From green gadgets to responsible beauty heroes, these are the sustainable essentials you’ll be glad you make room for in your carry-on.
17 November, 2021
Taking to the skies for over a couple hours is always exciting; the promise of far-flung adventure and in-flight movie premieres ignites the child in all of us. Yet there are certain inevitable inconveniences that we've come to learn (the hard way) need to be taken into consideration, and a curated carry-on bag can make all the difference when it comes to navigating these practicalities.
Don't get us wrong, we've not missed the fact that long-haul travel is in itself unsustainable, but we're also conscious of the reality that it won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Instead of ignoring its impact, we're switching things up with some simple sustainable swaps, while following the old saying that "no act is too small to make a difference".
Nolii
Working to the mantra that good, minimalist design not only simplifies people's everyday lives, but also has less impact on the planet, Nolii's Set Battery is the sort of gadget you wish you'd had on you that one time your phone battery and power bank died at the same time (on a 13-hour flight to Hawaii). Kitted out with a magnetic attachment for simultaneously charging your power bank and phone, this genius charger is a no-brainer for any flight longer than a couple of hours.
Paravel
This ideally sized suitcase from Paravel doubles up as either a cabin or hold bag. Made from recycled materials including 15 plastic bottles, the design-forward, carbon-neutral suitcase rolls with 360-degree rotation wheels for an extra-smooth journey. Oh, and Paravel will offset all estimated carbon emissions from your first trip with the bag, too, so your next adventure will be 100 per cent guilt-free, wherever you go.
House of Marley
Blocking out unwanted noise with a good pair of over-ear headphones is a must for any long-haul trip, and this pair from House of Marley ticks all our green-credentials boxes. Made with mindfully sourced materials like wood composite, recycled plastic and organic cork, each pair of headphones also supports global reforestation and ocean preservation projects through the brilliant Project Marley Global Giving initiative.
Que
Remember that time your jittery plastic water cup toppled all over you during turbulence? Yeah, us too. Enter Que's Collapsible Bottle; a reusable container you can collapse and stash away in your bag, then expand at a moment's notice for on-the-go hydration. In short, this is a sustainable alternative to single-use cups and bottles, promising an end to spillages and the quick quenching of constant in-flight thirst.
Wol Hide
A female-founded brand focusing on quality natural, organic and deadstock materials, Wol Hide takes a purpose-driven approach to production, meaning that the label leaves the lightest footprint on the planet possible. Made from 100 per cent baby alpaca, these knitted lounge pants are not only sustainable (alpacas are one of the most Earth-friendly wool-producing animals) but highly soft and stretchy, too, making them a perfect long-haul flight companion.
Le Labo
We're into smelling good on flights (not just for the passenger next to us, but for ourselves, too) and Le Labo's 50ml natural spray vials are our answer to pocket-sized sustainable scents. Hand-crafted in Grasse - the French home of traditional perfumery - from responsibly harvested ingredients, each fine fragrance is meticulously crafted to perfection in a lab, before being sustainably packaged, personalised and shipped.
