WIRED’s gear team tested dozens of bags designed to make commuting easier and withstand wear and tear and the elements. Our favorite eco-friendly bags are just as functional and durable, but made from recycled materials like plastic water bottles, old nylon, and even ocean-caught fishing nets.
It’s important to find ways to reuse trash that would otherwise pollute our oceans and end up in landfills forever. But first, ask yourself: do you need a new bag? If you already have some great bags at home, there’s nothing wrong with buying eco-friendly items. But if your current bags aren’t cutting it, our selection of recycled bags below might give you some peace of mind. Not every bag is made from 100% recycled materials, but every little bit counts.
Bags are usually sorted by liters, which we’ll cover in more detail in another article. Check out our guides to the best backpacks , best tote bags and purses , and best crossbody and shoulder bags for more of our bag picks. Be sure to check out our other sustainable product roundups, like the best recycled and reusable products , best recycled clothing , and best reusable products .
Update July 2024: We’ve added the Kind Bag Crossbody Bag and Reusable Shopping Bag, as well as the Skye Mini Crossbody Bag from Sherpani. We’ve also updated prices and links.
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When it comes to products like bags, your (and our) preferences are determined by your personal style. That’s the first thing you’ll notice. We try to test a variety of different bag styles. In addition to looking good, we also make sure they offer the best value for money in terms of comfort and durability.
When we get a new bag, we start using it as we normally would: carrying our purse to the grocery store or bar, stuffing our laptop and work gear into backpacks and totes, heading to a coffee shop for some afternoon work, and stuffing our clothes and shoes into duffel bags. We pay attention to what they hold, how they’re organized, whether the straps are comfortable or start to sag over time. We also load them up with heavy items—sometimes they’re heavy items, sometimes just a bunch of other random products we’re testing—and throw them around. If the cords and straps start to stretch, they’ve broken. Whenever possible, we subject the bags to repeated use over months or years to test their durability, and we’ll update this guide if our feelings change.
United By Blue’s Carryall is a large bag that easily transforms into a backpack. The interior and exterior of the bag are made from 100% recycled polyester; the shoulder straps are made from 100% recycled nylon; and the lining is a combination of 60% recycled nylon and 40% recycled polyester. Even the zippers are made from 100% recycled nylon paracord.
It’s waterproof and has enough padding to protect a 15-inch laptop from the elements and drops. Inside, there’s a practical stash pocket in the front pocket, as well as two water bottle pockets. If you get tired of carrying it over one shoulder, you can unzip the back pocket and pull out the backpack’s handy straps. They attach to a sturdy D-ring at the bottom.
The Nouvelle Bag by Lo & Son (8/10, WIRED recommends) is made from recycled nylon and polyester, and uses cactus instead of leather. The combination of shape, material, and beautiful strap make it suitable for both formal and casual use. Every time I try a bag, I always go back and buy this one. It makes me feel classy and presentable no matter what I wear. I like the black with bronze hardware, but there are plenty of colors and combinations to choose from.
It won’t fit your laptop, but it’s perfect for essentials like your wallet, phone, and e-reader, as well as accessories like lipstick and hair clips. The inside pocket has three card slots, and the outside pocket can fit an iPhone 15 and bulky keys.
Cuyana makes some of our favorite leather laptop bags. This one is low-key and casual, but still gorgeous. This crossbody bag is made from 100% landfill-bound recycled plastic. It’s durable, has a canvas feel, and is machine washable in a mesh bag (but air dry!), so you can use it with confidence.
The bottom insert provides structure, and the large size allows you to fit more than you need—I used it as a personal item while on vacation, and filled it with a book, a tablet, over-ear headphones, medication, and every little thing I could find. If you want to use it for work, or just want a little more organization, you can pair it with the Cuyana Bag Insert if it ever comes out (there’s a waitlist at the time of writing). We used the extra large bag, but it’s also available in medium and small.
If you need to spend as little as possible, the Zero Waste Backpack from Targus is a reliable bag from a reliable brand. It’s made from 20 recycled water bottles, wrapped in recycled plastic packaging. Unwrap the plastic and place it in the laptop pocket – this gives the bag structure and provides extra protection for your expensive tech. It also allows you to ship your package using the least amount of packaging possible. In addition to the main compartment, the bag has two pockets on the front and two water bottle pockets. There are also two compression straps to keep it slimmer.
At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the brand announced a new EcoSmart backpack. The Coastline is slightly more expensive than the Zero Waste and is made from ocean-bound plastic.
Timbuk2′s Spark Mini, especially in the Eco Nautical Pop colorway, looks like it came straight out of a late ’80s/early ’90s mood board. It’s a reminder that backpacks can be as functional as they are fun, and it’s made from 100% recycled nylon and polyester.
Despite its small size, the main compartment is big enough to hold my 13-inch MacBook Pro. The smaller pocket is best suited for a tablet or Kindle. The faux-fur-lined front pocket is roomy enough for a phone and wallet, and has a lanyard for keys. You can unfasten the straps and tuck them into the magnetic pocket on the back to carry the bag as a purse. The Spark also comes in smaller versions.
The Kind Bag is reusable and made from 100% recycled materials, and it takes six plastic bottles to make one bag. Once you’re done using the bag, you can contact the company to recycle it. Each bag holds a ton, so I find them perfect for grocery shopping, whether you’re picking up cans and boxes at the grocery store or fresh produce at the farmers market.
There are a wide variety of beautiful designs and patterns to choose from, and limited edition signature prints are often available. I had the opportunity to try out two cat prints by artist Amy Hastings. Kind Bags is owned, designed, and operated by women, and a portion of the proceeds from each bag sold will go to support the Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA).
My favorite reusable shopping bags are from Kind Bag, and I also love the brand’s waffle crossbody bag, which is 100 percent recyclable. The fabric, labels, and zippers are all recyclable, and each bag is made from two and a half plastic bottles. They’re also machine washable.
I am a firm believer that bags and shoes should be as fun, quirky and unique as possible. In my opinion, these are the best accessories that add a little flair to an outfit. This wallet is really cool and reminds me of popcorn covers from the 2000s. I love it and the price makes sustainability affordable.
I’ve been into small crossbody bags lately, and this Skye Mini Crossbody Bag from Sherpani fits the bill perfectly. It fits easily under your arm, is small and discreet, but still holds all your essentials. You can also use the detachable shoulder strap if you prefer.
The Skye bag from Sherpani is made from 100% recycled materials and saves 10 plastic water bottles from ending up in landfills or the ocean. The recycled polyester is durable and water-resistant, so I think it would work well as an everyday bag. I don’t have to worry about it getting scratched or the threads coming loose. If that’s a concern for you, this bag also features RFID blocking technology.
This is our favorite laptop bag, with an exterior made from water-resistant recycled nylon. Wired noted that the weight is distributed like magic, and the pockets are positioned above the pockets to keep things organized, including a slot for a 16-inch laptop. We like a few of Moment’s camera bags, including the very similar Everything Tote, which doesn’t use any recycled materials.
★ Runner-up for tote bags: Bellroy’s Tokyo Tote ($129) is also one of our favorites thanks to its excellent organization—the entire interior is divided into multiple pockets to accommodate accessories like a 13-inch laptop, phone, wallet, cables, and a small notebook. “Expandable” pockets at each end let you stash a water bottle, small umbrella, or even flat shoes. The brand uses a range of recycled materials, from plastic bottles to nylon scraps left over from other Bellroy products.
Lojel’s Niru collection of bags, including the City Sling, are made from 100% recycled nylon and feature genuine leather trim. The packaging is also compostable. This shoulder bag is virtually weightless, and snaps on the corners allow it to be folded and unfolded as needed. This shoulder bag fits my large wallet and Beats headphones, and I love the softness of the straps.
Inside the main compartment are three small pockets and a key strap. There’s also a small zippered pocket on the back that can fit an iPhone with room to spare.
★ Other Lojel items: I also tried the 3-Way Tote ($55), Daypack ($125), and Daypack Mini ($100). All are made from the same recycled materials. These backpacks only have a side entry to the main compartment, rather than a top zip and side patch pockets. It’s not my favorite design feature, but I’ve gotten used to it. Like the shoulder bags, they have snaps on all four corners, allowing you to expand or compress them.
Everything Verloop sells is incredibly cute, including this little bag made from leftover yarn. It can make any outfit look prettier if you don’t have a lot of stuff to carry. We also recommend the brand’s slippers in our guide to upcycled clothing.
★ Another mini tote from Verloop: Verloop already uses scrap yarn, but the brand takes it a step further with the Scrap Stuffed Tote ($68). The tote has a thin nylon shell filled with scrap yarn from the brand’s mills, further reducing waste. It’s bright and cheerful, and it holds all your essentials. There’s also a matching pouch.
We love Baggu’s standard reusable shopping bags, which are made from 40% recycled nylon. Each bag holds up to 50 pounds and can replace two to three plastic shopping bags. They’re also cute, come in a variety of colors and patterns, and fold into small squares so you can store multiples in your car. You can sometimes find them at Urban Outfitters, too.
Longchamp’s designer bags are understated, and if you’ve ever been on a college campus or rubbed shoulders with high-powered businesspeople, you’ve probably noticed a lot of them carrying one. The bag is made from recycled polyamide canvas, which is made from fishing nets and old carpets. It’s beautiful and durable, and while it doesn’t have a laptop pocket, it’s comfortable enough to hold a laptop. If you’re taking it on a trip as a spare bag, it folds up into a small rectangle (with a carrying strap).
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