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Plus our favorite toiletries, wrinkle-resistant clothes, and more
Dear Readers,
Do you like to travel? I always have, and for our honeymoon, my husband and I quit our jobs and took off. We tooted around Asia, India, Egypt, and Turkey for nine months via planes, trains, automobiles, jeepneys, tuk tuks, scooters, and boats, with only backpacks in tow. We made many last-minute plans and pivots, and while we endured plenty of hiccups, we generally considered ourselves experts at getting around.
Fast forward a few years: We were both burned out and needed a vacation. I called a friend who had started working as a travel advisor, and told her that we needed a peaceful, dog-friendly getaway within four hours of Manhattan. I gave her a budget and she did the rest, including booking the car, hotel, and restaurants and making recommendations for hikes and other activities. When we arrived, we received a free room upgrade and found some special treats along with a note from our friend. The only items on our to-do list: relax and enjoy. Now this was luxury.
As a proud independent traveler, I never thought I’d take a vacation someone else had organized, but the trip upstate made me rethink all that. Sometimes, you don’t want to make decisions: You just want to get out of town. I reflected on all the times I’d been somewhere only to realize after the fact that my last-minute travel style meant that I had missed something I would have loved to see. Perhaps taking a trip planned and led by experts is a great idea, after all!
With all that in mind, I’m thrilled to share what we’ve been dreaming up behind the scenes: Bluedot Living Travel. These trips invite you to explore stunning destinations while connecting with local environmental leaders. Each all-inclusive itinerary is designed with care — from farm-to-table meals to immersive experiences that reflect the spirit of each locale. We’re launching five trips for 2026, from the star-studded energy of Hollywood, California, to the coastal charm of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. We’d love for you to be among the first to join us. Visit our website to explore our destinations.
Of course, you can’t go empty-handed. Before we talk sustainable luggage, let's briefly review a few of the brands whose goods fill my bags.
Clothes and Toiletries for Sustainable Travel
Clothing
- Toad&Co: inviting, colorful, easy-to-clean clothes for daily wear
- Artknit: luxe, polished, and wrinkle-resistant clothes
- Pact: comfy organic cotton basics and loungewear
- Ninety Percent: elegant, wrinkle-resistant draped dresses and more
- Darn Tough: American-made wool socks for fresh feet
- Rothy’s: comfy, lightweight, versatile shoes
Toiletries and Storage
- Activist Skincare: perfectly tiny and complete travel set
- Suri: a quiet electric toothbrush with a 40-day battery life
- Cadence: chic, leakproof capsules for all your toiletries
- Tidalove: handy waterless mouthwash tablets
Snacks and Drinks
- Stasher: endlessly useful bags for snacks, toiletries, cords, and more
- Contigo: a perfect, spillproof travel mug
- Allkelr: a small, flat water bottle that fits in even small purses
- Yeti: an indestructible bottle that keeps your water ice cold
- S’well: cheerful, nesting snack canisters for the plane
Luggage and travel gear have so many permutations, both stylistic and functional, that making recommendations is tough, so I’m including items to suit a range of tastes. Happy shopping, and happy trails!
– Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor
Luggage for Life
Briggs & Riley not only makes amazing luggage, it also offers the best lifetime guarantee in the business. The Baseline collection, priced from $729 for a carry-on spinner, offers a suite of features that make the bag a joy to pack and travel with. A patented design keeps the handle on the outside, which creates more space and dramatically reduces wrinkles. An ingenious one-touch compression system allows you to fit significantly more. A light-colored interior makes it easy to find everything. As my husband says: “Buy once, cry once.”
Gear for Traveling Light
Matador designs gear for travelers who like to keep things simple — and small. Thoughtfully made backpacks and compression cubes make it easy to travel carry-on only, while a packable line of weatherproof toiletry bags, daypacks, and duffels folds down to the size of a grapefruit. The company uses bluesign®-approved fabrics and recycled materials throughout its collection, and offers in-house repairs whenever possible. A personal favorite is the teeny-tiny microfiber towel on a keychain: a great gift for any traveler.
Adventure in Technicolor
If you’re not one for basic black, you’ll love Cotopaxi, a brand whose gear is as joyful as it is practical. Cotopaxi crafts its signature Del Día collection from leftover nylon that would otherwise go to waste. That reduces the carbon footprint of each piece by nearly a third, and means that no two backpacks, sling bags, coolers, totes, or travel cubes are alike. The Certified B Corp also makes colorful clothes for men and women. If you’re already thinking about holiday gifts, consider Cotopaxi for adventurous folks in their teens, twenties, and thirties.
Rough and Ready Bags
If you seek flexibility in your packing — and don’t mind doing a bit of hoisting — you’ll probably enjoy Patagonia’s rugged travel gear. The company’s famous Black Hole line includes three wheelie suitcases as well as duffels ranging from 40 to 100 liters, all of which have straps and can be worn like a backpack. While you can fit a heck of a lot in these bags, the fact that they’re made in Fair Trade Certified factories with recycled materials may make your journey feel lighter. Patagonia also makes bags designed for fishing, climbing, and snow sports.
Photographer's Favorites
Peak Design built its reputation among photographers, but its sleek luggage and everyday gear appeal to almost any minimalist who cares about performance. The brand’s thoughtfully engineered Travel Backpack and tech pouches make packing and organizing effortless, while its weatherproof phone cases and camera clips keep your devices secure and accessible. Peak Design really commits when it comes to sustainability. The company is The Climate Label Certified, a B Corp, and a 1% for the Planet member.
Viewfinder Extraordinaire
Lightweight, compact, and comfortable for the hands and the eyes, Nocs binoculars are the rare travel accessory you’ll actually use on repeat. Yes, they’re perfect for birding and spotting wildlife. But they’re also great for admiring architecture and even getting a better view at the opera. The 12-ounce set slips easily into a carry-on or purse, and at $99.95 for the excellent base model, won’t put too big a dent in your wallet, either. The 1% for the Planet member company offers a lifetime warranty, guaranteeing years of great adventures.
Why Sustainable Luggage Makes Sense for Every Journey
Luggage used to mean steamer trunks that were passed down from one generation to the next. But as travel as gotten cheaper, so has luggage. In recent decades, the luggage industry has been a significant contributor to waste and carbon emissions, with millions of cheaply made suitcases ending up in landfills each year. But sustainable luggage brands are changing that narrative by creating travel bags built to last decades rather than seasons. When you invest in eco-friendly luggage, you're not just buying a bag. You're making a commitment to tread lightly on the planet while exploring the world.
Quality sustainable materials like recycled polyester, aluminum, and water resistant fabrics derived from recycled content perform just as well as virgin materials. Unlike conventional luggage that might break after a few trips, brands committed to sustainability build products designed for durability and longevity. This approach reduces waste while saving money over time. A well-made carry on that lasts twenty years is a far better investment than replacing a cheap suitcase every couple of years.
What Sets Eco-Friendly Luggage Apart: Ethical Production and Materials
Sustainable luggage brands distinguish themselves by making bags that last, and last, and last. The materials matter too. Recycled polyester diverts plastic bottles from landfills and oceans, transforming waste into durable travel gear. Today's sustainable suitcases, backpacks, and duffel bags are as stylish and feature-rich as conventional options, with thoughtful details like removable laptop sleeves, packing cubes, and compression systems.
From Carry-Ons to Checked Luggage: Building a Sustainable Travel Collection
Whether you're a minimalist or someone who needs checked luggage for longer trips, sustainable options exist across every category. Lightweight carry-ons with thoughtfully designed compartments help you maximize space while staying within airline size restrictions. For those who pack a personal item, eco-friendly backpacks and totes made from recycled content offer water resistant protection for electronics and essentials during your flight.
Duffel bags deserve special mention for their versatility. The best sustainable duffels can be carried, worn as a backpack, or rolled on wheels, adapting to whatever your journey demands. Many feature removable straps and compression systems, allowing you to pack more efficiently while reducing the number of bags you need to purchase overall. This flexibility represents sustainability in action: one high-quality, multifunctional piece instead of multiple single-purpose items.
The Real Cost of Cheap Luggage Versus a Sustainable Investment
Affordable luggage might seem appealing initially, but the true cost extends beyond the price tag. Cheap suitcases contribute to a cycle of consumption and waste, breaking after minimal use and ending up in landfills where their synthetic materials persist for generations. The carbon emissions from manufacturing, shipping, and disposing of replacement bags add up quickly. When you factor in the lifetime cost of repeatedly replacing budget luggage, investing in durable, sustainable gear becomes the more affordable choice.
Brands at the forefront of sustainable travel gear often include repair programs, allowing you to fix rather than replace damaged bags. This commitment to product longevity fundamentally challenges the disposable culture that dominates much of the luggage business. A lifetime warranty isn't just a nice perk. It's a statement that the brand stands behind its products and has designed them to last.
Choosing sustainable luggage brands often means supporting companies that prioritize more than just profit. The world of sustainable travel gear continues to evolve, with new materials, designs, and certifications emerging regularly. Whether you need a sleek carry on for business trips, a rugged duffel for weekend adventures, or packing accessories to maximize your existing bags, sustainable options exist that don't compromise on style, functionality, or durability. As more travelers choose quality over quantity and sustainability over convenience, we collectively reduce the luggage industry's environmental footprint while enjoying better products that enhance every journey.
