The Best Ethical, Sustainable, and Recycled Backpacks

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Just because you’ve left your school days behind doesn’t mean a solid backpack can’t come in handy. A stylish, well-made backpack can be your companion for commutes, overnight stays, plane rides, and even replace your purse sometimes.

No matter what you need it for, your backpack should be ethically made with materials that don’t harm the earth. If you pick a sustainable backpack that is built to last, repairable, and fits your style, you won’t have to buy another one for years.

Here’s what to look out for:

Sustainably Sourced, Natural and/or Recycled Materials: Much like sustainable swimsuits, there are a lot of options for recycled synthetics, but fewer for all-natural fibers. We were excited to find at least one all-hemp option (included below.) If you can’t find a natural fiber one that meets your needs, look for backpacks made with vegetable-tanned leather or recycled synthetics. Additionally, check for certifications like Leather Working Group (LWG) to be sure the leather was treated responsibly, or the Global Recycling Standard to verify the brand is actually working with recycled synthetics instead of cheaper virgin ones.

Lifespan & Repairs: Spending a lot of money on a new backpack just for it to break is a huge waste of money and materials. Look for bags that have been built to last, especially ones with a lifetime guarantee. However, even the most sustainable backpacks can break if used consistently, so keep an eye out for brands that offer repairs as well. Some brands that can’t offer in-house repairs will provide tutorials on their websites instead.

Ethical Manufacturing: The people who made your new backpack should be paid fairly in safe conditions at the very least. Look for brands who are transparent about where they manufacture and source their materials, and/or have their suppliers sign a code of conduct and regularly audit their supply chain. You can also check for certifications from Fair Trade and the Fair Wear Foundation to be sure their claims are verified.

PFAS-Free Waterproofing and Finishes: Most waterproofing is accomplished by PFAS, a class of perfluorinated chemicals that never break down and can have serious impacts on our health (and our planet’s.) If you need your bag to be waterproof, look for brands that explicitly say they don’t use PFAS or PFC.

Packaging: It’s always best not to put more plastic waste in the environment. Look for brands that use recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable packaging.

1. 8000 Kicks

What we love: This brand makes shoes and backpacks out of industrial hemp. Its styles are minimalist and versatile for commuting and traveling, and are perfectly measured to fit as a personal item for all plans. The Oeko-Tex-certified backpacks are made in Portugal and China, and the hemp is sourced from Romania, Ukraine, Spain, France, and China depending on availability. The brand specifically chose its factories based on wages and practices, and holds them accountable with regular inspections and a signed code of conduct.

Price Range: $99-$139

Available: Globally

2. Troubadour

What we love: Troubadour is a certified B Corp that makes ergonomic backpacks out of vegetable-tanned leather and recycled plastic. Its DryFibre is made naturally waterproof during the tanning process. The brand combines versatile style with durability by offering repairs to customers to extend the lifespan of their bags. All its suppliers have signed a code of conduct for fair practices, and it uses recycled packaging.

Our Review: Our tester tried out the new Orbis Circular backpack (from the brand’s first zero-waste backpack collection) and it’s the best backpack she’s ever owned. It’s sturdy, with stiff materials and high-quality zippers. It has lots of compartments, which makes it perfect for bringing along everything she needs, and the soft padding in the shoulder straps helps make the weight inside feel more evenly balanced. It even has a luxe business look to it. Overall, she would choose this backpack over any others for a long trip or just a jaunt to the coffee shop.

Price Range: $195-$895

Available: Globally, excluding Brazil, India, Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey.

3. Qwstion

What we love: Qwstion is the creator of Bananatex, a Cradle-to-Cradle-certified waterproof fabric made from 100% natural banana fibers. Its backpacks are sleek and beautiful, and can be repaired at its flagship store and its Zurich workshop. The certified B Corp works closely with manufacturing partners. It sources its banana fibers in the Philippines, and maintains a short supply chain in Taiwan, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and China.

Our Review: Our tester has tried out two QWSTION backpacks: the Bananatex roll-top and the Medium Bucket. The roll-top’s combo of the durable canvas-like Bananatex material and the leather finishes has physically held up well for airplane and car travel. The white material has gotten some permanent stains and creases, so the backpack is probably more suited for casual travel rather than business or high-end trips. But her laptop has been well-protected in its pocket, and between the roll-top and side zipper access, this backpack is handy and rugged. The Medium Bucket has become her go-to day hike backpack, with mild PFAS-free water repellency imparted through a wax coating and natural material, it feels more in tune with nature to bring this along. It will fit a 1.5-liter water bladder, too, and the little front pocket makes it easy to store things like hand sanitizer.

Price Range: $260-$490

Available: Globally

4. ABLE

What we love: Able is a women-owned brand that works primarily with women-owned and operated factories. It was one of the first brands to publish its lowest wages, and continues to evolve its auditing standards to ensure they align with its values. Its minimalist vegetable-tanned leather backpacks are handcrafted in Brazil and Ethiopia.

Our review: Our tester bought the everyday leather laptop backpack (sadly no longer sold,)  and loves it. It’s on the smaller side, so might not work for longer travels, but fits a 12-inch laptop and magazines, and has plenty of other roomy pockets for organization. After more than a year of use and travel, it still looks new and hasn’t needed any repair. (But if it did, the natural leather means a local cobbler would be able to repair it easily.)

Price Range: $238-$298

Available in: The United States and Canada

5. Topo Designs

What we love: Topo Designs makes functional and classic backpacks from cotton and recycled nylon from certified dye mills. All of its factories are Fair Wear-certified and routinely audited for safe and ethical manufacturing. The brand is currently working on getting PFC out of all of its products, and ships in compostable mailers with recycled packaging. The brand offers lifetime warranties for free backpack repairs.

Price Range: $69-$179

Available: Globally

6. Tropic Feel

What we love: This certified B Corp prioritizes functionality and style. It uses GRS-certified recycled synthetics in its backpacks, which are certified PFAS-free. The brand conducts rigorous internal and external reviews of its suppliers, which reside in Vietnam, China, and Europe, to ensure they maintain its ethical standards. Its packaging is completely recycled.

Price Range: $79-$349

Available: Globally

7. Poppy Barley

What we love: Poppy Barely is a certified B Corp, that makes slim, chic bags that are as useful as they are attractive. It only works with partners that meet its ethical production standards, and recertifies its factories bi-annually. All of its backpacks are made in a family-owned solar-powered factory in León, Mexico, and its orders come in cotton dust bags and FSC-certified recyclable packaging.

Price Range: $324-$428

Available in: Continental North America and Australia.

8. Lo & Sons

What we love: Created by Helen Lo and her sons, this collection of handmade bags is inspired by the versatility and style Lo always looked for when shopping. The brand uses all recycled nylon and LWG-certified leather for its bags, and uses recycled dust bags and hang tags in its packaging.

Price Range: $158-$589

Available in: Most countries

9. Bellroy

What we love: A certified B Corp based in Australia, Bellroy uses recycled materials and LWG-certified leather to create backpacks intentionally designed for organization, dependability, and comfort. It maintains a supplier code of conduct and regular audit processes to ensure safe working conditions in its supply chain.

Price Range: $95-$329

Available: Globally

10. Nisolo

What we love: Nisolo, the creator of the sustainability facts label, makes sleek and functional bags from LWG-certified leather. Each product comes with an aforementioned label, which includes a grade for its impact on people and the planet. Everyone who works in its factories earn a living wage, and the brand is currently working toward extending this to the entire supply chain.

Price Range: $260-$350

Available in: The U.S., Canada, and most European countries.

11. Terra Thread

What we love: This certified B Corp was founded by a father and daughter duo who were frustrated by fast fashion. Terra Thread makes adorable backpacks “from farms to your arms” with cotton sourced from India and manufactured in nearby Fair Trade-certified factories.

Price Range: $65-476

Available in: The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most European countries.

12. Fjallraven

What we love: Fjallraven bags are made to last for decades of use. The brand uses its own materials, including waterproof Bergshell made from recycled nylon, as well as natural materials like wool. It offers in-store repair services, as well as several tutorials on its website, to extend the lifespan of your bag. Fjallraven has a supplier code of conduct and works closely with partners at all stages of production. It maintains a restricted substances list, which includes PFAS.

Watch out for: Some backpacks contain virgin synthetics.

Price Range: $35-$200

Available in: Continental United States and Canada

13. Solgaard

What we love: Solgaard is a certified B Corp that designs innovative backpacks for maximum organization. Its backpacks are made from ocean-bound and recycled plastic, and often have features such as anti-theft locks and solar-powered chargers.

Watch out for:  While the brand says the majority of its partners undergo third-party audits, its unclear where it manufactures.

Price Range: $99-$250

Available in: The United States, Canada, and Mexico

14. Rawganique

What we love: We love Rawganique for its natural fiber clothing, so we were thrilled to see it drop a line of hemp and cotton backpacks! It offers a range of sizes and styles, made with natural rubber padding and waterproofed with 100% natural wax.

Prices Range: $79-$199

15. Tiradia Cork

What we love: Started by the great-granddaughter of wine cork producers, Tiradia sources hand-harvested cork from Portugal to create accessories and home goods. Its backpacks are naturally waterproof and come in several colors and sizes.

Prices Range: $135-$180