative promises to remove at least one pound of trash with every item sold. The brand hosts extensive drives for community, corporate, high-yield, and international clean-ups. Moreover, Repreve Recycled Polyester recycles used plastic bottles to create durable fabric perfect for rugged travel.
Whether you’re going for an overnight stay, a beach outing, or a quick business trip, United By Blue’s Mini Duffle Bag is a great choice. It has plenty of pockets so you can easily organize your essentials. It is crafted with the company’s signature (R)evolution fabric and is 100% vegan, water- and stain-resistant. Its soft and adjustable shoulder straps make travel comfortable, and the certified YKK zippers are super durable.
7. OGIO – Layover Travel Bag
Best Sustainable Luggage for Heavy Packers
- Sustainable Features | Sustainability process within the supply chain, recycled fabric
- Price range | $$
- Customer Review | Well-built, well-designed carry-on maximizes your packing space. I looked at A LOT of different bags, and this one won the contest. So far it’s been on 3 trips and 8 flights… several different aircraft… all good! – Travis
Ogio is made for rugged adventures with modern utilitarian needs. Its products are made to last even in the roughest conditions. The company offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you are unhappy with your purchase, you can ask for a full refund—no questions asked.
Ogio’s products are made with recycled Cordura fabric built for tough trips. The internal compression straps are perfect for heavy packers, and the urethane wheels easily maneuver through curbs and rough terrain. The durable, protective, and reinforced back panel prevents skids.
8. Paravel – Foldable Travel Duffle Bag
Best Eco-Friendly Luggage Made From Recycled Materials
- Sustainable Features | Made with upcycled plastic bottles
- Price range | $$
- Customer review | I travel often for work – this is epic that it folds up into a great square. The product is well made and especially during these times where I need a packable duffel to go out grocery shopping, or packing it in my luggage as an extra bag, it is the best well made but low key travel item that works well, looks great and has paid for itself five times over. –Reth
Paravel is a travel-inspired brand with sustainability as its core value. It is helping with waste management through its impressive recycling program, with close to 6.25 million plastic bottles upcycled into products.
The Negative Nylon and Ecocraft Canvas are excellent options for sustainable luggage. Paravel has created impeccably designed, multi-functional, sustainable bags and accessories.
This foldable travel duffle bag is the perfect gym, travel, and leisure option. It is lightweight and folds into a feather-light package that can be zipped entirely flat. It is easy to pack in bigger bags when traveling.
This bag is made from 22 upcycled plastic bottles and reinforced with cotton webbing handles, so it’s strong and durable without being bulky. The bag is so well-loved and received that it was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things 2018.
9. Eagle Creek – ORV 2-Wheel 30″ Trunk
Best Sustainable Luggage with Lifelong Warranty
- Sustainable Features | No Matter What™ warranty (“durable travel gear that lasts”)
- Price range | $$$
- Customer Review | I purchased this bag to transport scuba equipment to the Caribbean islands. This bag fit all of my stuff and more. I like that it stood upright in checking line. My previous bag kept falling over. This is my second eagle creek bag and would buy more when the need arises. You will not be disappointed. – Richard Beck
With over 40 years in the industry, Eagle Creek takes pride in equipping customers with versatile gear. The brand is devoted to preserving and protecting where we all live, work, and travel. To do so, they only use sustainable materials that last a lifetime.
Eagle Creek equips travelers with bags perfect for their adventures, whether long or short. Their items are designed to last, which helps eliminate waste that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Its impressive No Matter What™ warranty from day one has become a keystone promise to travelers all over—it ensures all products hold up wherever you’re headed.
The ORV 2-Wheel 30” Trunk is a weather- and abrasion-resistant bag made with durable Bi-Tech Armor material. Its expandable wet/dry compartments are seam-taped to prevent moisture leakage. The equipment keeper ensures your gear is safe for travel, and the multiple handles and oversized wheels make rolling over bumpy roads easy.
Eagle Creek also offers high-quality packing cubes and other travel accessories. Their guide to travel and packing is also handy for novice and seasoned travelers alike.
10. Terra Thread – Bumi Duffel Bag
Best Fashion Sustainable Luggage
- Sustainable Features | 100% organic cotton canvas grown by tribal families in India
- Price range | $
- Customer review | The duffel is the perfect size and the material very durable. Love it and will definitely buy more from this site since the product is so superior. – JS
Vik and Vizan Giri, a father-daughter duo, founded Terra Thread because of Vizan’s passion for social and environmental justice. They worked together to create a product that will have a long-lasting positive impact on the planet.
Today, Terra Thread has been recognized by Forbes, Newsweek, TreeHugger, and The Good Trade as a brand that offers top-notch, sustainable travel bags. It manufactures and distributes luggage without a CA Prop 65 warning. Made with 100% organic cotton canvas sourced ethically from small tribal families in India, these products are sustainable and durable. The brand offers everything from toiletry bags to duffle bags and backpacks.
The Bumi Duffel Bag by Terra Thread is impressive and highly durable. It is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified, contains low-impact dyes and is made in a Fair Trade Certified Factory. It’s perfect for daily use, gym days, outdoor activities, traveling, and more. The duffel bag has an adjustable shoulder strap, an outside drop-in pocket, and an internal zippered pocket to keep all items secure and easy to access.
11. Osprey – Transporter Hardside Luggage
Best Sustainable Luggage for Long Travels
- Sustainable Features | 80% recycled post-consumer polycarbonate shell
- Price range | $$$
- Customer Review | The missing piece for my travel needs! – Roy
In 1974, founder Mike Pfotenhauer was sixteen years old, and he created his first backpack. He opened a retail shop and made custom-fit, made-to-order bags for customers. This was how Osprey began.
Osprey’s Transporter Hardside Carry-On sustainable suitcase is highly durable, with an 80% recycled post-consumer polycarbonate shell. You can get customizable interior attachment points that make packing easier. The removable zippered pockets convert into a waist- or over-the-shoulder day pouch, making it multifunctional. Additional Transporter Swap-N-Go accessories are sold separately.
12. InCase – A.R.C Travel Pack
Best Eco-Friendly Luggage to Carry Fragile Equipment
- Sustainable Features | 1% of all global sales are donated to an environmental non-profit
- Price range | $$$
Incase, founded in 1997, is a brand driven by design with eco-friendly solutions. For decades, it has created a line of products that focus on protection and mobility. They offer bags, backpacks, and camera bags to protect fragile equipment and electronics.
This sustainable travel bag company has partnered with 1% for the Planet, an international organization that directly supports environmental organizations. Incase donates 1% of its global online sales to initiatives that help protect the planet.
The A.R.C Travel Pack has dedicated compartments for laptops and shoes. The butterfly-opening main space makes organization easy. The Travel Pack is comfortable, waterproof and highly durable.
13. Db – Journey The Strøm Roller Bag
Best Sustainable Luggage for Athletes
- Sustainable Features | Renewable energy throughout the supply chain, repurposing old products.
- Price range | $$$
- Customer review | Great bag. Super spacious. Rolls great. Only gave it 4 stars as I would’ve liked to see at least one small compartment on the outside and the interior compression bungee doesn’t really do much. – Michelle
Db has been in business since 2009 with one goal in mind: to develop the best products for convenient travel. The brand’s philosophy centers on durability, timeless aesthetics, versatile functionality, and minimal impact. They do this by using only renewable energy throughout the supply chain and repurposing products until the end of their life.
Db’s Storm Roller Bag has a capacity of 90 liters and can handle the heaviest loads. The bag’s rib cage provides additional protection for your belongings while reducing the bag’s weight, so you won’t have trouble taking it anywhere. The big wheels and sturdy retractable handle ensure smooth navigation.
Db’s patented hook-up system means you can connect several bags for easier transportation. All luggage is travel-tested by some of the world’s best athletes, adventurers, and creators, so you can rest assured you’re getting high-quality items.
All pictures belong to respective brands.
